WOLVES...........

[The Innkeeper]

In the county I used to live in the coyotes were packing up and killing cattle and horses. So they introduced wolves which reduced the coyote population, they started to kill cattle and horses. Someone decided cougars and wolves don't get along, so they introduced them to kill/run off the wolves but now the cougars prefer to kill cattle and horses. Now there are still packs of coyotes, although not as many, packs of wolves and cougars ... all killing cattle and horses.all because some animal rights types couldn’t handle the idea of thinning the coyotes to a manageable level. Go figure. In the meantime the deer population is exploding because fenced in cattle and horses are easier prey. I don’t know what they will introduce for that.

 

[VThillman]

When and where humans are the "apex predator", we can introduce domesticated animals - and control attacks upon them by other predators. In areas where we have abandoned that role, we can't control that "outside" predation, and so we can't get first dibs on the grazers that we introduce.

We (us humans) have become so overwhelmingly urbanized that the practice - and purpose - of animal husbandry is incomprehensible to us. Conceptually so, to the point that we believe we are better off without those domesticated grazers. Because they fart too much.

There are several billions of us humans in the world, way more of us than there are cattle, but apparently our poop don't stink.

 

[Meerkat]

Sorry if I started to rant.
I have been close to wolves in several places in the USA. When I lived in Minnesota there were wolves there and they expanded.
I have have spent a lot of time in northwest Wyoming with family members living there and I have hunted there for many years and they put wolves there.
Now I am in Arizona and I have them at my place. And I mean right in my yard.

I understand many things about wolves because of 50 years of contact with them. I will drop out of this debate because you all know my stance on the issue and I have little more to add. I do understand the other side of this issue. I actually used to think that re-introducing wolves would be a natural thing to do. But I soon changed my mind. I do not want to hurt anyone's feelings by coming on too strong ( though I know many have thick skins like me )

I will also drop out, mainly because I have never met a wolf, and all I "know" about them is 'read-say'.

You two don't bother me at all, I like differing opinions.

I would like to add flies and mosquitoes to that list. And poisonous snakes. What is wrong with squeezing your prey to death?

Snakes also have a purpose ,they kill rodents.

 

[Terri9630]

Snakes also have a purpose ,they kill rodents.

But they don't have to be poisonous to do it. Just give them a good squeeze.

 

[Meerkat]

But they don't have to be poisonous to do it. Just give them a good squeeze.

Thats true too. i think even the poisonous ones squeeze most prey, because they are not immune to their own poison, wonder if that is true nto immune to their own venom?

 

[Patchouli]

There were rats on our little parcel here. Ugh, hated that. Fleas in the yard. Dog got fleas, brought them in, shared with cat.
Then possums moved in, kicked the rats out (they lived under the shed). I love possums. Now? No fleas. Just possums, raccoons, snakes, mosquitoes, owls...
Sorry, back to the wolf discussion.

 

[Meerkat]

There were rats on our little parcel here. Ugh, hated that. Fleas in the yard. Dog got fleas, brought them in, shared with cat.
Then possums moved in, kicked the rats out (they lived under the shed). I love possums. Now? No fleas. Just possums, raccoons, snakes, mosquitoes, owls...
Sorry, back to the wolf discussion.

PLus the babys are so cute. We found one in our chicken coop laid out in the nest.

 

[Spikedriver]

There were rats on our little parcel here. Ugh, hated that. Fleas in the yard. Dog got fleas, brought them in, shared with cat.
Then possums moved in, kicked the rats out (they lived under the shed). I love possums. Now? No fleas. Just possums, raccoons, snakes, mosquitoes, owls...
Sorry, back to the wolf discussion.

There are few of God's creatures that I won't let live in peace. Possums are on that list. I hate those filthy disease infested things. They crap all over your stored hay bales and leave disease for your stock to invest. The others on the list are raccoons (destructive), groundhogs (again, destructive), rats/mice (there's a pattern here), and skunks (well, 'cuz they're skunks...)

As for the predators, I personally believe in letting nature be nature. If the wolves move in, so be it. Same with the cats. But we shouldn't be spending taxpayer money to mess with them. Especially when nature will eventually fill the vacuum left by the loss of the critters, all on its own...

 

[Bishop]

In the county I used to live in the coyotes were packing up and killing cattle and horses. So they introduced wolves which reduced the coyote population, they started to kill cattle and horses. Someone decided cougars and wolves don't get along, so they introduced them to kill/run off the wolves but now the cougars prefer to kill cattle and horses. Now there are still packs of coyotes, although not as many, packs of wolves and cougars ... all killing cattle and horses.all because some animal rights types couldn’t handle the idea of thinning the coyotes to a manageable level. Go figure. In the meantime the deer population is exploding because fenced in cattle and horses are easier prey. I don’t know what they will introduce for that.

They need to introduce me cuz I ate it all but there's only one of me so the population would stay in Check.

 

[The Innkeeper]

They need to introduce me cuz I ate it all but there's only one of me so the population would stay in Check.

There have been other volunteers but the PETA types couldn’t want anyone killing the poor things.

You know like the French plan from a few years back to reach wolves not to eat sheep. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130207/france-plans-to-teach-wolves-a-hard-lesson

 

[VThillman]

Thats true too. i think even the poisonous ones squeeze most prey, because they are not immune to their own poison, wonder if that is true nto immune to their own venom?

I'm pretty sure that snakes aren't bothered by eating the venom. Dunno about injection.

 

[Patchouli]

Granny Clampett always relied on possom for stew. Lol you go ahead and eliminate what you want to, @Spikedriver . There will be no shortage of possums.
I was going to spray the yard cuz of the mosquitoes, but when I was cleaning the yard, and mowing, I came across quite a few small toads, we have various lizards, geckos and anoles too. The warnings on the label are for safety of bees, so I decided not to spray.
Wolves. I don't have much opinion on them. Except they shouldn't be bred with domestic dogs or kept as pets. I think that's kinda dumb. I'm not a rancher but I find it messed up what wolves will do to cattle, horses, sheep, etc. Easy prey. Should wolves be eliminated? No. I have no answer.

 

[VThillman]

Granny Clampett always relied on possom for stew. Lol you go ahead and eliminate what you want to, @Spikedriver . There will be no shortage of possums.
I was going to spray the yard cuz of the mosquitoes, but when I was cleaning the yard, and mowing, I came across quite a few small toads, we have various lizards, geckos and anoles too. The warnings on the label are for safety of bees, so I decided not to spray.
Wolves. I don't have much opinion on them. Except they shouldn't be bred with domestic dogs or kept as pets. I think that's kinda dumb. I'm not a rancher but I find it messed up what wolves will do to cattle, horses, sheep, etc. Easy prey. Should wolves be eliminated? No. I have no answer.

Patchouli, your decision not to spray, based on examining the inhabitants of your yard and the label on the spray container, is admirable. There are plenty of potential regrets out there in the world; we try to avoid making them 'go kinetic'.

 

[mosquitomountainman]

I've lived in Montana for a number of years both before and after the Canadian wolves were brought here. We used to see moose quite often in our neck of the woods. Now we see them maybe once a year. Very little of the negative news about wolves ever gets on the national press.