Wolves, a controversial topic for many, and one we discuss from a practical angle in today’s episode of The Soft Focus. 

Kurt Holtzen, a Large Carnivore Conflict Mitigation Specialist, joins Corinne on the podcast today to talk about wolves in the west. Kurt’s approach is refreshingly commonsense, informed by years tracking wolves and raising sheep, and devoid of the political spin put on many conversations around large predators in the west, today. 

He explains how to minimize livestock conflicts with wolves, the benefits of having large predators on the landscape, and how wolves may even be tools for land management, instead of problems to be solved. 

Corinne and Kurt discuss— 

• Why wolves? 
• The state of wolves in the west today
• Elk populations in the west, and on working ranches
• The nature and behavior of Grey Wolves 
• Conflicts between commercial sheep producers and wolf bands
• Kurt’s conflict mitigation strategies
  1. American White Dogs
  2. LED Dog Collars
  3. Fox Lights
  4. Squawk Boxes
• Who can benefit from these tools, and why more people should use them
• Kurt’s approach to viewing wolves as another piece of the wildlife management puzzle

You can get in touch with Kurt on instagram @wilderness_trails_projects 
He shares great information about his low-tech conflict mitigation tools, tips, and examples out in the field. Definitely worth a follow if you are curious about interfacing with large carnivores. 

Kurt also mentions the Western Landowners Alliance, who you can find here https://westernlandowners.org WLA has good resources for landowner in the west looking to have a better relationship with wolves. 

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And if you’re craving food that aligns with your values, don’t forget to order from the ranch. It’s nourishment that supports your body and the soil.

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Thanks for being here.
– Corinne