As a hunter I want wolves managed so as to protect other wildlife. As someone who enjoys nature and wilderness, I agree with Kurt that wolves belong in Utah (personally I won't mind the return of the grizzly as well.)
I disagree with you guys. I don't think that under the current or forseeable political, economic climate, that effective, reasoned, positive management of wolves is possible. Either we have them or we don't and if we do, you may as well get used to the idea that they are NOT going be be managed effectively. You need only to look at the current state of affairs in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana for examples. The ONLY stated management objective that has EVER been accomplished is the establishment of a given number of permanent resident packs. But that can only be counted a success if you consider over shooting your goal by approximately 400% a success. Oooops...
If a resident pack or two, or three or four or ten, set up full time shop here in Utah, they are going to do pretty much as they please and "management plans" won't have anything to say about it. And hunters and most other current users of the wildlife here in Utah are not going to be happy about it, either. But, what will be, will be. There isn't the money or political will to do anything about it. The wolves are going to decide for themselves.
Frankly, there isn't much in the way of habitat or elk populations to sustain much of a long term wolf presence here in Utah. The Manti, the Abajo/La Sals area, could support them, but I'm not sure if they could remain viable for the truly long term. It has taken decades upon decades and millions upon millions of dollars to rebuild the elk herds in those areas to their current levels. Wolves will reduce those elk herds drastically in just 20 years, once they get a good start. Again, see Wyoming and Idaho for current examples - the Yellowstone herd is currently what, at 30 of what it was before the gov't brought the woofs back? An aging 30%, at that, the biologists up there are predicting a further crash soon.
My solution would be to simply kill them all. I can drive a few hours to somewhere else better suited for them if I'm that horny to see or hear some wolves. That's not reality though.
...south eastern Utah is populated with wolf/coyote cross breeds also...
That is news to me. I've personally killed/inspected hundreds of coyotes in SE Utah and never seen the slightest trace of anything remotely resembling wolf.
- DAA
