fresh wolf kill

[midwesthunter]

One of the guys from our hunting party made one last trip up to the hunting shack before gun opener. We know we have wolves on our property, we typically get them on trail camera every three or four weeks.

This is the first time we found what appears to be a deer killed by a wolf. Lots of hide, and front shoulder and leg were found on one of our walking trails. The meat still looked fresh.

Its a bummer. Especially since its getting close to deer opener.

What are other people's experiences with wolves. I'm hoping that they move on for the next few weeks so the deer will be around for opener.

On a positive note, the new food plot is nice and green and the deer seem to be hitting it.

[goblueM]

they move around a lot, sometimes they push deer out of the area, sometimes they push deer toward you, sometimes you won't see them for weeks, other times they stick around for awhile.

[tacklejunkie]

We had a pack that came through our property last winter. You could hear their howls and it's a sound you will never forget. They killed a couple of deer and moved on.

We would see quite a few deer each evening until the pack came through and it was about a couple weeks after they left that we started seeing the deer on our property again.

I'm not a deer hunter but my guess is they react to wolves the same way they react to two legged hunters

[Archerysniper]

Once the deer move to the wintering grounds the wolfs wont leave the alone till their all gone or the snow melts.

[mainbutter]

What are other people's experiences with wolves.\

My last wolf sighting

Setting: Crazy windy day in Alaska, as in LOUD wind, we were hiking

Encounter: spotted a wolf a few hundred yards away in short brush. The moment he looked up and saw us, he bolted up the mountainside towards cover, he was gone in 30 seconds and we never caught a glimpse of him again.

In general, I've found wolves to be super skittish and scared of people.

[Archerysniper]

My last wolf sighting

Setting: Crazy windy day in Alaska, as in LOUD wind, we were hiking

Encounter: spotted a wolf a few hundred yards away in short brush. The moment he looked up and saw us, he bolted up the mountainside towards cover, he was gone in 30 seconds and we never caught a glimpse of him again.

In general, I've found wolves to be super skittish and scared of people.

Alaska also has a wolf season, might be why their little more skittish around people.

[Ufatz]

Lets not worry too much about the wolves boys, they'll take care of themselves. If they take a deer it's because thats what they do......it's their Big Mac.

If you see one stay quiet and enjoy the sight. If you don't like having him on your propery holler at him and trust me.....he'll leave.

Keep your dogs and yourself under control and let the wolf go on his way. YOU are more interested in HIM than he is in YOU! Ha!

[Big-Al]

Quote:

In general, I've found wolves to be super skittish and scared of people.

Not very much so in northern MN Mainbutter.

Quote:

Alaska also has a wolf season, might be why their little more skittish around people.

Right on the button Archerysniper.

[reinhard1]

i've hunted north of Duluth since the early 60's. i have seen wolves from time to time. one time on a lake [they ran from us when we made noise], and other times while in my deer stand. those were very few times. i enjoy seeing them and have no fear of them. i have walked the forest's of the arrowhead, boundary waters, and of course our deer area. never had an encounter with them while on the ground except that one time on the ice. good luck.

[Steve Foss]

In general, I've found wolves to be super skittish and scared of people.

I agree with that statement. It's a general statement that is accurate based on my experience in northern MN. The huge majority of wolf sightings I've had involve a fleeting look at a rapidly disappearing wolf.

There have been exceptions, and I have had wild wolves within 20 feet of me three times in the last 4 years. Most (but of course not all) of the stories regarding aggressive wolves in the last few years also involve dogs being with people in the woods, so that's one complicating factor.

What happens is the exceptions get all the attention until it seems they are becoming the new rule. If you look at the 3,000 to 4,000 wolves believed to be in the state, and in what close proximity they often are to people, it's not surprising there'll be encounters. The large majority of the time wolves are careful and skittish around people.

However, I do believe wolves are gradually losing their wariness of people up here, based on the increase in the number of stories of wolves that won't fade away when faced with shouting people, etc.

