Wolf kills teacher in Alaska

[fogtender]

It appears that a wolf or pack of wolves killed a female teacher in an Alaskan Bush town..

http://www.adn.com/2010/03/09/117572...-villager.html

[Melensdad]

Just curious, but is the Wolf considered a pest in Alaska? I know in some states they are a 'protected' species and cannot be hunted. We don't have them (and don't want them) here. We do have coyotes and its year round open season on shooting those things! I'd be really curious to see follow ups to this story about what happens to the wolves and if PETA or some other group shows up to protect them from the townspeople.

[bill w]

all the animal rights people are trying to start a tourist boycott of alaska for the summer over a ruling the other day..they wanted the wolves that live in denali park protected when they travel outside the park.....now how the hell are we gonna know where they came from?they tried the same thing with our states arial wolf kill program.if they are not regulated,they kill all the cows and calf moose.they are NOT dogs..one of my neighbors loves wolves and will no longer come to my house because i have nine of them hanging in my entryway getting ready to send off to be tanned..this pack killed two of their dogs last year and they still don't want them trapped.can't please em all i guess...Bill w

[fogtender]

Originally Posted by Melensdad

Just curious, but is the Wolf considered a pest in Alaska? I know in some states they are a 'protected' species and cannot be hunted. We don't have them (and don't want them) here. We do have coyotes and its year round open season on shooting those things! I'd be really curious to see follow ups to this story about what happens to the wolves and if PETA or some other group shows up to protect them from the townspeople.

No they aren't protected. When you trap them it is unlimited, when you hunt them the limit is five.

As far a a "People Pest", they aren't in most cases, but a healthy wolf population will lay waste to a Moose or Caribou population.

Bright side is they will track down and eat Coyotes, as well as house cats and dogs that are outside. Some dog musher's have gone out to feed "Fido" and found a head on the chain with no body... never heard a sound..

[fogtender]

Originally Posted by bill w

all the animal rights people are trying to start a tourist boycott of alaska for the summer over a ruling the other day..they wanted the wolves that live in denali park protected when they travel outside the park.....now how the hell are we gonna know where they came from?they tried the same thing with our states arial wolf kill program.if they are not regulated,they kill all the cows and calf moose.they are NOT dogs..one of my neighbors loves wolves and will no longer come to my house because i have nine of them hanging in my entryway getting ready to send off to be tanned..this pack killed two of their dogs last year and they still don't want them trapped.can't please em all i guess...Bill w

Their boycotts of aerial hunting didn't seem to make any differance, the radicals still came to see the park wolves... which are still here...

[fogtender]

Seems that the locals are out hunting wolves today...

http://www.adn.com/2010/03/10/117802...y-pack-of.html

Villagers unnerved by fearless wolves after teacher's death

By JAMES HALPIN
jhalpin@adn.com
Published: March 11th, 2010 11:23 AM
Last Modified: March 11th, 2010 11:24 AM

Villagers in Chignik Lake were on patrol Wednesday, hunting for wolves they blame in the death of a 32-year-old schoolteacher while she was jogging on an isolated road this week.

Candice Berner was found Monday evening along a road leading out of town just a short time after leaving work. State officials haven't yet determined her cause of death, but those who live in the village feel they know.

Tuesday night and again Wednesday morning, villagers said, an armed group of men was out roaming on snowmachines in search of tracks left by wolves, which people say have been coming too close to town lately.

"We approached them last night, but we ended up losing them," said Fred Shangin, 32, who is among the hunters. "They were right by the village again. They started running, we started chasing them but they came up to a creek we couldn't get across."

Villagers say people are on edge, concerned with the boldness of wolves in the wake of Berner's death.

Berner, who came to Alaska from Slippery Rock, Pa., was a special education teacher for the Lake and Peninsula School District. She was based in Perryville but traveled to different towns teaching. She arrived in Alaska in August, said her father, Bob Berner.

"She's a person of adventure. She likes travel," Berner said. "She wanted to see Alaska, and she thought this would be a good way to do that."

Berner, who stood about 4 feet, 11 inches tall, liked to box, lift weights and run; she was training for a marathon when she was killed.

School district officials say she left work at the end of the day Monday to go for a run on the road out of town.

Four people riding snowmachines along the road came across her body about 6:30 p.m. Monday. Gregory Kalmakoff, 23, said by phone Wednesday he and the others had been out riding at Portage Bay and were on their way back.

"There was a blood spot on the road," he said. "I turned around, looked and there was drag marks going down a little hill."

