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Outdoor Corner: Are predator numbers surging?
Gene Plihal
for Smoky River Express
The death of 19-year-old Taylor Mitchell, as a result, apparently, of coyote/wolf mauling raises the question of predator numbers and the recent brazen behaviour of wolves in our area.
As news broke of the tragic death of this young artist, a number of experts warned about overreaction. Many people take daily walks in the wilderness without incident, so condemning wildlife for this incident seemed out of place and not a proportionate response. These animals could have been diseased or starving, one authority noted, and behaving out of the ordinary.
In recent weeks I have noticed on some of my own property some significant increases in wolf presence. One alfalfa field, on initial inspection, looked as though deer had crossed the snow and had made beds in several places. On closer inspection, I discovered that the beds were in fact wolf beds and the tracks were those of some fairly large footed wolves. What struck me as particularly surprising was how this animal, uncharacteristically, bedded down in an open field within 200 yards of a public road.
A local Fish and Wildlife officer whom I met in the field on Sunday morning echoed this sentiment of the omnipresence of wolves. He commented that people in the area were noting the more frequent presence, sighting and hearing of wolves.
In recent weeks I have written about local hunters noting that there seemed to be a serious decline in the number of ungulates. While this hasn’t been scientifically established yet, I have personally noted that game seems more scarce and wiley as well. One wildlife officer observed that there seemed to be a very significant drop in the number of moose and deer in the interior of the wilderness, particularly in the green zone but that numbers still appeared fairly high for these same animals in the “farm” areas. Just speculating, but could the presence of a good number of ungulates in farm areas be attributed to the fact that typically wolves are not found in these areas?
No doubt, if there is a significant increase in wolf numbers and if this can be proven to be the case, ultimately wolf numbers will decline. Starvation will eventually put a halt to wolf numbers. When a predator kills his typical prey off, one of two options exist. Either the animal will cease to increase its number (stop producing) or turn to non-typical prey such as livestock or humans. In the latter case the consequences would be devastating because human or livestock loss in significant number would result in serious human reaction which could, perhaps, include bounties and other methods used in the past which have resulted in virtually the extermination of the wolf in many American states.
Extermination of the wolf would be a serious impact on the eco-system which relies so heavily on this cunning animal to play its natural role of preying on the weak or sick ungulates to ensure only healthy ungulates reproduce. Oh yes, a wolf will take down a healthy animal, be it a moose, elk or deer, but as with humans, a wolf is most inclined to take the route of least resistance. Preying on a sick, lame, injured, or weak elk, deer or moose has fewer dire consequences for the wolf such as: crushed ribs or broken legs, the result of injury inflicted by the kicks of healthy ungulates.
So, what route do we take? When wolves die of starvation, we humans call it a “natural cycle”. When our specie dies of starvation we call it a “famine” or “tragedy” because the food is out there. It’s just not distributed or in the right hands. In the case of wolf faced with starvation, can we then blame it for taking a food that’s out there but traditionally “off limits”. As one father who lost his son in Saskatchewan to a wolf finally said after a long and anguished reflection on the matter, often leading him to vengeful thoughts, “The wolf is simply trying to live.” I wonder if we could be this generous in our attitudes towards wolves if it came down to it?
Next week, how to protect yourself on walks from wolves and coyotes. Until then “killing doesn’t make you a good hunter.” It is important to occasionally kill or harvest while hunting, but it is much more important to be a good hunter. A “kill” will last you a day, a week, a month or a year. Being a good hunter will reward you for a lifetime.
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