Wolves (again)

[Moving2thecountry]

So, there was snow on the ground where I went to hunt (using ML) on Saturday, and there were very fresh wolf prints on the trail I was walking.  I followed the wolf tracks for about 3/4 of a mile, before turning to go to a honey spot.  I did end up spooking one doe, so they didn't get her.  Then I went to another spot,  in a circuitous hike, and saw about 6 does at 400 yards.  On the way to this second track, I saw what I assume was a pine martin tracks, or a feral cat's tracks.  When I came to my second vantage point, I spooked 6 does at the lightest sound/smell, at 400-600 yards.  Understandable, I suppose.

I went again on Sunday, to the same spots, and found that the wolves re-covered the second half of my circular journey the day before.  Kind of creepy.  Could be coincidence, or they could have been tracking my scent.  They weren't tracking the pine martin's tracks, as they turned where I turned.

The wolf tracks indicated that there were at least three wolves, one huge set of prints, at least one medium sized one, and one smaller one, stalking together as a pack. 

The wolves certainly make hunting much more challenging. 

[guythathunts]

I know what you are saying "challanging". Wolves are fast and hard to take down in the brush! 

[MNBucKKiller]

Anyone else getting tired of hearing people complain about the wolves?

[wildlifeminnesota]

Nope, I am not, I  you are going to here more in time as more wolf are around. If you do not want to here about in stop reading the post on them!! 

[Mayfly]

Anyone else getting tired of hearing people complain about the wolves?

Nope, not at all. Once a few years ago I thought different about them but have been educated since.....

[Cody Gruchow]

nope im going to keep complaining until something is done.

[Big E]

We need a MNO contest on wolves! There's very few things in this world I hate more than cats.....I hate wolves 100 times more than I hate cats. Kill them all.

[guythathunts]

Anyone else getting tired of hearing people complain about the wolves?

Nope. In fact I encourage it! I am however a little tired of people complaining about people having discussions about wolves.

I do understand though some peole love wolves and just need to let it all out some times. It's ok. We won't judge. You can cry.

[Moline Gang]

Wolf fans, feel free to go to this site and admire them.

http://www.wolf.org/wolves/index.asp


I for one enjoy hunting, so I enjoy talking about the possibilities of hunting wolves.

[MNBucKKiller]

nope im going to keep complaining until something is done.

what do you want done?  Every wolf killed?  Then you will be complaining that the deer heards are full of disease...you can keep you sick deer, ill eat my nice healthy ones thank you.

We need a MNO contest on wolves! There's very few things in this world I hate more than cats.....I hate wolves 100 times more than I hate cats. Kill them all.

go ahead, I have the TIP number


[/quote]

 You can cry.
[/quote]

Who said anything about crying... I just feel there are bigger problems causes low deer numbers then wolves, for example over hunting.  I think the 5 tags per person was and is worse then the wolves.  It should be one deer (doe or buck) per person state wide, no more.  Thats my opinion.

[thunderpout]

My three cents is that its a combination of things, and I definatly think wolves are one of them... not sure if I would be first in line to hunt them, But I definatly think there should be a season....  I also think there is something to be said about wolves not having a fear of man anymore... I think having a season on them would probably change that....

[Big E]

go ahead, I have the TIP number

 

what do you want done?  Every wolf killed?  Then you will be complaining that the deer heards are full of disease...you can keep you sick deer, ill eat my nice healthy ones thank you.

No leave a couple for the zoo. Iowa has no wolves so their deer must be really sick and very unhealthy to eat. Sure am glad we don't have those deer numbers. Being able to sit in my stand and pretty much know I have a great chance at a wall hanger or even a doe would suck so thanks for the enlightenment. I'd rather sit in my stand and wonder when will even a bambi step out? But at least it'll be a healthy one so thank God for wolves! (Don't even try the CWD thing because nobody has ever gotten sick from it and people out west eat elk, mule deer, whitetail....with cwd all the time.)

Who said anything about crying... I just feel there are bigger problems causes low deer numbers then wolves, for example over hunting.  I think the 5 tags per person was and is worse then the wolves.  It should be one deer (doe or buck) per person state wide, no more.  Thats my opinion.

 5 tags = 5 deer = feeding a family, 5 times more money for our wildlife through buying tags, donated hides for habbitat, a great story, fun with family and friends, teaching youth responsibility and a different hobby then video games and drugs, getting to be in the outdoors for more time with the chance at filling tags instead of "oh got a deer I'm done"............the list goes on and on and on and on.

