Mule Deer Fanatic

POOR FORAGE GROWTH HAS G&F RECOMMENDING AGAINST WINTER RANGE EXCEPTIONS

11/3/2006

PINEDALE – With word of requests for exceptions from big game winter range closures by natural gas companies in the Pinedale area, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is recommending the Bureau of Land Management deny the requests based on poor forage production this past summer.

“We’ve just finished looking at the shrub production data for our winter ranges this past growing season and it is abysmal,” said the Game and Fish’s Jackson/Pinedale Wildlife Supervisor Bernie Holz. “There is going to be very little forage for those antelope and mule deer this winter and we cannot in good conscience support any additional stress being placed on those animals from gas development activities on crucial winter ranges.”

Each year Game and Fish biologists measure “leader growth,” which is the new growth on shrubs from the current growing season that browsing animals like antelope and mule deer survive on through winter. Average leader production on sagebrush was only 0.3 inches compared to 1.07 inches the past couple years. The sagebrush data from the Pinedale Mesa showed even less at 0.12 inches.

Mountain mahogany production averaged 0.85 inches as compared to 3.94 inches the past couple years and bitterbrush averaged 2.55 inches of leader growth this year compared to 7.18 inches the past couple years.

“You can see how much difference summer moisture can make, but we just didn’t get it this year,” said the Game and Fish’s Pinedale Habitat Biologist Nick Scribner. “Several of the sagebrush plants we measured this year had zero leader growth on the entire plant. All they did was kick out leaves. And very little seed, if any, was produced by shrubs this year.”

The Game and Fish is concerned there could be significant antelope and mule deer winter losses in the Pinedale area, even with average winter conditions, given the lack of forage production.

“Even last year, with the better shrub production, we had a fair amount of deer die over the winter along the Wind River Front,” said Scribner. “It figures to be much worse this year considering we only have 30 percent, or less, of the forage production we had the previous two years.”

(contact: Scott Smith (307) 367-4353 or Mark Gocke (307) 733-2331)

-WGFD-

WYOMING RESPONDS TO THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE’S REFUSAL TO DELIST WOLVES

10/6/2006

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has responded to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s recent denial of Wyoming’s petition to remove gray wolves from the Endangered Species List in the Northern Rocky Mountains.

In a letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Director Mitch King, Game and Fish Department Director Terry Cleveland said the service’s analysis of Wyoming’s petition is “flawed in various aspects and is lacking depth and understanding of several issues brought forth in Wyoming’s petition.“

The denial of Wyoming’s petition is based on disagreements about the urgency of the need to delist wolves in Wyoming and the adequacy of Wyoming’s proposed plan to maintain wolves above distribution and recovery goals.The wolf population in Wyoming continues to grow by about 20 percent per year. Based on the most recent counts, there were 309 wolves in Wyoming in 31 packs, including at least 24 potential breeding pairs – more than three times the original recovery goal for the entire Greater Yellowstone Area, which also includes portions of Idaho and Montana. There are more than 1,200 wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountain population – more than four times the original recovery goal.

Biologists estimate that approximately 22 ungulates (mostly elk) per wolf are lost each year to wolf predation. Since 2003, an average of 69 cattle have been killed by wolves annually in Wyoming. These are confirmed wolf kills only, and recent research has found that as few as 25 percent of livestock depredations are actually discovered.

“Given the rapid recovery of wolves and their effects on Wyoming’s wildlife and livestock, delisting is long overdue,“ said Cleveland. “Wyoming’s plan will work. But the service is delaying the delisting process by selectively using data and references that seem to support its case while ignoring other data and the preponderance of evidence that Wyoming’s plan will ensure a recovered population of wolves. Overall, their rebuttal of Wyoming’s wolf plan is highly flawed based on unrealistic assumptions, misinterpretation of data, misrepresentation of Wyoming’s wolf plan under Wyoming Statute and hypothetical examples that are infeasible or highly unrealistic under Wyoming’s management plan.“

Wolves were reintroduced from Canada into Yellowstone National Park in 1995. Wolf numbers first reached the criteria for a recovered population in 2000.

Before the Northern Rocky Mountain population of wolves can be removed from the Endangered Species List, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must approve wolf management plans developed by Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. The service has approved plans developed by Idaho and Montana but has rejected Wyoming’s.

In July of 2005, Wyoming filed a petition to remove wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains from the Endangered Species List. In August of 2006, the service denied that petition.

