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Part of the problem is the ranchers don’t have good tools to repel the wolves. They can’t kill them. Wolves get around fences, kill guard dogs, etc. They are persistent, smart, and learn, so they can learn to defeat traps, and quickly lose their fear of non-lethal deterrence.

You might be tempted to say, ok tough luck then, ranching is just over. But the public does like the product (beef), and ranchers will fight all the harder if your proposal is an existential threat to their way of life.

With time, the loss program, and involvement with wildlife management, hopefully good methods will be found.

If it was as simple as build a fence and tolerate a little risk, we wouldn’t be stuck in this debate.