1 Wolf = 18 dead deer (on average could be more), The wolf then reproduces, More dead deer, cattle and pets which then costs WE the tax payers money for the DNR to hire the Feds to come in and trap them, Then pay the owner of cattle and pets restitution, Then those funds become bankrupt (LIKE THEY ARE THIS YR) so next yr they have to ask for more money and make more money. hmmmmm where do they get that from? Tax payers and outdoorsmen when we get our licenses that will cost more next yr. Oh plus they wipe out deer herds.
 
 OOOOOOOHHHHHH WAIT!!!! Disregard all of that. I want a healthy wolf population so we need to keep them in check. They are overpopulated now so I vote for a season. You can keep your unhealthy, sick and disease infested wolf packs. I want to keep my wolves beautiful and healthy.

[22lex]

My three cents is that its a combination of things, and I definatly think wolves are one of them... not sure if I would be first in line to hunt them, But I definatly think there should be a season....  I also think there is something to be said about wolves not having a fear of man anymore... I think having a season on them would probably change that....

I have to agree with you thunder, I believe it is way more than one thing. Down here in certain areas there are many pockets of huge numbers of deer, and there are many areas that were intensive harvest the last few years and were blasted to oblivion. None of the guys down here complaining can say anything about wolves 'cause there aren't any. It was an over-harvest the last few years that has created the situation down here for deer numbers.


BTW MNBUCK and BIG_E this pissing match is proving nothing on either side. Wolves are the reason there aren't wall hangers in MN like IA? A deer herd would be full of diseases 'cause of lack of wolf predation? also

How about you two start another thread called "pissin match about wolves" instead of bogarting Moving2thecountry's thread.

[MTCOMMER]

I enjoy reading the pissing match!  It adds a little to my evening when I read a new post!  This is like Jerry Springer and Maury! 
 

[Big E]

BTW MNBUCK and BIG_E this pissing match is proving nothing on either side. Wolves are the reason there aren't wall hangers in MN like IA?  A deer herd would be full of diseases 'cause of lack of wolf predation? also 

Read carefully.

No leave a couple for the zoo. Iowa has no wolves so their deer must be really sick and very unhealthy to eat. Sure am glad we don't have those deer numbers. Being able to sit in my stand and pretty much know I have a great chance at a wall hanger or even a doe would suck so thanks for the enlightenment. I'd rather sit in my stand and wonder when will even a bambi step out?

Here I'll zero in on it for you.

Sure am glad we don't have those deer numbers.

Not saying the wolves are taking our big bucks. They wipe out deer herds in a heart beat. They move in, deer get slaughtered, then they move on. If this was controlled we'd have a lot more deer in these areas. The more deer the more bucks the more buck the better the odds of having a few be wall hangers. I do agree on over harvest. I believe our DNR panics when they see a lot of deer in a field in the spring and think we all need 5 tags. By the way I like this pissing match and believe.......wait no....I know I'm right. (wow almost sounded like Obamba or a Clinton there)


Pissing matches are fun for everyone and that my friend is not 

[Moving2thecountry]

I do not think I was complaining, just sharing observations.  I actually go out of my way to hunt in wolf land.  I noticed the wolf prints immediately when I got out of my vehicle.  I could have left.  Plenty of public land up there. 

I do think wolves could and probably do serve a valuable purpose in killing sick deer.

And, like I said, hunting for deer with wolves around is more challenging.  But I am learning.  For example, it's probably a good bet that deer are not in the vicinity of fresh wolf tracks.  But I could be wrong on that. 

If I wanted an easy hunt, I would buy a cow and shoot it.

[22lex]

You weren't complaining, and I enjoyed reading about your experiences up there. Keep the stories coming from wolfland!

[22lex]

Not saying the wolves are taking our big bucks. They wipe out deer herds in a heart beat. They move in, deer get slaughtered, then they move on. If this was controlled we'd have a lot more deer in these areas. The more deer the more bucks the more buck the better the odds of having a few be wall hangers. I do agree on over harvest.

I agree that the chances of getting a wall-hanger with more deer in an area is plausible. However, you first have to convice the other 200,000 hunters in the state along with the wolves not to shoot/slaughter anything with horns. . I'm all for a season for these critters, but I'm also not gonna blindly believe everything I have heard on the interweb about them either (that includes pretty much everything the DNR has said).

I haven't had first hand knowledge or experiences you or others have had with wolves to know if they decimate a population of deer in an area.

