Expanded Wolf Re-Introduction in AZ

[sagebrush]

If you are interested in hearing directly and commenting in person, the LAST meeting is being held in Pinetop 9/26 4-7PM.

You can see the video being presented at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHP9E36bSz8&feature=youtu.be

Here are the proposed changes in a nutshell:
Wolves are currently restricted to the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area. Any wolf leaving the BRWRA is required to be captured and returned into the BRWRA. The proposal removes this requirement and allows wolves to naturally disperse into the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area which is all lands south of I-40 and north of I-8.
Additional release sites will include ALL of the Sitgreaves National Forest and the Payson, Pleasant Valley and Tonto Ranger Districts of the Tonto National Forest (that's 4A, 4B, 22 and 23).
Extend the MWEPA from I-8 on the south down to the Mexican border.

Personally, I have a big problem putting wolves into 3A&C and 23. That is some of the best deer and elk habitat in the state. Adios to the only quality mule deer herd south of the Grand Canyon and one of the premier elk herds in the state. We need to have the same type of reaction generated by HB2072 last year. Spread the word.

 

[sbhooper]

They are unrelenting on putting that vermin back in the habitat to ruin hunting. Arizona deer have always had problems due to drought and over-hunting. That will be the final blow in many areas.

 

[jryoung]

If you have habitat that can support toothy critters then you typically have good habitat. Despite what Toby Bridges and Don Peay say they aren't going to eat all the elk and deer and its very likely they will improve sensitive habitats in the long run. Then again, guys who hunt behind a windshield or handlebars will now have another excuse for not getting their deer or elk.

 

[shoots-straight]

If you have habitat that can support toothy critters then you typically have good habitat. Despite what Toby Bridges and Don Peay say they aren't going to eat all the elk and deer and its very likely they will improve sensitive habitats in the long run. Then again, guys who hunt behind a windshield or handlebars will now have another excuse for not getting their deer or elk.

Slowly people are figuring that out. Good post jryoung.

I would like to add that if you do have good populations of deer and elk where wolves are showing up, make sure you stay engaged with your bio's there, and force them to look at management differently.

 

[sagebrush]

When you have a unit that issues only 15 tags and you introduce wolves into it, how many tags would you recommend for that unit after the introduction?

 

[jryoung]

I wouldn't suggest any change, that should be left to a qualified biologist making a decision based on scientific analysis.

But, like I said if a habitat can support toothy critters you typically have a solid habitat. Wolves wont live where they don't have food.

 

[Eric Albus]

sagebrush, if you drink the kool-aid you would support a marked increase in LE permits, afterall, those woofs only take the sick and old. Which should improve the herd, at least on paper.

 

[shoots-straight]

I wouldn't suggest any change, that should be left to a qualified biologist making a decision based on scientific analysis.

But, like I said if a habitat can support toothy critters you typically have a solid habitat. Wolves wont live where they don't have food.

Montana's EMP (elk management plan) didn't address the effects of large predation caused by increased bear, lion, and wolf predation. It only mentioned there could be different situations. You have to let the professionals do the management, BUT, make sure they are using the proper scientific analysis. That wasn't the case in Montana.

 

[Eric Albus]

Part of the problem w/ "re"-introduction of the wolf is that the prey animals are not habituated to an apex predator. The deer/elk have grown up w/ lions/coyotes/bears, but throw "top dog" in and we can see the results in the Yellowstone elk herd. If wolves are introduced to an area that has lower/declining numbers of elk/deer...you will soon see no permits in that type of an area. I have watched what coyotes can do to deer/antelope populations when their numbers are low.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Part of the problem w/ "re"-introduction of the wolf is that the prey animals are not habituated to an apex predator. The deer/elk have grown up w/ lions/coyotes/bears, but throw "top dog" in and we can see the results in the Yellowstone elk herd. If wolves are introduced to an area that has lower/declining numbers of elk/deer...you will soon see no permits in that type of an area. I have watched what coyotes can do to deer/antelope populations when their numbers are low.

Maybe for the first year, but as we've seen both in observation and in quantitative scientific studies, elk, deer, etc quickly learn how to interact with wolves. Wolves didn't really need to "relearn" how to chase elk & bison. Thousands of years of evolution don't get wiped out by 70 years of lack of stimulation.