I think a bad thing might easily happen. I hope it doesn't.

[Bear55]

I have hunted around wolves forever. It all depends on where they are and what they are doing when deer season opens. Some years we don't see a track, other years we see fresh tracks almost daily. Sometimes when the wolves move in the deer action pretty much shuts down. Other times the wolves can push deer right to you so it's kind of luck of the draw.

Usually if the wolves are just moving through the area or there are only 1-2 of them it won't affect your hunting all that much. If you have a larger pack that is working your area over the deer freak out a little. I used to think the deer would move completely out of the area for a few days and then slowly move back in. However from what I have seen I think a lot of the times they just hunker down and don't move much at all when the wolves move in.

[nwhunter]

However, I do believe wolves are gradually losing their wariness of people up here, based on the increase in the number of stories of wolves that won't fade away when faced with shouting people, etc.

I think a bad thing might easily happen. I hope it doesn't.

I agree with this statement. I've seen my share of wolves in the past, and they've for the most part kept their distance. I too hear of more stories where wolves aren't as skittish as they used to be, and are mustering more courage to "stand their ground" instead of slipping off at their first opportunity. I don't mean to imply that they are looking for trouble, but more like what you would see at the zoo. They are still cautious around us, but are becoming more tolerant of sharing the woods. As you pointed out, I believe it's this "tolerance" that could lead to something unfortunate.

[Farmboy1]

I had 4 wolves come to my moose calling a couple weeks ago. They sat and looked at me for about 10 minutes at about 50 yards, and then slowly walked away. They knew I was there because it opened my bag, took out a camera, took a couple pictures, pulled my gun up and dreamed of a wolf rug, and then watched them walk away.

A few notes from my perspective:

1. There are too many wolves in MN

2. They are not as wary as they used to be

3. They are effecting the populations of big game in MN (deer, moose, etc)

4. We need to open a season on them and get this population under control.

5. Locals are already shooting some very large coyotes

[LABS4ME]

There was the 1st confirmed wolf kill in a barn in the State in Waskish last year. They are NOT as afraid of humans as they used to be. Not saying they are going to attack humans, but they will do what they want as they are slowly losing the fear they are in danger around us.

Good Luck!

Ken

[NoWiser]

I've hunted around wolves since the first year I've deer hunted, but where I've hunted the last few years, the wolves are thick. Not just a little thick, but REALLY thick! I would say at least 3 out of 4 nights we hear them howling, often times very close to the tent, and often times multiple packs. Once we could actually hear them panting like a dog outside of the tent. From what I have observed the deer just seem to kind of hunker down when the wolves are around and not travel as much. I had a small buck below my stand 3 years ago and was watching him for quite a while when I heard a pack of wolves close by. He almost immediately bedded down under a couple small pine trees and didn't want to move. I felt bad leaving that night because I didn't want to scare him out of his hiding spot when I got down from my tree.

Last year I had two wolf encounters while hunting. The first one was mid-morning after I had already seen a doe, two fawns, a yearling, a 5 point, and a small 8 or 10 point buck that day. I heard a pack to the north of me howling, and then a lone wolf to the south. About 5 minutes later the loner came trotting by my stand to join the pack. He all of a sudden froze like my brittany would point at a big old rooster, and then lunged into a bush, scaring up about 5 grouse. He came up empty handed, though, and continued on to join the pack.

The next weekend I fell asleep in my stand and awoke to a big, fat doe staring at me. Busted. She left and about 1/2 hour later I heard crashing coming through the swamp at me. This time I was not going to screw up, so I had my gun in position and ready to go when a HUGE wolf came running out of the swamp at me. This thing was giant. Easily bigger than two of my folks german shepherds put together, with a perfect, long coat on him. All I could see was a nice, wolf fur rug, but no way was I going to take that chance. He ran up to where I had walked in, and froze as soon as he scented my footprints. I've never seen an animal react like that to human scent. This thing was terrified. He did a 180 and absolutely bolted back to where he came from. The next day I shot the biggest buck of my life about 150 yards from where I saw him.