I'm kind of curious though on how Canada handles their wolf/deer populations as they have the most in North America. I think I saw a stat that there were upwards of 20K of these buggers up there (with hunting seasons), but their deer herd seems to be quite stable and deer hunting up there has been a mecca for hunting shows in the past.

[Dstark5625]

We've had a pack of wolves roaming our area for over 5 yrs now, probably getting closer to 10.  The deer are still around and the bucks are still around.  There may be fewer deer than there used to be but they're still around.  I'm not for the wolves but do think we need a season on them to keep the numbers in check.  They are pretty awesome to see in the wild.  Let's get a season going and get the numbers down.  I'm sure there will be new complaints after that too though.

[Joe@deerhunters]

I'm for a season just because it is time to make use of the resource. The endangered species act worked in this case, lets celebrate it and welcome the wolf back to full recovery.  We hunt and trap all other predators with little negative impact. We trap and hunt bobcats I am not aware of a population problem.  It is time. The wolves are a fully recovered species.  As a large predator in the long run it is good for them to fear the sight and smell of humans and be managed as a game animal. like all license sales it benefits conservation.  At one time bears were consider varmits in MN, now they are a game animal and managed.

I am troubled by false info that comes up on many discussion regarding wolves:

DNR does not manage wolves yet. it is the FEDS. The MN DNR wants wolves under their management.  We need to get our Federal represenatives and Senators to get control back to the state like Idaho has done. Then and only then can we discuss a season. 

The feds want to give the state control it is the judges that keep granting the delays to the opponents filing lawsuits.

Wolves do not wipe out entire deer populations if they did they would have died off thousands of year ago.  Obvously they kill them and can make our hunts more challenging.

Deer and wolves co-exist today, always have and always will.

Wolves will kill anything they can catch. It is what makes it easy to catch that counts such as deep snow (whick kills in the longrun up north with or without wolves), sick, old, very young. If they can catch them they will kill them and everyone they can catch if the conditions are right. Do they really go to "waste" or eaten by the wolves later or some other critter.  Just not us.


We will never win the battle in MN if the non-hunting public (majority) feels the only reason we can come up with to manage wolves is to benefit our personal deer hunting.  It won't fly with the general public.  We need to be smart about our arguement to manage wolves. It will not be an easy fight in Minnesota and we must be sure to use good sound arguements or risk looking foolish.

[MTCOMMER]

I'm for a season just because it is time to make use of the resource. The endangered species act worked in this case, lets celebrate it and welcome the wolf back to full recovery.  We hunt and trap all other predators with little negative impact. We trap and hunt bobcats I am not aware of a population problem.  It is time. The wolves are a fully recovered species.  As a large predator in the long run it is good for them to fear the sight and smell of humans and be managed as a game animal. like all license sales it benefits conservation.  At one time bears were consider varmits in MN, now they are a game animal and managed.

I am troubled by false info that comes up on many discussion regarding wolves:

DNR does not manage wolves yet. it is the FEDS. The MN DNR wants wolves under their management.  We need to get our Federal represenatives and Senators to get control back to the state like Idaho has done. Then and only then can we discuss a season. 

The feds want to give the state control it is the judges that keep granting the delays to the opponents filing lawsuits.

Wolves do not wipe out entire deer populations if they did they would have died off thousands of year ago.  Obvously they kill them and can make our hunts more challenging.

Deer and wolves co-exist today, always have and always will.

Wolves will kill anything they can catch. It is what makes it easy to catch that counts such as deep snow (whick kills in the longrun up north with or without wolves), sick, old, very young. If they can catch them they will kill them and everyone they can catch if the conditions are right. Do they really go to "waste" or eaten by the wolves later or some other critter.  Just not us.


We will never win the battle in MN if the non-hunting public (majority) feels the only reason we can come up with to manage wolves is to benefit our personal deer hunting.  It won't fly with the general public.  We need to be smart about our arguement to manage wolves. It will not be an easy fight in Minnesota and we must be sure to use good sound arguements or risk looking foolish.

Very wise, You can be our spokesman! 

[thunderpout]

It will never be an easy fight in any state to delist the wolf... just as it will be VERY tough to turn our Judges views.... in the NW, I think its a bit easier to make happen.... the voters are for the most part more in tune with their outdoor enviroment.... alot more suburbanites with that city slicker mentality here.....

