If a wolf was a person he would be a cross between George Clooney and Hannibal Lecter. Handsome, romantic and even charming, but a stone cold serial killer. Wolves were introduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995, but did you know that Yellowstone National Park was not traditional wolf habitat. 100 years ago there were virtually no wolves in YNP.
Over the past 19 years wolves have decimated the elk herd in South Western Montana. A herd of over 20,000 animals is now down to an estimated number less then 4000. The bulls no longer bugle in the fall for fear that they will attract wolves. Elk hunting has always been hard, but now public land hunting it is next to impossible to fill your tag. Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks elk permits have declined 90% in the area, and it is speculated that over the next few years the general elk hunting season will be suspended in the area for lack of animals. Today there are an estimated 650 wolves in Montana, each wolf will kill on average 25 to 30 elk per year. Do the math!
Don’t get me wrong I am not saying the Wolves don’t have the right to exist, because they do, but we need to be more aggressive in controlling them. For that reason every hunter going into wolf territory should purchase a wolf permit, and do their part in controlling the wolves.
Stay tuned for more Wolf news and articles.