BY: Travis Pearson
PINEDALE – The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission held a public meeting last Thursday, where commissioners approved an addendum to the wolf plan as the state continues down the road to delisting the species.
The addendum simply clarified certain points of the Wyoming Gray Wolf Management Plan, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gave the document and the addendum its seal of approval.
“I would ask the commission to remember this was only a clarification, not a significant change,” Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) Wildlife Division Chief Brian Nevshik said.
One of the most important clarifications on the addendum relates to genetics. If Wyoming isn’t seeing “the genetic connectivity to the level that we committed to,” then an unorthodox step could be taken.
“The state would translocate wolves if we thought that was necessary,” Nevshik explained.
If all goes as planned, the wolf will be formally delisted by the federal government in the fall, and wolves will fall under the control of the WGFD. The first hunts would begin around Oct. 1, and 52 trophy game licenses would be awarded for the opening season.
Large carnivore biologist Ken Mills gave a lengthy presentation covering the ecology of wolves and the management strategies the WGFD would use if the apex predators were delisted.
Mills explained current literature shows wolves can sustain 22 to 50 percent human-caused mortality without declining. In Wyoming, outside of Yellowstone National Park, wolves have suffered a 35 percent annual mortality, and humans have caused 81 percent of the mortality.
Combining these figures with pup recruitment (76 to 78 pups) and the current population (198), WGFD biologists are able to determine how many hunting tags could be allotted. With 52 licenses along with total mortality at 35 percent, 98 total wolves are expected to die next year. Taking all of these figures into a basic equation leaves the state with 172 wolves and 15 breeding pairs in the trophy game management area at the end of the opening season.
“It’s simple, and it’s simple for a reason. Because simple is easy to change,” Mills said, adding the department sees the process as being “very adaptive” and to be reexamined annually.
While Mills’ thorough presentation touched on the hunting zones, including the trophy game area and flex area; dispersal; breeding and behavior; tracking and population monitoring; conflict investigation; education and many other aspects, some public comments still expressed concerns with the plan.
Chris Colligan, with the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, had questions about the addendum and overall plan.
One issue is the John D. Rockefeller Parkway area just outside Grand Teton National Park, which would be under WGFD control for wolf management. Both Colligan and another public commenter stressed the need to take this area out of the trophy game management area and allow the U.S. National Park Service to manage wolves there.
Colligan said the areas contain “well-established” wolf packs that don’t commit livestock depredations, not to mention the tourism benefits. This area is not slated for hunting in the coming year, but it is a trophy area, meaning it could be in the future.
He also wanted the commission to consider setting a specific number above the 100 wolves, 10 breeding pairs mandate the state has chosen.
“I share your feeling for a specific number,” Commissioner Mike Healy said.
But fellow Commissioner Frank Linzey disagreed.
“Setting an objective now is probably biologically not a good idea,” Linzey said, citing the need for very flexible management practices.
After concerns were heard and, in some cases answered, the commission approved the addendum and moved on with the process.
To that end, a series of public hearings will be held in the coming weeks, including April 9 at 7 p.m. in Pinedale at the Sublette County Library, and the finalized wolf management regulations will go in front of the commission for consideration on April 26.