In the Northern Rockies, two complaints are often heard from the anti-wolf crowd: (1) wolves are a huge threat to livestock ranchers because they kill so many cows and sheep, and (2) wolves have decimated elk herds to the point that elk hunters can no longer find any elk.  A few recent news stories show that such complaints are way overblown.

It's been a cold, wet spring in Montana, and the weather has taken its toll on livestock.  According to a story in the Billings Gazette, "Losses of newborn livestock in three lethal snowstorms in the middle of calving and lambing season will be in the thousands for the counties in Montana's southeastern corner."  Three snowstorms.  Thousands of dead calves and lambs.  As Ralph Maughan noted, "For comparison, cattle losses to wolves in Montana in 2008 totaled just 77 dead with a couple dozen more 'probables.'"

In another story, a rancher in Ashton, Idaho, lost three calves to depredation, and the lead suspect was, of course, a wolf.  But after authorities set a live trap and investigated the incident, it appears a large gray malamute dog was the culprit.  The article also notes that "statistics indicate that the numbers of livestock killed by domestic dogs allowed to run loose totals several hundred in Idaho each year."

Yes, wolves occasionally prey on livestock.  But these two stories remind us that weather, Spot, and Fido are bigger threats to ranchers than wolves.  And I haven't even mentioned disease, lightning, poisonous plants, etc.  

Finally, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and just released statistics on how elk populations have skyrocketed in the past quarter century.  Nationally, elk numbers grew 44%.  And in the Northern Rockies, Wyoming's elk population has grown 35%, Idaho's has grown 5%, and Montana's a whopping 66%.  Clearly, the "wolves have killed all our elk" argument is baseless. 

Wolves are carnivores - no question about it.  But much of the hysteria over wolves, as these stories attest, is just not warranted.  Stop blaming the wolf - or Satan's Dog, as some refer to it - for things it hasn't done.