Yellowstone wolf population is declining

[oswald2581]

My girlfriend is pretty involved with the wolves in the park. Most of these numbers come down to pups. Every year there is a spike in May when they're born and then that number declines from dispersion or pup deaths until the next May. You can get whatever wolf numbers you want depending on what time of year you decide to count

Agree, although there is 80 in Yellowstone Park at the time of the count, how many are in the surrounding GYE area total. Populations may fluctuate, but they are here to stay and not going anywhere.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Ebbs and flows boys ebbs and flows

 

[TheJason]

You can get whatever wolf numbers you want depending on what time of year you decide to count

You can, that is why it's important to compare counts taken at the same/very similar times. Then, you get accurate depiction of things like litter sizes, pup survival, overwinter adult survival, etc. Same with ungulates.

 

[wyoboypt]

Funny, but that's not what folks that have been there this spring are saying. I wonder how that could be?

The last time I went (a couple years ago, maybe 3) I was disappointed that I wasted time and money doing it. I can see just as many or more animals in Teton, for free!

 

[deadshotutah]

I’m listening to episode 79 of the hunt talk radio podcast. One of the guest has been using the term “native species”. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t the introduction of wolves to Yellowstone national park an attempt to re-establish an endangered species in a national park with good source of food supply and lack of hunting pressures right? These wolves were introduced to the area as an attempt to bring the North American population back up? But that does not make them indigenous to the area but rather an introduction to the area? If my understanding is correct than wouldn’t wolves brought to the area by mankind be an invasive species? Just as much as is talked about of the invasive plant variations such as cheat grass and pinion juniper

 

[icebreaker12]

I’m listening to episode 79 of the hunt talk radio podcast. One of the guest has been using the term “native species”. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t the introduction of wolves to Yellowstone national park an attempt to re-establish an endangered species in a national park with good source of food supply and lack of hunting pressures right? These wolves were introduced to the area as an attempt to bring the North American population back up? But that does not make them indigenous to the area but rather an introduction to the area? If my understanding is correct than wouldn’t wolves brought to the area by mankind be an invasive species? Just as much as is talked about of the invasive plant variations such as cheat grass and pinion juniper

Are you really trying to suggest that a species that is being reintroduced to the area (they weren't some other larger subspecies as people suggest), which were extirpated, but still lived less than 700 miles away is comparable to cheat grass, which is native to Europe? Really?

 

[theat]

I’m listening to episode 79 of the hunt talk radio podcast. One of the guest has been using the term “native species”. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t the introduction of wolves to Yellowstone national park an attempt to re-establish an endangered species in a national park with good source of food supply and lack of hunting pressures right? These wolves were introduced to the area as an attempt to bring the North American population back up? But that does not make them indigenous to the area but rather an introduction to the area? If my understanding is correct than wouldn’t wolves brought to the area by mankind be an invasive species? Just as much as is talked about of the invasive plant variations such as cheat grass and pinion juniper

Yeah, I suppose that we should never have reintroduced invasive bighorn sheep to the dozens of mountain ranges that they previously lived in, or reintroduced invasive elk to any midwest or eastern states.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I’m listening to episode 79 of the hunt talk radio podcast. One of the guest has been using the term “native species”. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t the introduction of wolves to Yellowstone national park an attempt to re-establish an endangered species in a national park with good source of food supply and lack of hunting pressures right? These wolves were introduced to the area as an attempt to bring the North American population back up? But that does not make them indigenous to the area but rather an introduction to the area? If my understanding is correct than wouldn’t wolves brought to the area by mankind be an invasive species? Just as much as is talked about of the invasive plant variations such as cheat grass and pinion juniper

Yes, your understanding is incorrect.
Wolves were native to most of the continental U.S. long before the white man invaded the country.
Just because wolves were eradicated from most of their native range does not mean they are not native. Hence the term "re-introduction".
Also since when are pinion and juniper invasive? Nobody introduced these trees but they may be expanding into areas you don't like.

 

[TheJason]

Just as much as is talked about of the invasive plant variations such as cheat grass and pinion juniper

Cheat grass is an invasive, PJ is not. The term you are looking for with PJ is encroachment, and is a long term result of fire suppression.

 

[The Hedgehog]

I'll drink to that.

 

[deadshotutah]

Are you really trying to suggest that a species that is being reintroduced to the area (they weren't some other larger subspecies as people suggest), which were extirpated, but still lived less than 700 miles away is comparable to cheat grass, which is native to Europe? Really?

Well yes, yes I am. Do you listen to the owner of this site? I do pretty religiously actually. I like what he has to say and he shares A LOT of the same views I do. Your right cheat grass is native to Europe. It was imported, to my understanding, as it is the primary food source for chukar. Which BTW are also native to the Middle East, IE. Afghanistan. Which were imported by our early presidency. Now that being said, yes I will compare the two, if you look at all the damage that folks such as myself say it does. With the wolves I was taught at a young age that wolves in Yellowstone WERE NOT a REINTRODUCTION but rather an INTRODUCTION. Introduction meaning new, never before existed, first time. That’s why I asked for clarification because how could they be native north but not have a range expanding in to what is now the USA. Thank you

 

[deadshotutah]

Cheat grass is an invasive, PJ is not. The term you are looking for with PJ is encroachment, and is a long term result of fire suppression.

Yes that is correct, my apologies I got it mixed up with something else randy had been talking about. But like asked what about the wolves? Is there true evidence showing that wolves existed in the area previously? That’s all I’m asking because of what I had been told growing up. Thanks for the correction.

 

[deadshotutah]

Yes, your understanding is incorrect.
Wolves were native to most of the continental U.S. long before the white man invaded the country.
Just because wolves were eradicated from most of their native range does not mean they are not native. Hence the term "re-introduction".
Also since when are pinion and juniper invasive? Nobody introduced these trees but they may be expanding into areas you don't like.

That was a misquote about the PJ. I’ve heard both ways about the wolves but have not seen evidence of either. Not really involved with the wolf situation was just curious. Thanks for the info

 

[mtmuley]

I'll drink to that.

Hydration strategy. mtmuley

 

[deadshotutah]

Yeah, I suppose that we should never have reintroduced invasive bighorn sheep to the dozens of mountain ranges that they previously lived in, or reintroduced invasive elk to any midwest or eastern states.

That’s interesting. Did you and the other guy forget how to read? I asked the question as it was an introduction not reintroduction. It to mention it was a question. Didn’t mean you or your buddy above needed to be a douche. BTW, weren’t elk originally a plains animal and the human encroachment on the habitat pushed them up in elevation? It’s pretty sad when the owner of this site says how great people are here but I guess you can’t always control everyone. Thanks for your useless opinion.

 

[stealthy_bowman]

BTW, weren’t elk originally a plains animal and the human encroachment on the habitat pushed them up in elevation?

Actually, elk aren’t technically native to North America. They migrated over the Bering strait from present day Russia a mere 100,000+ years ago...

 

[madtom]

 

[BrentD]

Not so sure I would say the elk are nonnative, but the subspecies in AZ is from Wyoming (not the native subspecies), and the Big Horns in South Dakota are another subspecies as well.

What would people talk about on line if it weren't for wolves in the west?

 

[onpoint]

"What would people talk about on line if it weren't for wolves in the west"?

You must have missed the last 237 "what's the best...." topics

 

[stealthy_bowman]

Just being facetious, lol l. My point is that what’s native and not native just changes over time. It always has and it always will, that’s just how this planet evolves. 100000 years ago it was elk crossing a strait. Today it is some invasive species flown in from some place and so on. Things are fluid and things never stay the same for too long in nature.