There were wolf tracks in the new snow and footprints left by a person, he said. It appeared something had been dragged off the road, said Kalmakoff's cousin, 24-year-old Jacob Kalmakoff, who troopers say was among those who discovered the body.

"We seen her gloves on the road where she was running," Kalmakoff said. "She didn't get away too far from them; they took her down pretty fast. You could see a blood trail of her body getting drug down the hill."

They went down the hill to investigate and found Berger's remains not too far down. Berner's arms and head had been mangled, Jacob Kalmakoff said.

The group alerted others in town. Later Monday night, with several people at the scene, wolves were spotted in the area, Jacob Kalmakoff said.

"After the wolves came back, they took her up to the village," he said. "The wolves weren't scared of nothing. They were just circling them down there, trying to look for an opportunity to get back in there."

Alaska State Troopers say there was predation on the body but they haven't concluded whether it was before or after death. Investigators told Berner's family in Pennsylvania that she had been killed in an animal attack, possibly by wolves.

Troopers spokeswoman Beth Ipsen said Wednesday the investigation was continuing and authorities were awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Dr. Katherine Raven, the state medical examiner, said the autopsy was scheduled for this morning and the results -- most likely not including what kind of animal might be involved -- will be forwarded to troopers, who will determine what happened.

"You can certainly tell by certain injuries that it's a big animal, small animal," Raven said. "But truly our expertise isn't what kind of animal it is. Our expertise is if it's animal versus something else."

There are plenty of bears on the Alaska Peninsula, but it would be very uncommon for them to be up and moving at this time of year, said Fish and Game spokeswoman Jennifer Yuhas. There have been no recent reports of bears in the area, she said.

Fish and Game has, however, gotten recent reports of wolves, which are common on the Alaska Peninsula, Yuhas said.

"Residents have not expressed concerns about human safety," Yuhas said in an e-mail. "They frequently express concern about the effects of wolf predation on moose and caribou populations. We have also received reports that a few dogs are killed each winter by wolves, but none of the reports came from Chignik."

Fish and Game estimated in 2008 that there were between 200 and 300 wolves in 30 to 50 packs in the Northern Alaska Peninsula Wolf Management Area, with a wolf density estimated at seven animals per 1,000 square kilometers.

Because of the high density and the impact they have had on local caribou, the Board of Game recently took up a proposal that could allow aerial wolf hunting if caribou numbers dwindle. The proposal passed but does not take effect until July 1, Yuhas said.

Johnny Lind, a resident of Chignik Lake and member of the Chignik Advisory Committee to the Board of Game, said there is no doubt wolves are getting bold in the area. There are no caribou and moose numbers are down because of sickness and predators, he said.

"They're just hungry," Lind said. "There's a lot of snow at this time of year and it's hard to find food for them.

"They've been having sightings nearby last year, but not this close though. They're right in town, looking for food."

[Melensdad]

Good to see some common sense action by the towns people going out and culling back the wolf population.

I found this article and thought it interesting, apparently pro-Wolf animal groups are claiming the wolf population is lower than it really is in an effort to expand protection of the wolves. Now I don't advocate slaughter of the wolves, but it strikes me there must be a balance of all animals in the eco-system.

Elk Foundation Calls Out Motives of Wolf Groups
Remember “pro-wolf” groups make their living from this and here is no real incentive for them to admit that wolves have recovered.
http://www.ammoland.com/2010/02/page/7/
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(AmmoLand.com)- In letters to legislators and newspapers across the West, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is calling out groups like Defenders of Wildlife, Western Wildlife Conservancy and others for their disingenuous use of data on wolves and elk.

The RMEF action was prompted by each group’s recent op-ed articles in the media, as well as testimony before Utah lawmakers by Western Wildlife Conservancy Executive Director Kirk Robinson. All cited RMEF statistics to argue that restored wolf populations have somehow translated to growing elk herds in the northern Rockies.

“The theory that wolves haven’t had a significant adverse impact on some elk populations is not accurate. We’ve become all too familiar with these groups’ tactic of cherry-picking select pieces of information to support their own agenda, even when it is misleading,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “We will not allow that claim to go unchallenged.”

RMEF population data, which come from state wildlife agencies, show that elk populations are expanding the most in areas of the northern Rockies where wolves are not present. However, where elk share habitat with wolves, such as the greater Yellowstone area, some elk populations are declining fast. In fact, since the mid-1990s introduction of gray wolves, the northern Yellowstone elk herd has dropped from about 17,000 to 7,100 animals—a 58 percent decline. Other localities in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming also are documenting precipitous downward trends.

