# Book Review - "Decade of the Wolf: Returning the wolf to Yellowstone"



## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

So in the thread we had about how the wolves are changing the rivers in Yellowstone, I decided to read more about it. In reading several articles, most pointed back to Doug Smith, one of the wolf biologists in YNP since the re-introduction in 1995. So I found this book and thought I'd give it a read. Here are my thoughts.

First, the book is very well written, and Smith has a very nice story-telling style. It reads well and tells a very good story. 
Second, it is not a scientific or academic piece. It is a history. He does cite several other sources, but more than anything, it is a history from his point of view, telling the story of wolf introduction, specific wolves, and how the packs have evolved since being introduced. 
Third, it is clearly written from the point of view of someone that is passionate about wolves and Yellowstone, and how all of that interacts. 

The book is organized with alternating chapters -one chapter telling the overall picture, followed by chapters he calls "Portraits of a wolf," that focus in on "Wolf #97". Both are very interesting. The portraits tell the story of that particular wolf from its capture in Canada or birth in the Park, to introduction, to the role it played in a pack through its life, and ultimately its death. He tells of his personal interactions helping capture each wolf for collaring, or observations from afar. These portraits are really quite compelling and look the wolves as individuals which is certainly interesting. 

Other chapters telling the bigger picture are nice descriptions about pack development, interaction with one another, how they have adapted to the prey base, their migration in/around/out of YNP which was also quite interesting. 

He touched briefly on some of the larger assertions such as the trophic cascade the wolves are causing, which was the main reason I wanted to read the book. While he did touch on the concept in general, and some of the changes happening in YNP, I really didn't feel he made a strong case one way or the other, other than the general idea of the concept. But as I read the book, I realized that wasn't the point of the book. It wasn't a scientific report asserting really anything like that. It was simply a history from the point of view of a guy that spends every day dealing with the wolves in and around YNP.

My recommendation is that no matter how you view the wolves - good bad or sideways, this is a good read and tells a story worth being told.


----------



## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

Sounds like a good read. I am not much on reading real opinionated stuff when it comes to wildlife especially the wolf. I have seen them first hand in the wild and have met and spoke with biologists in the field that were studying their movements , impact and so forth. 

Having grown up just outside of Yellowstone in Cody the place is near and dear to my heart. That said I believe that a balance can and should be reached. The natural balance of the Yellowstone area is different today than it was 20 years ago, which was different than it was 100 years prior. I am certainly not in favor of wiping out the wolf but I am also not in favor letting them run wild while being completely protected from intervention. No more or no less than I would be willing to see other wildlife run its course without management.


----------



## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm not a wolf lover myself. But I've always been of the mind that IF we are to have them around, YNP is the place to do it, since humans cannot fill the role of apex predator there. I think you'll enjoy it if you check it out. Clearly, the author is a proponent of wolves within YNP. But I didn't feel like this book was trying convince me to love or hate wolves - just explain the history of how things have gone within the park since '95. I really enjoyed it.


----------



## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

I love wolves. Just not the ones that hunt the same elk as me and you are correct. YNP is the place to do it.


----------



## The Naturalist (Oct 13, 2007)

I agree...a good read.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I wish I had time to read a book.



igotagitbak2wurk

.


----------



## bigbr (Oct 24, 2007)

How many of you have been to Denali Park in the spring? Was up there last weekend and drove for two days in the park. Saw moose, caribou, and grizzly with a ton of wolf sign all over. You know what was amazing though? Not one calf! not a moose calf not a caribou calf and no cubs with the sow grizzly we saw. The park is devoid of new life and this is the season for calving. Yellow Stone was a political abortion when it comes to wolf reintroduction and Wayne Owens had no business sponsoring the reintroduction legislation. Big


----------



## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

If you seriously think for a minute that Denali is devoid of new life you need to go back up there and get out of your vehicle.


----------



## bigbr (Oct 24, 2007)

Mr Muleskinner said:


> If you seriously think for a minute that Denali is devoid of new life you need to go back up there and get out of your vehicle.


 NEW LIFE. Over! Read the park reports 100 k caribou back in the thirties now about 1700. Wolves have taken their toll on park game just as the elk and moose numbers have crashed in YS park. Can I send you a pair of readers?


----------



## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

I as well as many others are fully aware of the toll that the wolves have take but........

"DEVOID OF NEW LIFE" = entirely lacking or free from new life.

Do you think you may have been exaggerating just a fuzz. Show me a report that validates your use of devoid.


----------



## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

Mr Muleskinner said:


> I as well as many others are fully aware of the toll that the wolves have take but........
> 
> "DEVOID OF NEW LIFE" = entirely lacking or free from new life.
> 
> Do you think you may have been exaggerating just a fuzz. Show me a report that validates your use of devoid.


No, he was there last week. He has no other corroborating time or spatial references, but he does not need them, he was there. He seen it with is own two eyes. So it must true. Just like everyone else on this forum that _seen sumpin'. _

Let me try something here. Bear with me, this might be hard for some to grasp. Caribou calving occurs in mid-late May in Interior Alaska and in early June in northern and southwestern Alaska. Denali is technically in interior Alaska. So lets see, Bigbr was there on the 17th-18th, which puts him at the beginning of calving season. So it may have just begun. How many 3 day old spotted mule deer fawns do you see running around in June?

