Spains wolf problem

[spike.t]

Didn't realise there were wolves in Spain, let alone so many

BBC News - Beware the return of the Iberian wolf, say Spain's farmers

Beware the return of the Iberian wolf, say Spain's farmers

A plan to ban hunting of wolves in north-west Spain worries farmers but is hailed by conservationists.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[IvW]

Fascinating.....

 

[Randy F]

Being from Wisconsin, I'll be interested to see where this one goes.

 

[DieJager]

Problem all through Europe. Wolves are becoming a problem even in Western Europe and no solution in sight thanks to the antis.. and the European Union with their BS

 

[Red Leg]

I have hunted in Spain for Ibex twice (going again next spring) and they are starting to take a substantial toll of the ibex population in the Gredos mountains. At least as of last year, the parks personnel (where most of the Ibex are located and hunted) were forbidden to cull them in any way.

 

[Newboomer]

Don't you just love bureaucrats? They won't entertain any management but whine about the decimation of pray species.

 

[Randy F]

I have hunted in Spain for Ibex twice (going again next spring) and they are starting to take a substantial toll of the ibex population in the Gredos mountains. At least as of last year, the parks personnel (where most of the Ibex are located and hunted) were forbidden to cull them in any way.

Assuming the wolves are native to where you hunted, was there ever a control in place in the past?

 

[Ike85123]

I dont understand the lady on the video, saying that no evidence can be collected from bones. Is France that far behind in crime scene investigation? Lol
Found some interesting facts.

 

[Hunter4752001]

The more I see of EU bureaucrats, the more I understand Brexit. Mind you I also see this as part of a global syndrome where urban political elites force their ideological views on powerless rural communities. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

It would be nice to see regional farming communities band together and insist that their produce only be sold to exporters. Let urbanites get a dose of reality. Of course it'll never happen.

 

[Red Leg]

Assuming the wolves are native to where you hunted, was there ever a control in place in the past?

I suppose the answer is yes if one considers near eradication a form of control. Like the States they were shot and trapped nearly out of existence from the 17th thru first half of the 20th century. The remnant population in Northern Spain was one of the few remaining anywhere in Europe. They have rebounded extremely well, which is creating the tension between wildlife management scientists (and farmers) and the environmentalist crowd who want a return to a "natural" state - whatever that might be in a country of of 40 million people one and a half times smaller than Texas.

 

[Chickenfarmers]

Wolves may not thrive when deer, elk, and moose numbers get too low, but they can survive as evidenced by the wandering wolf singles.

About 20 yrs ago my brother had a dog which was 90% wolf. That thing was a mouse/vole killing machine. No cat could compete. It could zero in on mice just under the snow or field grass, and pounce right on them every time.

Also neighborhood and other family member dogs only challenged its dominance once. They were typically quickly put on their back and in their place.

 

[375Fox]

Assuming the wolves are native to where you hunted, was there ever a control in place in the past?

I thought limited wolf hunting was legal in northern Spain where they were well established, it appears it was just banned this year. It’s too bad. I hunted ibex in southern part of gredos mountains where wolves hadn’t reached yet in December 2019, they said wolves were having a serious impact on northern part of gredos mountains as Red Leg mentioned. Hopefully a Spanish member will add in soon. Europe continues losing opportunities to hunt/properly manage their predators. Brown bear in Romania and now wolves in Spain are two examples.

 

[375Fox]

Problem all through Europe. Wolves are becoming a problem even in Western Europe and no solution in sight thanks to the antis.. and the European Union with their BS

When I hunted roe deer in Poland, I thought the packs of feral dogs were a problem too. I’m glad it’s as simple as shooting them and feral cats in the United States.

 

[Nyati]

The article is about right, it is now national law that no wolf can be hunted anywhere in Spain. And yes, we have them all over, one was run over by a car 40 km. north of Madrid, close to the Guadarrama mountain range.

A system which more or less worked, where you could hunt under strict quotas, in certain provinces, has been defeated by the greens ( which we call watermelon, green outside, red inside). They have a lot of influence in our socialist/communist government.

This has long been a media issue, as the wolf is regarded as an iconic animal, resulting in such stupidity, as in Cantabria province, having game wardens shoot them but not issuing tags to hunters.

Previous stupidity, was a project to cull all Mouflon and Aoudad, which they regarded as invasive species. Thankfully that one was defeated.

Let´s see what they think of next

 

[CEO]

Interesting to see the parallel between Europe and the States when it comes to predators. Those who never encounter the animal, making law over those who do.

I guess everywhere has their own version of the "New Jersey Cat Lady" as Rinella calls them.

 

[uplander01]

Chiming in from Michigan USA here. Wolves are a real problem in our upper peninsula. What was once a great deer and grouse hunting destination has been reduced to wolf viewing. You would have to be crazy to run your bird dog up there. If these tree huggers/PITA people want things to go back to their natural state, then the government needs to start issuing tags for people, because there is a few billion too many.

 

[spike.t]

Chiming in from Michigan USA here. Wolves are a real problem in our upper peninsula. What was once a great deer and grouse hunting destination has been reduced to wolf viewing. You would have to be crazy to run your bird dog up there. If these tree huggers/PITA people want things to go back to their natural state, then the government needs to start issuing tags for people, because there is a few billion too many.

Can you shoot them if they attack your dog?

 

[uplander01]

Google, Wolf - Dog conflicts Michigan. It's the hunters responsibility to be aware of potential issues based on geography and maps the DNR provide, and avoid problem areas. If it happens and you kill a wolf you have to report it immediately. so there can be a investigation. Problem is hunting dogs range anywhere from 20-75 yards in thick grouse cover,....you'd hear it happening but you would never get there in time. Was acquainted with a guy some years back who was running bear dogs and lost more than one in one encounter, when he got to them, shot over the wolves and they acted like they weren't even afraid of him and eventually ambled off. It's a real shame, the grouse hunting up there used to be incredible.

 

[CJW]

Google, Wolf - Dog conflicts Michigan. It's the hunters responsibility to be aware of potential issues based on geography and maps the DNR provide, and avoid problem areas. If it happens and you kill a wolf you have to report it immediately. so there can be a investigation. Problem is hunting dogs range anywhere from 20-75 yards in thick grouse cover,....you'd hear it happening but you would never get there in time. Was acquainted with a guy some years back who was running bear dogs and lost more than one in one encounter, when he got to them, shot over the wolves and they acted like they weren't even afraid of him and eventually ambled off. It's a real shame, the grouse hunting up there used to be incredible.

Ha ha, report it. That's funny.

What's funnier is they tell you to avoid the areas with wolves. I can tell you that's almost impossible. Even in areas not identified as wolf pack locations you still have the wanderers and wolves wander a long ways.

I would love to have bear, coyote or rabbit dogs but I just couldn't bring myself to send them out into the woods up here. I know of many guys who have lost multiple dogs in minutes or less.

 

[spike.t]

Ha ha, report it. That's funny.

What's funnier is they tell you to avoid the areas with wolves. I can tell you that's almost impossible. Even in areas not identified as wolf pack locations you still have the wanderers and wolves wander a long ways.

I would love to have bear, coyote or rabbit dogs but I just couldn't bring myself to send them out into the woods up here. I know of many guys who have lost multiple dogs in minutes or less.

Unbelievable