Lookin for signs a wolves

[Lee Borgersen]

Deer hunters are being asked to look for signs of wolves as they head out the hunt.

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A pack of wolves has been living just north of the Twin Cities. Some people are amazed and others are angry.

Isanti County Farmer Allen Tacheny worries about wolves killing his cattle.

“They’re big and they’re around here and we’re afraid they’re going to eat our calves,” said Tacheny.

Joel Keocher has a farm not far away from Tacheny’s. Wolves have killed his cattle.

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“I mean I’ve lost probably between 6 or 7 calves and one adult cow,” said Keocher. “You’d always get the fun thing of having a mother running around bellering, looking for her baby and then we would find a head and some feet.”

The Keocher and Tacheny farms are near the University of Minnesota’s Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in East Bethel. It’s a 9-square mile research site of nearly untouched wilderness.

In the spring of 2015, grey wolves showed up at Cedar Creek. They were seen quite often on pictures from trail cameras.  The wolves thrived on the abundance of deer and the protection of the science reserve. They had a litter of pups.

“Our first reaction was concern for our neighbors and their pets and their livestock,” said Forest Isbell, Associate Director of the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve. “And the second was taking advantage of this opportunity to study their impact on these ecosystems. We care about our neighbors pets and livestock and we’d love to help. We’d love to learn alongside out neighbors how to coexist with wolves.”

Nancy Gibson is co-founder of The International Wolf Center. She says this is the farthest south a reproducing pack of wolves has been found in Minnesota in recent history. The den they used is only 45 minutes from downtown Minneapolis.

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“This is what wolves do” says Gibson. “They are always pushing their territory. And remember this reserve is separated by about 5 miles from Carlos Avery Wildlife Management area. So it is a spot where wolves could exist. But the probability of them coming into contact with humans is always going to cause conflict.”

As the pack grew, neighbors reported problems. The wolves killed cattle and dogs. It’s illegal to shoot a wolf, but this summer the USDA trapped six of them and the problems seemed to stop.

“I mean you can sleep” says Keocher. “You don’t have to worry about your cows getting run through a fence or run out in the mud or getting your calves eaten. I mean they’re still out there. There isn’t near as many luckily, now that they trapped those adults.”

But now nobody knows where the rest of the wolf pack went. Researchers are asking deer hunters in central Minnesota to call or send in pictures if they see signs of wolves.

“This is a way for citizens to get involved, land owners to get involved and interact with scientists. So it’s pretty exciting,” said Gibson.

Farmers like Techeny hope they’re gone for good.

“And hopefully they stay up north and eat the moose and the deer that are sick,” said Techeny. “I mean there they can live peacefully you know.”

The International Wolf Center has set up a help-line.  They’re asking deer hunters to call if they see signs of wolves. The number is 1-844-346-9653.

Better yet, if you have trail cam pictures of wolves, or can take pictures of tracks, scat, large scratch marks. You’re asked to e-mail them at iwctrailcams@wolf.org.

There’s more information on what to look for on the International Wolf Center’s website:

You can read more information about the International Wolf Center here.


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The Minnesota D-N-R has this advice about how to avoid problems with wolves:

Don’t make your home or camp attractive to wolves:

Keep a clean camp; don’t dispose of food by dumping into the campfire.
Don’t leave unwashed cooking utensils around your camp.
Don’t leave garbage unsecured.
Don’t cook food near your tent or sleeping area.
Don’t allow pets to freely roam away from your home or camp.
Don’t leave pet food or other food attractants out near your home or camp.
Don’t bury garbage, pack it out.


In the rare event that you do have an encounter with an aggressive wolf:

Don’t run, but act aggressively stepping toward the wolf and yelling or clapping your hands if it tries to approach.
Do not turn your back toward an aggressive wolf, but continue to stare directly at it. If you are with a companion and more than one wolf is present place yourselves back to back and slowly move away from the wolves.
Retreat slowly while facing the wolf and act aggressively.
Stand your ground if a wolf attacks you and  with any means possible (use sticks, rocks, ski poles, fishing rods or whatever you can find).
Use air horns or other noise makers.
Use bear spray or firearms if necessary.
Climb a tree if necessary, wolves cannot climb trees.

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[LPS]

Or like most people do shoot them.  That has been going on for years and they are still over populating...   Isn't it SSS?  Shoot, shovel, shut up.  They are more prevalent than most know....