I guess I've gotten used to hunting with wolves over the years. I'm not afraid of them, and I definitely don't blame them if I don't get a deer a particular year. They are a part of the forest, and just another of the many challenges we face as hunters. If you notice a lot of wolf activity and the deer are hunkered down, then maybe its time to adapt and do some still-hunting for a couple days. That is the way I look at it at least. I do believe they have a big impact on game animals, and would love to see a season on them someday (sooner rather than later). I definitely also agree with the statement that many of the locals have been shooting an awful lot of big coyotes lately, and are not afraid to admit it.

Those are my only wolf encounters while deer hunting. Once while grouse hunting about a mile from where I deer hunt. I spotted two across an opening from me. They showed no fear at all. After a few minutes I noticed a couple on either side of me, almost like they were trying to surround the dog and I. The first shot over their heads did nothing, the second got them to reluctantly trot away. Those ones could use a little education. I'm pretty sure they were after the pooch.

[bobbymalone]

Its a bummer.

everybody's got to eat.

[goblueM]

i believe each wolf is estimated to eat around 15-19 deer per year - being generous, we'll round up and say that equates to 75,000 deer killed by wolves per year in the state. Not insignificant, but certainly not the end of the world

[Farmboy1]

i believe each wolf is estimated to eat around 15-19 deer per year - being generous, we'll round up and say that equates to 75,000 deer killed by wolves per year in the state. Not insignificant, but certainly not the end of the world

Except when you are talking about a moose population estimated around 7000 animals with a horribly low cow/calf ratio. 100 animals can have a significant effect on the overall population.

[Big-Al]

Quote:

However, I do believe wolves are gradually losing their wariness of people up here, based on the increase in the number of stories of wolves that won't fade away when faced with shouting people, etc.

I think a bad thing might easily happen. I hope it doesn't.

Well said Steve, as usual.

The message I try to relate every time we have this discussion is the wolves have changed. They are quite different, in my opinion in how they act when they have an encounter with a human than they were 35 years ago. And yes I had an encounter last winter with one that would not "fade away" when we were face to face at 30 yards. Hollering at him only made him puff his chest more as if to say "this is my turf". And indeed it is.

[wannafish2]

I found 2 wolf kills last year on some public land I hunt, and this year when I was hanging a stand I had one come within 40 yards of me. Was pretty neat, but I will say I am glad I saw him first and I am doubly glad I was in a tree. I know I probably didn't have anything to worry about, but....I'm still glad I was in a tree. All I had with me was ....um NOTHING. Nothing insofar as a weapon anyway. and comeon, I'm just a girl!

lmao

[Chuby Minnow]

My expierience with wolves on our property is that wolves will not leave anything at the kill site including hide. Within about four days, there is no sign of a deer kill at all. On the other hand, the yotes will leave pieces and parts lying around.

May or may not even be a wolf.

[SkunkedAgain]

True, but they do get chased away for various reasons and may not return.

I've encountered a few in the woods around my place on Vermilion. They are generally curious at first and then will run off. That's been my experience.

As to the original post, a pack doesn't necessarily see a deer and kill it on site. There is often a chase involved so having the kill site be on or near your property may not indicate anything more than where the chase ended.

[tacklejunkie]

My expierience with wolves on our property is that wolves will not leave anything at the kill site including hide. Within about four days, there is no sign of a deer kill at all. On the other hand, the yotes will leave pieces and parts lying around.

May or may not even be a wolf.

You're not kidding.

Whatever little that is left the chickadees and other small critters get.

Speaking of wolves, is that wolf center in Ely open in Nov.? I'm thinking of storing my boat after my Rainy River trip in early Nov. and then heading up to the center mid to late Nov.

[Bear55]

Very much agree guys, we only find hair and hooves. Everything else is gone.

[jay83196]

This is the second year in a row I have a collared wolf on my camera last years was killed and this one looks different. Must be a ton of them I never used to see them now every year.