YouTube- Idaho Hunters Prevail After Being...

Additionally, some research shows that elk remaining in areas of concentrated wolf populations are suffering nutrition loss, lower body weights and decreasing birth rates.

Allen said, “Every wildlife conservation agency, both state and federal, working at ground zero of wolf restoration—Idaho, Montana and Wyoming—has abundant data to demonstrate how undermanaged wolf populations can compromise local elk herds and local livestock production. There’s just no dispute, and emotion-over-science is not the way to professionally manage wildlife.”

RMEF continues to support state-regulated wolf management to include hunting and other viable methods. This position is supported by new reports of diseased wolf populations in the Yellowstone area.

“When wolves are too abundant, they’re more susceptible to diseases, just like all wildlife. The viruses and mange now spreading through wolf packs is another sign of way too many wolves,” said Allen. “Defenders of Wildlife would like to spin sick wolves as a reason to end hunting. But real conservationists know that diseased wildlife populations need better management. Hunting as a management tool delivers that, period.”

He added, “Remember, pro-wolf groups make their living by prolonging this conflict. There is no real incentive for them to admit that wolves are overly recovered. Fundraising is their major motive and they’ve built a goldmine by filing lawsuits and preaching that nature will find its own equilibrium between predators and prey if man would just leave it alone.

That’s a myth. The truth is that people are the most important part of the equation. This isn’t the Wild West anymore. People live here—actually quite a lot of us. So our land and resources must be managed. Wildlife must be managed. Radical spikes and dips in populations show that we should be doing it better. It’s not profitable for plaintiffs, but the rest of us would be better served if the conflict ended and conservation professionals were allowed to get on with their business of managing wildlife, including a well regulated hunting strategy.”

In 2009, RMEF got involved in the ongoing wolf litigation, supporting defendant agencies by filing legal briefs used in federal court to help delist wolves and proceed with hunting—

“facts conveniently ignored by groups who misuse our name, data and credibility to prolong the conflict. We stand for elk and other wildlife and what is happening right now is simply not good wildlife management,” said Allen.

See Allen’s letters to editors, Utah Senator Dennis Stowell and more at www.rmef.org.

[fogtender]

Appears the autopsy shows she was killed by an animal.... which wasn't supprising by the locals who called it right up front.

http://www.adn.com/2010/03/11/117938...al-killed.html

[Cletis]

The wolf situation is way out of hand in Wyoming. Packs of 16-22 wolves. Kinda makes you wonder about the old 6 shot 44 doesnt it.

Was very fortunate to have drawed and harvested a decent bull moose last year. Waited 15 yrs to draw and was probably the hardest I'd ever hunted and seen two moose the whole time.

Outfitters, moose biologist and taxidermist said the same. A few more years with the wolves and the moose will be listed as endangered!

Lots of good info following wolves

www.pinedaleonline.com Wolf Watch

Cletis

[fogtender]

Well it appears the State is going to go after the wolves, seems that the locals are already on the trail.. But here is a news update...

http://www.adn.com/2010/03/11/117936...by-wolves.html

[Melensdad]

Wow, a state doing something that makes sense. Good for Alaska!!!

[fogtender]

Originally Posted by Melensdad

Wow, a state doing something that makes sense. Good for Alaska!!!

Not to worry, they have their moments...

[plott hound]

its funny how things go.people used to shoot every wolf they seen and for good reason.when the population was under control the tree huggers put a spin on the cute little critters.making them out to be sweet little animals that run through the forest.well guess what,they are predators that will kill and eat pretty much anything.

[Blackfoot Tucker]

Heard an amusing story about wolves and Yellowstone...

It seems the ranchers around the park were quite upset because some of the park's wolves had ventured onto several ranches and killed a number of sheep. A Park Service biologist had come up with a plan to solve the problem and made a presentation outlining it to a group of area ranchers.

The biologist explained that they proposed to capture and castrate quite a number of the male wolves. The presentation then explained how they intended to to this and why it was going to work, etc.

Finally a rancher raised his hand and when called on said "I don't think you understand the problem. The problem isn't that the wolves are **cking our sheep. The problem is they're killing them."

[groomerguyNWO]

I've noticed a rise in the number of wolves and Fox around here. It also means a decline in the amount of Moose, Rabbit, Grouse etc.. I have noticed a large amount of wolf tracks while out on the trails and less and less moose tracks. Wolves will travel a good distance too so relocating them is not the answer. Last year, I was out on a 97km run with the snowcat(one way) I followed a lone set of wolf tracks almost the entire run. The tracks never left the groomed/packed the entire time.

