Diane K. Boyd

So it's a difficult challenge and wolves are continuing to expand everywhere in the West, the Midwest, Europe. And so there's more and more challenges, and a lot of the early excitement about wolves has changed into a bitter battle. Yeah.

95, 96, and then 96, 97. Those winters.

95, 96, and then 96, 97. Those winters.

95, 96, and then 96, 97. Those winters.

Yes. And so kind of the die was cast when those wolves were removed. And basically by the 1930s, there really weren't viable populations in the West anymore. There are wolves here or there in a pack here or there, but there weren't thousands. And they went inside the national parks. They have a picture in many books of rangers with cute little wolf pups that are like seven, eight weeks old.

Yes. And so kind of the die was cast when those wolves were removed. And basically by the 1930s, there really weren't viable populations in the West anymore. There are wolves here or there in a pack here or there, but there weren't thousands. And they went inside the national parks. They have a picture in many books of rangers with cute little wolf pups that are like seven, eight weeks old.

Yes. And so kind of the die was cast when those wolves were removed. And basically by the 1930s, there really weren't viable populations in the West anymore. There are wolves here or there in a pack here or there, but there weren't thousands. And they went inside the national parks. They have a picture in many books of rangers with cute little wolf pups that are like seven, eight weeks old.

And they took the pictures. This was in 1926. And then they killed them all. So they even removed all the predators within national parks. So people, historic memory, you know, we have really short memories. Historic memory of, say, for example, the northern range, northern herd range of elk out of Gardner. It was about 20,000 before the wolves were introduced. Way over carrying capacity.

And they took the pictures. This was in 1926. And then they killed them all. So they even removed all the predators within national parks. So people, historic memory, you know, we have really short memories. Historic memory of, say, for example, the northern range, northern herd range of elk out of Gardner. It was about 20,000 before the wolves were introduced. Way over carrying capacity.

And they took the pictures. This was in 1926. And then they killed them all. So they even removed all the predators within national parks. So people, historic memory, you know, we have really short memories. Historic memory of, say, for example, the northern range, northern herd range of elk out of Gardner. It was about 20,000 before the wolves were introduced. Way over carrying capacity.

Elk were starving. The browse lines as high up as they could reach, they ate everything they could eat. They were paying people, people were being paid to come in and kill deer and elk. And then they started the late hunting seasons out of Gardner, which I went in because my boyfriend at the time had a tag.

Elk were starving. The browse lines as high up as they could reach, they ate everything they could eat. They were paying people, people were being paid to come in and kill deer and elk. And then they started the late hunting seasons out of Gardner, which I went in because my boyfriend at the time had a tag.

Elk were starving. The browse lines as high up as they could reach, they ate everything they could eat. They were paying people, people were being paid to come in and kill deer and elk. And then they started the late hunting seasons out of Gardner, which I went in because my boyfriend at the time had a tag.

And they just have a shooting line in February and kill all these elk because they aren't going to make it anyway. And so you shoot a starving cow in February because it wasn't predators. So then when the wolves came back, two things happened. Number one, it was a new predator. But number two, in the winter of 96, 97, we had some of the deepest snows ever recorded in the mountains, ever.

And they just have a shooting line in February and kill all these elk because they aren't going to make it anyway. And so you shoot a starving cow in February because it wasn't predators. So then when the wolves came back, two things happened. Number one, it was a new predator. But number two, in the winter of 96, 97, we had some of the deepest snows ever recorded in the mountains, ever.

And they just have a shooting line in February and kill all these elk because they aren't going to make it anyway. And so you shoot a starving cow in February because it wasn't predators. So then when the wolves came back, two things happened. Number one, it was a new predator. But number two, in the winter of 96, 97, we had some of the deepest snows ever recorded in the mountains, ever.

And so many of the herd died from snowfall. And I've had hunters tell me, yeah, the population elk went from 20,000 to 10,000 in two years. Damn those wolves. And it's like, do you think 35 wolves killed 10,000 elk? Come on. Let's just do the math a minute.

And so many of the herd died from snowfall. And I've had hunters tell me, yeah, the population elk went from 20,000 to 10,000 in two years. Damn those wolves. And it's like, do you think 35 wolves killed 10,000 elk? Come on. Let's just do the math a minute.

And so many of the herd died from snowfall. And I've had hunters tell me, yeah, the population elk went from 20,000 to 10,000 in two years. Damn those wolves. And it's like, do you think 35 wolves killed 10,000 elk? Come on. Let's just do the math a minute.

And I'm a hunter. I get it.