Wyoming plans to file litigation in federal court in early October to seek a ruling that Wyoming’s wolf management plan constitutes an adequate regulatory mechanism, and an order directing the service to proceed with delisting the gray wolf in the Northern Rocky Mountains.
(contact: Eric Keszler (307) 777-4594)

-WGFD-

NONRESIDENT PREFERENCE POINTS ENTER SECOND YEAR

12/22/2006

CHEYENNE – Should I apply for only a preference point? Do I apply for just a license or should I apply for both? These are questions nonresident hunters will need to answer as the new deer, elk, and antelope application periods draw near.

The coming of the new year will mark the second year that preference points are available for nonresidents who wish to apply for elk, deer and antelope licenses. The preference points system was implemented in 2006 following numerous requests from hunters to develop a system that would reward perseverance in applying for hard-to-draw areas.

The preference point system is optional. Nonresidents who apply for a license with the preference point purchase option will be awarded a point if unsuccessful for drawing a license on their first choice. Hunters who apply for a license and preference point purchase and are successful in drawing a license on their second or later choice will still be awarded a point. This gives hunters the option of applying for a hard-to-draw area on their first choice, listing an easy-to-draw area on their second and still build preference points for future years.

Cost of the preference point is $50 for elk, $40 for deer, $30 for antelope and $10 for each species for youth under 18. Hunters who wish to apply for a preference point only without the possibility of drawing a license will need to wait until July 1, at which time preference point purchase only applications will be available in hard copy and on the Game and Fish website.

According to license section manager Jean Cole, there will be a statistical advantage in building up points as 75 percent of licenses will be issued to those with highest point totals. “The remaining 25 percent will be issued in a random drawing which at least will give all applicants a mathematical possibility of drawing a license regardless of preference point totals,” Cole said.

The elk, deer and antelope license preference point system is only for nonresident licenses. Both residents and nonresidents have had a similar system in place for moose and bighorn sheep for a number of years. Hunters with questions can call the Game and Fish at 307-777-4600.
(Contact: Al Langston)

-WGFD-

NEW GAME AND FISH RULE CREATES PREFERENCE POINT ONLY APPLICATION PERIOD

9/8/2006

CHEYENNE – A new Wyoming Game and Fish Commission Rule, outlined in Chapter 44, established a new preference point only application period.

Hunters wishing to apply for only a preference point, but no big game licenses in a given season, must now do so between July 1 and Sept. 30.

“Because of the new preference point system, we received an increased volume of new applications to process during the 2006 big game application period,” says Jean Cole, Game and Fish license manager. “The preference point only application period will cut down on the number of applications we handle during the critical time of the big game application period.”

Because the rule takes effect immediately, hunters who have not yet applied for or received a preference point in 2006 can still apply for their point through Sept. 30, 2006, including nonresident deer, antelope, elk, moose and bighorn sheep and resident moose and sheep. Preference point applications are available on the Game and Fish Web site at http://gf.state.wy.us.

(contact: Teresa Cole)

-WGFD-

Wolfpack kills hunting dogs near Avery!

AVERY, IDAHO — Two hunting dogs are dead and another is seriously
injured after being attacked by a pack of wolves near of Avery, Idaho east
of St. Maries that has one North Idaho man saying the state is to
blame.

With 30 staples across her small head, and 12 feet of sutures weaved throughout her fragile body, Lilly – a 2 1/2 year old Plott hound dog is slowly recovering.

That’s a tooth hole of a wolf right there. Those holes back there are teeth marks, dog owner Jamie Parker said.

Lilly along with Parker’s two other dogs George and Ginger was attacked by a pack of wolves on Sunday. George and Ginger didn’t make it to the Silver Valley Vet Clinic like Lilly did; they both died shortly after the attack.

I don’t know how to describe it, Parker said. It tore my heart
out. Wouldn’t compare it to losing a child, but it’s got to be closet
thing to it.

Parker and some friends were hunting a mountain lion just a mile or so
from Avery when the dogs stopped barking and they knew something was
wrong. The hunters climbed up a mountain and when they got there they
found blood everywhere and a pack of wolves running toward them.

The men fired several shots and the wolves ran away.

Idaho re-introduced 35 gray wolves to the state in 1995 after near
extinction and now there are 651 wolves and 71 wolf packs statewide.

I’m frustrated by the people that have shoved these wolves down our
throat, Parker said.

The Idaho Fish and Game Department says it understands parker’s frustrations, however there isn’t much it can do until the gray wolf is taken off the endangered species list.

The federal government tried once in 2002 and another effort is now underway.

If and when the wolf is off the list, Parker and others would be able
to hunt gray wolves and shoot one if its attacking a family pet.

Parker says the push to de-list should’ve happened a long time ago.
Even so, he remains hopeful as he prepares to take Lilly home on Thursday.

I feel good and I’m pretty sure she’s going to pull out of this and
she’ll hunt again someday, he said.

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