[utahwilson]

I love how you gun carrying, don't regulate me, don't tax me all bitch and complain about government and biologists. Yet, you fail to realize that the only reason YOU still can go hunt Moose, Elk, Caribou, Wolves, Cougars...etc is the very government that has put in programs to regulate and maintain these species against the worst predator of all, YOU! The only reason we still have buffalo is directly due to government intervention. Government is good when it benefits your interests, but you protest when it benefits anyone elses.
Alaska is wilderness, which is what we all love about it in the lower 48. If you are so concerned about Wolves go talk to a Native Alaskan and ask their opinion. Apparently, they harmoniously lived with Wolves for several thousand years. A bit longer, but you creationists would argue that. You choose to live in the wilderness you choose to accept the risk. If you are a rancher and ranch on public land then too f$%king bad. No one gets 100% return on their investment and neither should you living off the public trust. If Wolves are on YOUR property that blow the snot out of them.

You don't like regulation, go live in a country that has no regulations and it doesn't take long to appreciate the United States/Canada for what we have verses the inconvience for you.

Sorry, to hear about the teacher, but come on. How many people die each year from drunk drivers.

Natural selection...get used it. Coming to a forest near you.

I'm not tree hugger, but I do like trees.

let the bashing begin...

[bill w]

actually,if the govt hadn't caved into pressure from the fur haters we would still have a bounty on wolves up here.our moose population would be way up compared to now.they also(under the term manage)have had so many cow moose hunts that there are areas that the moose population in almost gone.i now have to drive almost 100 miles,then use my 4 wheeler for another 50 miles to get into an area that still has big bulls.the biggest predator is NOT humans...it is wolves and their "regulations" i know lots of natives...to say they lived in harmony with the wolves is totally wrong....they WORE them..and still do...just my 2 cents worth.Bill w

[fogtender]

State has killed two of the suspect Wolves that /attacked/killed the young lady...

http://www.adn.com/2010/03/15/118482...sponsible.html

They will be doing extensive tests on the animals to see if there is any DNA of the gal in the Wolves. Or that the Wolf DNA on her body matches.

In either event, the fact that wolves attacked her is a good example of maybe too many wolves for the food supply and that is what caused the attack, so thinning the population will help keep them out of town looking for food/victims.

In the off chance that they do get the wrong wolves, there will be more attacks on people because the wolves have found a new food source... and it was easy to take down.

They learn very fast....

[dds]

Originally Posted by Melensdad

Wow, a state doing something that makes sense. Good for Alaska!!!

the state of alaska has been pretty good about erecting their middle finger at the tree huggers lately on preditor control all species need control even humans game management is a balance most humans follow the laws so you can legislate their management other preditors must be culled to prevent ofer pouplation which will cause a decrease in bothe the population of the food sourcs and the preditors in anchorage you have a large population of wild animals roaming through town preditors like bears wolf and fox should not live around humans they carry raibees anditddosent take long for them to figure out humans dont have fur large teeth or claws just jucy flesh.

[dds]

Originally Posted by utahwilson

I love how you gun carrying, don't regulate me, don't tax me all bitch and complain about government and biologists. Yet, you fail to realize that the only reason YOU still can go hunt Moose, Elk, Caribou, Wolves, Cougars...etc is the very government that has put in programs to regulate and maintain these species against the worst predator of all, YOU! The only reason we still have buffalo is directly due to government intervention. Government is good when it benefits your interests, but you protest when it benefits anyone elses.
Alaska is wilderness, which is what we all love about it in the lower 48. If you are so concerned about Wolves go talk to a Native Alaskan and ask their opinion. Apparently, they harmoniously lived with Wolves for several thousand years. A bit longer, but you creationists would argue that. You choose to live in the wilderness you choose to accept the risk. If you are a rancher and ranch on public land then too f$%king bad. No one gets 100% return on their investment and neither should you living off the public trust. If Wolves are on YOUR property that blow the snot out of them.

You don't like regulation, go live in a country that has no regulations and it doesn't take long to appreciate the United States/Canada for what we have verses the inconvience for you.

Sorry, to hear about the teacher, but come on. How many people die each year from drunk drivers.

Natural selection...get used it. Coming to a forest near you.

I'm not tree hugger, but I do like trees.

let the bashing begin...

come on Mr Wilson people can be regulated through laws you can't put quotas on preditors and expect them to fllow the rules us gun toters may not like it but we do live with the laws the preditor pouplation should be managed so pouplations don't explode and cause the colapse of both the preditors and food source.and preditors don' belong in urban aereas.