Believe you are close to correct on some of this--find it interesting that ALL the cow elk have moved out of the Gallatin for winter range---with only bulls there which seem to do quite well as long as they have their antlers...

Yet over in the Madison--there are lots of cows and calves--but also lots of wolves as well...but you still see the coyotes over there as well...at first I would have thought the wolves would have hammered the yotes...but they seem to persevere...

The wolf issue is not going to go away until appropriate measure are taken ..and even then I feel it will only be minimized...

Perfect example--have a new next door neighbor---spoke to him the other day..he moved here from New York..figured he was cool as he hunts, fishes, etc...he is retired..and for something to do started doing survey work with hunters for the Fish and Game...he goes off on how every one he calls is pissed about wolves, wolves, wolves...and he can't understand it...said they (wolves) will take care of themselves..and once the game is gone their (wolves) numbers will diminish...are you F*(&%$#g serious...so this idiots answer is to let the populations of elk and deer get totally decimated and then the wolves nunbers will decrease...WOW...while I agree that this probably would happen if left unchecked as it has in Alaska and other areas....why in the hell do we want the entire herds removed from the ecosystem??..amazing....

Hope he moves back....

Ripp