Oh, and lets see here, what is the calving season for Alaskan moose? What? The last week of May, heading into June? WTF?

Now, I wonder if he saw any wolf pups running around?


----------



## bigbr (Oct 24, 2007)

Lonetree,

Thank you for Your eloquent synopsis of my observation. Having lived and hunted in Alaska for a few years let me explain the difference in herd animals and what I might term as lessor if not solitary ungulates. Caribou are truly a herd animal and the calves are not born with spots and for the most part the cows do not use seclusion or concealment as a major means of protection of their calves. Moose on the other hand are more in line with your analogy of mule deer and their calves are born brown and fuzzy without spots and moose tend to be more solitary creatures until the rut takes place. And yes moose have a longer gestation period and so for moose It may have been a couple of weeks early to witness calving. However with that being said, I have in the past, been in Denali Park at the exact time of year and witnessed both moose and caribou calves along with grizzly cubs. Although we are restricted to just over thirty miles of road accesses in the park this last weekend, I was surprised at the lack of calves and especially due to the fact that it has been a mild winter and dry spring in Alaska. 

Forgive me for not bowing at the alter of you and Mr. skinners vast knowledge and Audubon perspective of conservation but I have been there and done that many many times, not just reposted studies from academia. Now I also know that computer modeling and PhD’s are the only way that one should be held credible and especially since I have worn out more pairs of hiking boots than my body will let me remember I realize that my mere mortal eyes cannot compare to your hollygrailsmanship, so please let me not mislead you with my observations as again I am just mere mortal. Have a good day


----------



## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

Computer models and PHDs? :mrgreen: Maybe you are not aware of my education, or what I think of PHDs.

If you had seen low numbers of Caribou or moose calves, then your case might have merit. But you saw 0, conclusion, they had not been born yet. 

Mild winter has nothing to do with calving, calving is determined by the timing of the rut. And moose no not have a longer gestation period. But rather the timing of the rut differs from region to region, for both caribou and moose in Alaska. And is different for moose here as well.

Audubon was a hunter.

Yeah, and I'm spurious:rotfl: You drive through a park, claim wolves have destroyed everything unborn, based on your road side observations. And then preach to me about boot leather? :mrgreen:

You better be quicker when you have second thoughts about things you've typed.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

All I can say is I'm glad there's no wolves in Utah.


.


----------



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

100k in the 30's and now 1700 wtf. Ask lone tree its all acid rain making mutant males that turn queer and dont breed thats causing the problem with those caribou . Lone tree says its the same thing as whats happend to the elk in yellowstone when they introduced the wolf. 
We should introduce the wolf in utah so we can see if the elk will increase in numbers if we clean a few of those queer bulls we have out. It would also increase the mule deer numbers if we killed more of the mule deer according to lone tree. Just ask him.

Quote from Napoleon Dynamite "Idiot!"
Napoleon Dynamite "Idiot":


----------



## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

swbuckmaster said:


> 100k in the 30's and now 1700 wtf. Ask lone tree its all acid rain making mutant males that turn queer and dont breed thats causing the problem with those caribou . Lone tree says its the same thing as whats happend to the elk in yellowstone when they introduced the wolf.
> We should introduce the wolf in utah so we can see if the elk will increase in numbers if we clean a few of those queer bulls we have out. It would also increase the mule deer numbers if we killed more of the mule deer according to lone tree. Just ask him.
> 
> Quote from Napoleon Dynamite "Idiot!"
> Napoleon Dynamite "Idiot":


Actually the pollution reduces lichens. But hey, yous a lern'n.


----------



## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

wyogoob said:


> All I can say is I'm glad there's no wolves in Utah.
> 
> .


Goob, we have lots of wolves in Utah, haven't you read about all the sightings. I mean aside from the board, I have had 5 pictures of wolf tracks, sent to me this spring. And a really concerning part of most of those wolf tracks, is how close they are to civilization. It is just a matter of time, they will be all over the cities.

I should also note, the hills are devoid, of any new life. Lots of wolf sightings, but not a single fawn or calf.


----------



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

LT
Is that what happend to the buffalo herds in north america? Acid rain killed the grass lands and their numbers went down?
Is that what happend to beavers?
BAHAAAA!


----------



## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

swbuckmaster said:


> LT
> Is that what happend to the buffalo herds in north america? Acid rain killed the grass lands and their numbers went down?
> Is that what happend to beavers?
> BAHAAAA!


Keep laughing, you have no clue.


----------



## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

...and what about Little Red Riding Hood? If we let the wolves expand, they will start to kill off humans too. History books are full of wolves sneaking into cities and killing all the people or biting them and turning them into werewolves.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Lonetree said:


> Goob, we have lots of wolves in Utah, haven't you read about all the sightings. I mean aside from the board, I have had 5 pictures of wolf tracks, sent to me this spring. And a really concerning part of most of those wolf tracks, is how close they are to civilization. It is just a matter of time, they will be all over the cities.
> 
> I should also note, the hills are devoid, of any new life. Lots of wolf sightings, but not a single fawn or calf.


Uh........5 pictures of wolf tracks. We're screwed now.

top of page

.


----------

