My friend Toni and I having a little fun discussing her new boyfriend and his "Montana Majority Opinion" about the fact that the Government is lying about there only being 1700 Wolves in the Northern Rockies and that "there are just too many damn predators out there"!....................Also, if you scroll through the Post, you will read about the upcoming 3 year Elk predator study that will look to determine if wolves become "additive" predators of elk rather than just being compensatory "eaters" of these hoofed browsers................Glad to see that respected U. of Montana wolf biologist Mark Hebblewhite is a member of the research team heading up the study.................Note my commentary in the first paragraph of Toni and my" back and forth" regarding human assumptions of how many elk are supposed to graze the Northern Rockies---a all to often seen human-centric set of eyeglasses on predator prey dynamics rather than an optimum ecosystem-centric perspective always seems to be the starting point of the debate on how many wolves, bears and cougars there are supposed to be in any one locale.

Toni

Thanks for the article on the Montana Elk predation study that is in the works...............................What everyone conveniently ignores is that from a health of the ecosystem perspective(meaning taking mans money making activity of bountiful Elk hunting out of the equation), the historic cougar, bear, wolf top predator suite always kept elk, buffalo, deer, pronghorn, moose and caribou at sustainable levels................it is just in the last 100 years that our "modern day" perspective of how many elk there are supposed to be(for the outfitters, hunters, ranchers) has overuled and ignored the age old ebb and flow balance of predator and prey that optimized the health of the plants, water and other animal, reptile, bird and fish species that call North America home..................Yes, we human animals are part of the system..................but we are the only creatures that can say  "lights Out" to another species........................Somehow, the couple of hundred thousand wolves, bears and cougars that occupies what is now the USA in 1500AD did not cause "Lights Out" for elk, deer, moose, pronghorn and buffalo......................
 While it might not lead to a romantic end of evening, this might be a stimulating dinner theme of conversation to have with your new boyfriend. :)

Stay in touch.

Rick
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On Sun, Feb 13, 2011 at 11:15 AM, Toni Stark  wrote:

Rick,

Yes. Actually, I just started dating a hunter from Hamilton, Montana.  We are definitely on opposite sides regarding the wolf issue, and he is personal friends with Denny Rehberg.  He is, however, a "humane" hunter and does not believe in violating, aerial shooting, chasing animals down on snowmobiles and 4-wheelers, and gassing the pups in their dens.
He quotes exact numbers for the loss of elk in Montana, but denies the reduction in the number of wolves that exist here.  He claims that it is inaccurate and that there are many more.  He said that the wolves eat the newborn elk as soon as they come out of the womb.
He is pushing for a scheduled wolf hunt with permits in specific areas in Montana.

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The Bitterroot Star

 FWP to begin study in Bitterroot".

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will begin a study this week that will evaluate factors affecting elk calf survival in the East and West Forks of the Bitterroot Valley.
The number of elk calves surviving from birth through their first winter has declined throughout the Bitterroot Valley since 2004, and biologists have documented an overall elk population decline in the West Fork.  Decreased calf to cow ratios and population declines are raising concerns that increasing numbers of wolves, mountain lions, and black bears may be reducing elk populations and hunter opportunities in the valley.

To help answer the question of exactly what role predation plays, in combination with other factors that limit elk populations, a team of field researchers will hit the ground this month.  The crew plans to capture 40 cow elk by helicopter, evaluate their nutritional condition and pregnancy rates, and outfit them with radio collars. Researchers will then monitor the radio collared elk throughout the year and investigate causes of death.

The radio collared elk will also lead the researchers along migration routes and to calving grounds so that FWP can locate and radio tag newborn elk calves in the spring.
Researchers hope to monitor these radio tagged calves to record mortality rates by time of year and location and to investigate causes of death.
Dr. Kelly Proffitt, FWP Research Biologist, is the project leader and local FWP Biologist.  Craig Jourdonnais, will be involved.  Dr. Mark Hebblewhite of the University of Montana is a partner in the research.

Mike Thompson, FWP Region 2 Wildlife Manager, says that reduced calf survival and elk population declines raise concerns that increased predation is having an additive effect on elk survival in the valley.  "The issue of balancing large carnivores and prey such as elk is a priority issue for FWP across Montana, and hopefully this study will help us and other improve our management.

High predator densities and wolf recolonization are relatively new challenges for elk management in most western states, and understanding the role of predation, in context with other factors affecting elk populations, has the potential to provide valuable insights for wildlife managers and biologists across the Rocky Mountain States. The study will be replicated in 2012 and 2013 to identify patterns and changes that may appear from year to year if funding can be secured.  Funding for the first phase of cow capture and monitoring will be provided by FWP, a US Forest Service RAC Grant, the University of Montana, Ravalli County Fish & Wildlife Association, Montana Chapter of Safari Club International, Hellgate Hunters and Anglers, Montana Bowhunters Association, and a collection of other private donations.  And on January 31, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation awarded the projects $30,000 which will enable calf capturing and radio tagging to begin in the spring.

Bitterroot Beagle Productions, a Hamilton video production company, is producing a documentary film on the elk study, in association with
Sherman Media.
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COMMENT FROM TONI:

Why hasn't anyone considered that overhunting by PEOPLE is part of the problem.  Many people take game over the limit allowed, hunt at night and out-of-season, hunt without a license, put bait on their land and shoot animals, over trap an area, and shoot game along the road.
If we had a Moratorium and did not allow any hunting for 5 years, it would allow game and other wildlife populations to regenerate and preserve game for future generations of hunters.

Toni

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On Sun, Feb 6, 2011 at 3:42 PM, Rick Meril <rick.meril@gmail.com> wrote:
Toni..................nice to hear from you........................I imagine the same type profile guy would exist in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Michigan and Wisconsin..................all I believe give kids a school holiday the first day hunting season opens.

Too many shooters...................and not enough animals................I am firends with hunters..............but "slob shooters" they are not and respect and understand limits and the way they go about stalking......................no lures...............no artificial feeding plots, etc.
 So.................on a fun note, any of the guys that you date from the site worthwhile...................even if they are "shooters"  :))))))))   ???

Stay in touch and thanks for reading the blog.

Rick

On Sun, Feb 6, 2011 at 11:15 AM, Toni > wrote:

Rick,
I subscribe to an online dating site and possible dates sent to me are from Montana and Idaho.  Of the hundreds of profiles that I have read since October, 98% of the men say that they are hunters.  With that many hunters (and illegal hunters) in this area, it is no wonder that game is getting scarce.  We have too many 2-footed predators and the poor wolves, coyotes, and mountain lions get all the blame.

Toni .................in Montana