Multiyear Montana study shows the relationships between elk and wolves are not simple-
FWP study finds multiple factors in wolf-elk relations. By Rob Chaney. Missoulian
Nowhere are data adequate to ‘scientifically’ assign cause(s) for any declines that may occur,” author-biologists Kenneth Hamlin and Julie Cunningham wrote in their conclusion.”
However, this conclusion certainly does not mean that wolves do not affect elk in many ways, as do wolves and bear together, and each other as well.
The effect of wolves also varies in different parts of Montana despite there being similar densities of wolves, e.g., NW Montana versus SW Montana and Yellowstone.
This is an important study and you can read the 95 page report and/or save as a pdf file.
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is past President of the Western Watersheds Project.
Good to see that FWP acknowledges that the wolves are not decimating the herds. I found it interesting that the wolves in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem had different prey preferences than those in northwestern Montana.