The latest news out of Wyoming Wolf Pack Slaughters 19 Elk in Rare ‘Surplus Killing’ Unusual behavior leaves game officials scratching their heads in Wyoming, according to National Geographic published on March 25, 2016 by Brian Clark Howard, read on:
“Surplus killings tend to be most common in late winter and may actually represent an effort by wolves to cache food for later use, the group notes. The predators are known to return often to kills to snack, sometimes for weeks. Sometimes more prey are also killed than wolves may have first intended due to the chaos of the hunt, the group adds. But even if the elk don’t get fully consumed by the pack, they will provide food for other scavengers.” (Source)
There you have it in black and white, the fact is predators, such as wolves do surplus killing and it serves a purpose. Man is the only predator that kills for sport. Trophy hunts are about power not conservation. In the bigger picture, elk and wolves have lived side by side for hundreds of centuries, until the human trophy Hunter appeared on the scene. Now elk are managed by hunters for hunting.
Are elk an endangered species?
Here’s an article from last year, 2015, from Jackson Hole News Guide Elk count is healthy, but not its distribution Jackson Elk Herd is near goals, but there are too many on the refuge, too few up the Gros Ventre. Read on:
“Aerial counts that wrapped up last week found 10,633 elk using feedgrounds and foraging native range. To account for those that were missed biologists rounded-up the count to 11,000 — precisely the herd’s objective. But the whereabouts of the herd are less than ideal, with surplus animals on the National Elk Refuge and only one-third of the desired number of elk wintering in upper portions of the Gros Ventre River drainage.”
The following video is of hundreds of elk crossing a road on the outskirts of Baggs, Wyoming filmed in 2014
Should we worry about wolves killing on rare occasions for surplus? After all, we stock our freezers for surplus.
Featured photograph by John E Marriott
Rachel,
Wonderful article and commentary. You absolutely nailed it. Bravo. Yes, I do periodically drop in to check out your articles and I agree with some and disagree with some but, I am human. You might think this is weird that I am commenting but, I agree with you for the most part. Please hear me out. You are SPOT ON with your commentary but respectfully, in my experience hunting is more about bettering the animals and progressing the health of the herd and population rather than killing. I speak for myself and like minded friends. We would much rather a deer etc. have a happy, healthy life and respectfully pass them and “harvest” (hate that term) them when they are injured or questionable to make it past the winter. Yes, deer are taken as trophies but they are consumed to the utmost fullest with a minimal waste same as any animal we take. I know I have no scientific numbers but I would be comfortable to say 98% of the bow hunters I have met do not hunt to waste or “trophy” hunt. Television really put a bad taste in peoples mouths with all the fist pumping, hooting hollering. Simply put, Family first. Deer and Elk are a necessity especially for the unfortunate that can’t afford factory farm meat to feed they’re kids. Factory farms, totally for another day to debate. Disgusting, enough said. A very small percent of hunters are not actual hunters. The people in question are a disgrace to real hunters that actually care about wildlife. I hope this is a little bit helpful into a true hunters ethics. The one bad apple is shunned by all. I hope I didn’t stir up anything. I wish you and your family a wonderful Easter. God bless you Rachel, you are a true hero when others won’t stand up. By the way, wolves surplus killing isn’t strange. Animals all over the world do it and that’s a way of life. Without animals killing animals all animals die. Circle of life represents LIFE.
Keep up the good work,
Matt