Let’s Think About This Before Moving Forward…
by John Weckerle
In last week’s Mountain View Telegraph, a Guest View by Sandia Bearwatch member Dennis Hayes rebuts an August 25 Guest View by Tijeras resident Jeff Young, which takes issue with the reaction to New Mexico Department of Game and Fish plans to increase the number of bear hunting licenses in New Mexico in response to supposed bear population increases in New Mexico.
Mr. Hayes’s article provides some very interesting information on how bear populations are estimated. Mr. Young provides some information as well. There is one point, especially, on which Mr. Young appears to be incorrect, and that has to do with moose populations in the Yellowstone National Park area, and there are things to be said about Idaho elk populations, as well.
Mr. Young attributes decreases in moose populations in Yellowstone to wolf recovery efforts. In fact, most sources we found attribute the decline to wildfires in 1988 that greatly reduced the moose habitat in Yellowstone. Of particular interest is this summary, which discusses not only the factors leading to the moose’s decline in Yellowstone, but how it came to be there in the first place. According to the paper: “Archeological evidence of moose has not been found in northwest Wyoming and south central Montana. Moose appear to have been scarce in Yellowstone until the latter half of the 19th century and in Jackson Hole until early in the 20th century. Forest fire suppression, restrictions on moose hunting, and moose transplantations contributed to their subsequent range expansion and population increase.” In short, the higher populations seen in the past were essentially an aberration caused by human influences on the local ecosystem, and the subsequent decline was not primarily caused by wolf predation, but resulted mostly from a return to natural processes (fire, to be specific) that impacted the moose’s habitat.
While substantial controversy appears to surround the subject of wolf predation on Idaho’s elk population, most sources acknowledge that wolf predation is one of several factors that affect survival rates. Most of the graphs we found showed the decline of elk in the Lolo area beginning and substantially proceeding several years before wolves were reintroduced, and there was a particularly harsh winter (1996-1997) that severely reduced the elk population. This article examines the population trend and suggests that the major factor in the decline since 1989 could not be logically attributed to wolves.
A study by Idaho Fish and Game (summary here) appears to be focused on a population of 65 tagged elk, 25 of which died. Causes of mortality included:
- Wolves – 9
- Mountain lions – 4
- Predation (species could not be determined) – 3
- Other factors (disease, vehicle impact, “harvested,” or cause of death undetermined) – 9
We’d be interested in knowing how that last bullet breaks out. If, say, 7 of the 9 were due to hunting, that would make hunting the second-most common cause of death, something that could be managed. On the other hand, if disease is the greater culprit, that would suggest an entirely different situation. This article suggests that wolf predation may not be the primary factor affecting elk populations in Idaho.
Mr. Young provides a very pro-sportsman perspective that suggests a possible bias with respect to how wildlife should be managed. One need only look at the NM Game and Fish home page to get the impression, mentioned by Mr. Hayes, that the agency is focused very heavily on hunting and fishing. We would suggest that everyone remember that Game and Fish is not the only source of scientific information on wildlife, bears included, and that information from other sources may be as valid as or more valid than that which Game and Fish uses. Mr. Hayes correctly warns us that wrong and/or hasty decisions on bear management may cause long-term damage, and it would seem prudent that more studies be conducted before taking steps to adjust the bear population.