[Big E]

I'm kind of curious though on how Canada handles their wolf/deer populations as they have the most in North America. I think I saw a stat that there were upwards of 20K of these buggers up there (with hunting seasons), but their deer herd seems to be quite stable and deer hunting up there has been a mecca for hunting shows in the past.

The majority of Canada from what I've read from looking up wolf hunts are yr round and no limits. I'm looking into hunts for this winter and it's pretty cheap (as far as a Canadian hunt goes) Most hunts are around $1,500 and that includes baiting, lodging, license, food and transportation tags to get them back in the USA. There also is no limit on them so you can shoot as many as you can in the 5 days you're there. A few outfitters even had a 90% success rate with them.
 If MN had a season and a tag for a Wolf costed $150 I'd buy it in a heart beat. The animal that is costing us tax payers tons of money a yr could actually make a big difference in the budget for the DNR/state. When the Feds came and trapped wolves this yr on one of our properties they said it was ridiculous what it costs for them to trap. (gas for checking traps every day, their salary, restitution, travel expense.....) They only get one or two before the wolves get smart about the traps and snares. They got 4 in a week and a half on that property.

[The General]

Pissing matches are fun for everyone and that my friend is not 

+1

P.S.  Every once in a while I feel I'm being watch by Lee waiting to pounce.  Like that little Calvin guy taking a leak on a Chevy symbol.  not the smack down thread.

[Auggie]

I'm for a season just because it is time to make use of the resource. The endangered species act worked in this case, lets celebrate it and welcome the wolf back to full recovery.  We hunt and trap all other predators with little negative impact. We trap and hunt bobcats I am not aware of a population problem.  It is time. The wolves are a fully recovered species.  As a large predator in the long run it is good for them to fear the sight and smell of humans and be managed as a game animal. like all license sales it benefits conservation.  At one time bears were consider varmits in MN, now they are a game animal and managed.

I am troubled by false info that comes up on many discussion regarding wolves:

DNR does not manage wolves yet. it is the FEDS. The MN DNR wants wolves under their management.  We need to get our Federal represenatives and Senators to get control back to the state like Idaho has done. Then and only then can we discuss a season. 

The feds want to give the state control it is the judges that keep granting the delays to the opponents filing lawsuits.

Wolves do not wipe out entire deer populations if they did they would have died off thousands of year ago.  Obvously they kill them and can make our hunts more challenging.

Deer and wolves co-exist today, always have and always will.

Wolves will kill anything they can catch. It is what makes it easy to catch that counts such as deep snow (whick kills in the longrun up north with or without wolves), sick, old, very young. If they can catch them they will kill them and everyone they can catch if the conditions are right. Do they really go to "waste" or eaten by the wolves later or some other critter.  Just not us.


We will never win the battle in MN if the non-hunting public (majority) feels the only reason we can come up with to manage wolves is to benefit our personal deer hunting.  It won't fly with the general public.  We need to be smart about our arguement to manage wolves. It will not be an easy fight in Minnesota and we must be sure to use good sound arguements or risk looking foolish.

Very well spoken Joe. Like them or not Wolves are a very valuable resource and I couldn't agree with you more. The whole wipe them out mentality is what got us in this predicament in the first place.

[JohnWester]

i think the wolves suck... I mean, how many times can you piss away first round draft picks...  get rid of all of them.




oops... I guess I should have read all the previous posts.

[Auggie]

Ouch!

[The General]

i think the wolves suck... I mean, how many times can you piss away first round draft picks...  get rid of all of them.




oops... I guess I should have read all the previous posts.

Minnesota has a basketball team?  I guess you really do learn something new every day.

[MTCOMMER]

i think the wolves suck... I mean, how many times can you piss away first round draft picks...  get rid of all of them.




oops... I guess I should have read all the previous posts.

Minnesota has a basketball team?  I guess you really do learn something new every day.

Yeah, i think the MN team is the Lynx!  Atleast they are the best, and that says alot! 

[wildlifeminnesota]

NEWS
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Federal officials investigating the killings of two gray wolves in northern Minnesota say they'll offer up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

Officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service say the wolves were killed on or around Nov. 9. One wolf was shot northwest of Grand Rapids, and the other was killed northwest of Two Harbors. The wolf killed near Two Harbors had been fitted with a radio tracking collar.

Officials do not know if the two incidents are related.

Gray wolves are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Offenders face up to six months in prison and a $25,000 fine. About 2,900 gray wolves live in Minnesota.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources TIP line at: (800) 652-9093, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (218) 720-5357.

Now there are two less wolf in Minnesota,