LLOYD E. OLDENBURG, Idaho Department of Fish & Game, Boise, Idaho 83707

Historic estimates were that the 1965 statewide elk population was 81,000 and in 1975, we estimated 50,600 elk statewide.

I am aware of saveourelk. Early on they claimed the dead wolf held up by the WS agent was 200 pounds! Their whoppers were bigger than yours.

Still no answer to my question: You mention flybys last winter and the count was 20,000 elk statewide. What % of the Idaho elk population does this represent?

“Your an idiot Lee, assuming you know a person via electronic means.” I certainly don’t assume I know you – nor do I want to.

IFG…180-200 thousand elk 1994-95. A year ago they claimed 180…now its 115….WHERE THE HELL ARE THEY THEN, under the snow or scat….thats where.

I knew you couldn’t name 100 birds.

1994-1995 Idaho Fish and Game estimated elk populations were 180-200 thousand elk.

So you say, but proof is lacking. Show the source.

Had you been paying attention you would know that I live in western Oregon on 105 acres. My goal is to improve habitat for wildlife including plants. The endangered western pond turtle lives on “my” property along with plants you probably don’t give a damn about either. Mammalian wild life I have seen includes fisher, bobcat, cougar, black tail deer, coyote, ringtail, skunk, racoon, otter, mink, fox – red and grey, squirrels including native grey, california ground, and eastern fox; mice, moles,voles, bats, shrews, gophers, and . . . – you are probably already yawning and wishing you hadn’t asked the question.

Since this land was strip mined for stream cobble about 30 years ago, there are a lot of low spots that fill up with water in the winter. As a result I have numerous waterfowl all winter. My favorites for beauty are the woodies and hoodies. I like the way the ringbills and buffleheads slide into the water in contrast to the puddle ducks that really have to work at it and do a lot of thrashing before they are submerged. I also feed other birds: finches, junco, sparrows, hawks, . . . if you want the whole list of >100 bird species let me know. Yawn.

And then there are the amphibians, which have had a great decline here over the past 20 years including red frogs, pacific tree frogs, and most noticably, western newts; and the reptiles – N & S alligator lizards, blue tailed skinks, western fence lizards, gopher snakes, racers, garters, and rubber boas. I carry a pillowcase in my car so that I can transfer snakes I encounter in high traffic areas to my property where, hopefully, they will be a tad safer.

Considering the number of wolves in the Western Great Lakes area and that their numbers in Minnesota were to be monitored for 5 years before hunting would be allowed it probably would have been in the best interest of most parties if the wolves had not been relisted under the ESA. However, I am not a lawyer. Hopefully, they will be delisted again. Had Montana, Idaho, and particularly Wyoming taken a similar approach rather than planning to drastically reduce the wolf numbers they may have stayed delisted in those states.

The groups that filed the lawsuit in April of 2007: The Humane Society of the United States, Help Our Wolves Live, Animal Protection Institute, and Friend’s of Animals and Their Environment. I don’t consider these to be environmental groups.

“Ron Refsnider worked as a biologist in the FWS’ Endangered Species Program for 23 years before retiring in 2007. For most of that time he was associated with the wolf recovery program in the Midwest, and he was the primary author of the FWS’ 2007 WGL DPS delisting rule.” He has a good discussion of this issue includiing:
“There are now 18 months of solid data showing that the Midwestern states are successfully managing their delisted wolf populations, and wolf mortality at the hands of private citizens did not skyrocket following delisting, as had been predicted by delisting opponents. These data make it crystal clear that Midwestern wolves neither need, nor qualify for, the protections of the ESA. One of the above alternatives, or perhaps another, almost surely will be pursued by FWS, and Midwestern wolves will again be delisted in the near future.”