Wolves are becoming a mainstay in the ever constant 24 hour news cycles. From hunters killing wolves with names to the never ending court battles over their status on the endangered species list. The re-introduction of wolves has sparked many debates across the states affected. How the wolf became such polarizing animal is easy to see. It is a majestic canine, a symbol with multiple meanings. A lone wolf, proud and fearless. The wolf pack with familial bonds and hunting teamwork. But the fact is the wolves are ruthless killers, chasing elk to exhaustion. Cattlemen have to contend with the depredation of cattle from the beef loving dogs. Let’s be real, not many predators are going to turn down an easy meal of beef.
Whether you love or hate the wolves, management is a must. Management starts with knowing how many animals you have in an area. That’s where Wyoming Game and Fish steps in. Officials are hoping to collar 40 more wolves in continuation of the 2017 program that started around Yellowstone National Park. Biologists and volunteers use helicopters to spot and capture the wolves with net guns. Once captured the wolves are collared and biological samples including blood are collected. Game managers are hoping to have 1 wolf per pack collared. The collars give managers GPS coordinates as well as mortality signals should the animal not move for a specified amount of time. The GPS signals will give biologists the upper hand in locating and counting the wolves during aerial studies. The more accurate the counts the better the management plan can be.
Steps like these are crucial in helping game and fish entities across the country. Anything learned in Wyoming can hopefully be applied in other states. The wolves are here to stay, no matter the feelings of this author or countless other hunters. Collar the wolves set the population limits, and let us manage them the way we know how.
