PODCAST – Wolf Reintroduction To Colorado with Jon Keehner

transition wild — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 02:56:16 +0000

The Colorado wolf debate carries on! What have I gotten myself into? On today’s episode of the Transition Wild Podcast, we talk with Jon Keehner, Ph.D. and carnivore ecologist on the proposed reintroduction of gray wolves to Colorado. This podcast is meant to offer an opposing view and provide additional information from our previous episode with the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project.

We discuss this issue of gray wolf reintroduction not just from the scientific approach but from a number of perspectives including an environmental, political, and a monetary standpoint. With many years of research on carnivore management, Jon provides management data from other states that have had wolf reintroductions and tells us why Colorado should proceed with caution. Jon then leaves us with a recommendation as to how hunters, ranchers, and other conservation groups should band together to create a unified voice to tackle the proposed reintroduction of wolves to the Colorado Rockies.

Topics covered in this episode include:

Jon’s Background and growing up in the Pacific Northwest
His bachelor’s degree in wildlife resources and his Ph.D. in carnivore ecology studying mountain lions at Washington State University
His career as an independent ecologist without any ties to state game agencies, activist groups, and political parties
The history of wolves and carnivore management in the United States
Why the first reintroduction efforts of gray wolves to Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming did not go as planned and the reasons why
Two groups leading the charge on reintroduction efforts: The academics and financial advocacy groups such as the humane society
Why carnivores such as wolves are good for the ecosystem but with the caveat of strong management guidelines
The reintroduction of the gray wolf to Yellowstone and the outcome of being hunted by an apex predator
Science-based management and why that is a narrow-minded approach to a very complex issue
The debate of wolves killing for fun and the myth surrounding that notion
Shoot, Shovel, and Shut up and how that hurts the management of wolves in regards to self-regulation
How hunters should navigate the wolf debate through education and communication to the majority 70% of the population who holds our fate
Dissecting Mike Phillips arguments for the impact and growth of the wolf population and why he thinks his target population of 250 wolves is an extreme underestimation of what it could grow to
Bull elk versus cow elk and why bulls are a higher target for wolf predation
The endangered species act and the legal mandate for reintroduction
Jon’s recommendation of resisting a wolf reintroduction to Colorado and how it could turn into a disaster long-term for hunting and conservation
How politics and advocacy groups have divided hunters and ranchers and his recommendation as to how we should move forward as a unified group
The current state of wolf populations in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming and how they are barely floating the funding for wolf management
Why hunting wolves as a management strategy is rather ineffective in the big picture of controlling populations
Other methods of controlling gray wolf populations such as trapping, poisoning, and air gunning
The slippery slope of wolf introduction and why there are no effective ways to manage their population once a reintroduction takes place
Why people should proceed with caution when analyzing scientific studies and keeping a good perception of hunting in the public eye
Jon’s current work of writing a book titled: “Mountain Lions, Money and Mismanagement” about the war on sustainable harvest and science-based management
Jon’s other book titled: “Use It All” about ways we as hunters can influence the 70% through providing and using more of the animals we harvest

PODCAST – Rocky Mountain Wolf Project with Mike Phillips

transition wild — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 02:18:12 +0000

The reintroduction of the gray wolf to Colorado is a movement that has been gaining steam across the state in recent months. Today we talk with Mike Phillips of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project about the reintroduction of wolves and the impact they would have in Colorado. We also cover Mike’s many years of work as a wolf biologist and his work as a Montana state senator.

There are many sides (hunting, ranching, recreation, public interaction) to consider when addressing a reintroduction of an apex predator to a natural landscape, but Mike breaks down the numbers in detail as to what potential impacts they would have on game animals and prey. We also talk about the management strategy of wolves and how taxpayer dollars would be involved in the management process. For more information, please visit: www.rockymountainwolfproject.org

Topics Covered In This Episode Include:

Intro to the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project (RMWP) and their mission behind this movement
Mikes background in politics and biology for the past 40 years and his involvement with RMWP
Other wolf recovery projects across the united states and the background behind the laws and scientific approach surrounding extra pated species such as the wolf
Examining both sides of the reintroduction from a ranching/hunting view as opposed to the biological perspective
What a viable self-sustaining gray wolf population would look like in Colorado and the impact it would have on elk and deer numbers
Why Mike thinks that predation would hardly effect hunting opportunities and game populations based on past studies and state wildlife data
How wolves would play a part in controlling the spread of diseases such as CWD
Looking at the introduction of wolves from a national perspective as well as a localized perspective at the Colorado level
Living with wolves and the ideal management strategy for their existence
The “Mythical” wolf and common misconceptions
How taxpayer dollars would play a role in the introduction and management of wolves
Management authority being handed off from a federal level to a state level coinciding with a management strategy
How being proactive with a wolf introduction would benefit Colorado longterm versus letting a population build naturally
The timeline and legislation process behind the introduction of wolves
Colorado’s wolf management plan and why Mike believes it is better than plans of other states
Resources where people can go to get involved and to seek further information on this issue
How people can go about voicing opinions throughout the decision process of a potential wolf reintroduction

Wolf Reintroduction In Colorado – Transition Wild

PODCAST – Wolf Reintroduction To Colorado with Jon Keehner

Topics covered in this episode include:

PODCAST – Rocky Mountain Wolf Project with Mike Phillips

Topics Covered In This Episode Include: