Study Says Wolves Could Help Control CWD


Squirrelhunter91

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Got this in the NAHC Weekly News

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Study Says Wolves Could Help Control CWD

DENVER, CO —A new study conducted at Rocky Mountain National Park says the introduction of wolves could possibly be an effective way to stop chronic wasting disease (CWD).

Three Colorado researchers say existing efforts to control the disease, which focus on reducing herd numbers, are expensive and so far ineffective. National Park Service wildlife veterinarian Margaret Wild says a wolf's tendency to prey on weak or sick animals could help remove CWD-infected animals from the deer and elk population and reduce future infection rates. She also says wolves could help scatter large herds and further reduce the risk of disease transmission.

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Guest andymansavage

Re: Study Says Wolves Could Help Control CWD

Wolves are also an effective way to destroy elk and moose herds. Just go to yellowstone. I don't think anything is worth introducing wolves. They don't even use the right wolves, but a far more aggressive canadian wolf.

Andy

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Re: Study Says Wolves Could Help Control CWD

I have lots of ranching buddies in wyoming and montana and there fear of Canadian wolves is beyond irrational. Like I said we ranch in wolf country and we get along fine. one thing it is sure cool to watch somebody I'nm guiding's readtion when they see their first wolf track. In fact if anything here we have too many deer-despite that wolves do kill them. If anything coyotes are harder on fawns than timber wolves ever are-for one thing wolves have a much larger range while yotes tend to stay pretty close to home.

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Re: Study Says Wolves Could Help Control CWD

Ohh man fisher it cracks me up-most of the guys doing the most complaining will never see a wolf in the wild in their lifetime. I can tell you one thing it's a sight you won't ever forget. Here's a question for all you budding wolf asassins-What's the best bait to trap them-and what do you think makes up the biggest part of the wolves summer diet in northern Sask.

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Guest bronco_mudder

Re: Study Says Wolves Could Help Control CWD

Good question SG, first thought might suggest moose calves, but that is probably not it. Likely small game, and birds. I don't really know. Maybe they like to eat guys walking home at night. It was Saskatchewan where the guy was attacked, IIRC.

I don't understand all the hatred for the wolves. They are everywhere up here, and the moose seem to make out alright. Where I deer hunt there are wolves there too, but in fewer numbers, I would assume because of a higher human population. The deer seem to be doing just fine there as well.

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Re: Study Says Wolves Could Help Control CWD

[ QUOTE ]

most of the guys doing the most complaining will never see a wolf in the wild in their lifetime. I can tell you one thing it's a sight you won't ever forget

[/ QUOTE ]

Amen to that statement!!! I'll never forget the first wolf I saw, nor the 2nd, not the 3rd and so on. I hope my children and their children are lucky enought to experience that thrill. I think that many hunters out there are forgetting that wolves do and always have played a very important role in the balance of nature.

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Guest BowHunter81

Re: Study Says Wolves Could Help Control CWD

I say let nature take care of her own, adding wolves i dont think would be the best way to go, but then again, who am I to say, I dont have the doctorate,

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Guest bronco_mudder

Re: Study Says Wolves Could Help Control CWD

[ QUOTE ]

I say let nature take care of her own, adding wolves i dont think would be the best way to go, but then again, who am I to say, I dont have the doctorate,

[/ QUOTE ]

But who got rid of the wolves in the first place. They were there originally. Man got rid of them, so if we put them back, wouldn't that be letting nature take care of here own?

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Re: Study Says Wolves Could Help Control CWD

well i am for it here in GA but we do not have CWD problems YET. but i would be even happier if they also took out the coyotes here. i never saw one here in my life until 4 years ago and now they are every where.

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Re: Study Says Wolves Could Help Control CWD

Here's the critter in question. Love'em or hate'em, they are fascinating and beautiful animals. I had the opportunity to watch this pack for about 2 hours last March in Yellowstone. Also saw plenty of elk, deer, sheep, antelope, coyotes, fox, bison. etc. I highly recommend a winter visit to Yellowstone.

[image]Wolf1.jpg[/image]

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Re: Study Says Wolves Could Help Control CWD

I think they are right. (Is there a graemlin for having your head on a choppin block?)

As long as they don't introduce mass quantities of wolves they won't hurt the deer population. It all has to do with the survival of the fittest. In general the weakest deer in the herd will be culled out by natural selection by the wolves. Giving the overall result of a stronger healthier more spread out herd. Only thing undesirable may be that the deer will be more alert and jumpy.

One of my college professors told me the way to tell if you managed an area correctly is that everything would be extinct in 1000 years. (Hard to fathom,Take it or leave it)

I've never seen a wolf for sure. There was speculation around me that there was one around. But IMO it was a darn big coyote or some type of other dog that looked like a wolf and hung out in the area. We do have a huge coyote population but our deer herd is more than healthy. They are skiddish but healthy. Now our quail and rabbit populations are a different story, but thats due partly to less brushy habitat and a lot of wild cats.

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