Here’s an interesting read for anyone that is interested in Isle Royale ecology. Sounds like the wolf population on the island, established over 50 years ago when wolves crossed on the ice, are on the way out.
I saw the same headline by a local news outlet. It was a different story with the same message.
Interesting. I would think that an ecosystem like that would be naturally volatile over several decades due to the location. So do you artificially bring in wolves to save the population?
I would say yes. We artificially control animal populations all over the world for our benefit. Why not here?
Funny how anything with isle royale catches your eye 
Do you have any open water lake trout shows on the menu this season?
Do you have any open water lake trout shows on the menu this season?
As a matter of fact we do. I’m researching laker shows from Stannard Rock on Lake Superior and a laker show from Flaming Gorge in Utah. 
As far as the wolf population on the Isle is concerned my understanding is the wolf population plays a key role in maintaining a healthy moose herd. For that reason I think it makes sense to augment the genetic diversity of the wolf population to keep it viable.
Sounds great. Stannard Rock is on my radar for this year but I probably won’t make it. I think it’s a little longer drive than grand portage and the weather needs to be perfect.
We’ll see.
I remember seeing a pbs show talking about this very subject. Interesting dilema indeed. Love this kind of research, just fascinating to see an ecosystem untouched being watched.
I dont know much about the flaming gorge sure looks like an awsome place to target those large lakers. Another place to look into for large lakers is Flathead lake in Montana. I may be able to hook you up with an inlaw that lives in kalispell to talk to. Very interesting guy to talk to with many stories of travel in the world of fishing and more.
Sounds great. Stannard Rock is on my radar for this year but I probably won’t make it. I think it’s a little longer drive than grand portage and the weather needs to be perfect.
We’ll see.
Stannard is one of the more serious trips an angler can undertake, that’s for sure. If you get the wind forecast wrong…there’s nowhere to hide.
Isle Royal is very unique, as it is one of the few “live” laboratories in the country. It was intended for letting nature run her course, and IMO, that’s how it should stay. Let’s see how things shake out. Nature will always find a way. It may not be what we humans want to see, but that shouldn’t dictate our actions.
James, if you guys hit “The Rock”, well….. you’re the Man! That is on my bucket list and am hoping to one day cross it off. Good luck!
You guys have hit the nail on the head on the debate.
1. Repopulate the wolves. Will keep the moose in check, save the vegetation, and continue the long running study in predator vs prey with the caveat of this intervention.
2. Let nature take the course. Isle Royale has been about the only place anywhere where we allow this. There’s been a unique opportunity here and we can see exactly what happens when the moose population overruns the island.
There’s no good answer here. Personally I struggle but fall back to #2 as that’s the long running mission.
Let the wolves die off and when the moose get too plentiful, have a hunt.
If mankind killing animals for food isnt in the natural order, i dont know what is. The whole concept of letting nature run its course without human presence is flawed at best…….because we are ALSO a NATURAL predator…… Wasted resource, IMO.
Nature operates on a very well balanced pendulum that lingers for only a short time on either end of the swing–shortage or surplus. We are too impatient and always want to “correct” things using what we consider to be our superior human foresight. In reality, we seldom know as much as we think we do and we almost never understand the reasons for the cycles until they are clear to us in hindsight.
It was reported last winter that 2 new wolves approached the island, but did not go ashore. Only they know why, but when the time is right I have no doubt that nature will do what nature does and everything will work out without us jumping in to “save” the situation.
Grouse
You guys have hit the nail on the head on the debate.
There’s no good answer here. Personally I struggle but fall back to #2 as that’s the long running mission.
Sure there is. Repopulate using wolves caught here in Minnesota. Since the wolves here are not a threat to the deer/moose population here, they should’nt pose a threat to the moose on the Isle.
Nature operates on a very well balanced pendulum that lingers for only a short time on either end of the swing–shortage or surplus. We are too impatient and always want to “correct” things using what we consider to be our superior human foresight. In reality, we seldom know as much as we think we do and we almost never understand the reasons for the cycles until they are clear to us in hindsight.
It was reported last winter that 2 new wolves approached the island, but did not go ashore. Only they know why, but when the time is right I have no doubt that nature will do what nature does and everything will work out without us jumping in to “save” the situation.
Grouse
Spot on.
Nature operates on a very well balanced pendulum that lingers for only a short time on either end of the swing–shortage or surplus. We are too impatient and always want to “correct” things using what we consider to be our superior human foresight. In reality, we seldom know as much as we think we do and we almost never understand the reasons for the cycles until they are clear to us in hindsight.
It was reported last winter that 2 new wolves approached the island, but did not go ashore. Only they know why, but when the time is right I have no doubt that nature will do what nature does and everything will work out without us jumping in to “save” the situation.
Grouse
But that doesn’t satisfy the human need for consistency. We thrive on consistency whether it be our basic needs for food or climate or simply pleasure.
I argue that the pendulum swings for a short period of time. @mplspug will tell you that we are clearly caught in a warming climate that is accelerating 
Anyway, those animals are there and managed for our pleasure. If the balance is upset, so will interest in the island.
We do it EVERYWHERE. It’s an easy choice to intervene. Why not here?
I agree with grouse on the nature pendulum, but sometimes the pendulum takes too far a swing out of balance, and can not correct itself. At some point, the wolves possibly could make the trek again in the future, and repopulate. Maybe they were never intended to be there, and it was an anomaly that they made it and survived this long. Like fish in a 100 year flood, finding their way into a puddle of a pond.
If nature never intended their existence on this isle, but the habitat is suitable for sustaining a population, human intervention is plausible. Just is it feasible and worth the considerable cost? Being the determined cause of decline is inbreeding, the wolves introduced would have to be monitored to prevent history repeating itself.
The moose population cannot go unchecked, as that would lead to other problems in itself, so some form of predation would need to exist…
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