Wolf Hunt 2012

[BlackArrow1]

I may be mistaken but did the paper say Mn wolf hunt is going to start at the deer opener? Pending one draws a tag. Anyone validate this?

[JIvers]

Nothing official on the Twin Cities paper sites...

I know the legislature is pushing for a wolf season opener to coincide with the firearms deer opener. The DNR prefers a separate wolf season in January. Among other things, supposedly wolf pelts will be in better condition in mid-winter than in early November.

My own belief is that with the DNR finally able to manage the wolf population without interference from Washington DC (it was not the Minnesota DNR who blocked a wolf hunt for so long), the politicians in St. Paul should let the DNR run the wolf hunt as the DNR sees fit.

The wolf quota will be filled either way; if the DNR says it is better to do it in January, then do it in January. I trust their judgment on fish and wildlife over that of professional politicians.

[lichen fox]

Yes, it will start on the opening of the firearms season...here's a portion of the bill pertaining to the Wolf Hunting Season...

[97B.647] TAKING WOLVES.

Subdivision 1. License required. Except as provided under section 97B.645 or

97B.671, a person may not take a wolf without a wolf hunting or wolf trapping license.

Subd. 2. Open seasons. Wolves may be taken with legal firearms, with bow and arrow, and by trapping. The open season to take wolves withfirearms begins each year on the same day as the opening of the firearms deer hunting season. The commissioner may by rule prescribe the open seasons for wolves according to this subdivision.

Subd. 3. Open areas. The commissioner may by rule designate areas where wolves may be taken.

Subd. 4. Daily and possession limits. The commissioner may establish by rule the daily and possession limits for wolves.

Subd. 5. Limit on number of hunters and trappers. The commissioner may by rule limit the number of persons that may hunt or trap wolves in an area, if it is necessary to prevent an overharvest or improve the distribution of hunters and trappers. The commissioner shall establish a method, including a drawing, to impartially select the hunters and trappers for an area.

Subd. 6. Application for license. An application for a wolf hunting or wolf trapping license must be made in a manner provided by the commissioner and accompanied by a $4 application fee and proof that the applicant holds a current or previous year hunting license. The $4 application fee shall be credited to the wolf management and monitoring

account and appropriated to the commissioner to pay for costs associated with conducting the wolf license drawing and wolf management. A person may not make more than one application for each season as prescribed by the commissioner. If a person makes more than one application, the person is ineligible for a license for that season after determination by the commissioner, without a hearing.

Subd. 7. Quotas. The commissioner may by rule set an annual quota for the number of wolves that can be taken by hunting and trapping. The commissioner may establish a method to monitor harvest and close the season when the quota is reached. The commissioner shall reserve a portion of the annual quota for the trapping season.

[BlackArrow1]

Thanks for the info replied. IMO the wolf season should not coincide with deer firearm. Too many "I know so and so who has a tag" people shooting em. January would be better. Too many of the orange army would easily over harvest this quota, still may happen now that the Feds handed the state powers:(. I look forward to this hunt. But I fear too many animals will be shot now without the fear of Federal protection.

[BlackArrow1]

Lots of wolf haters in the north I know. Placing blame on wolves for bad hunts or chasing deer away. IMO its the DNR's fault, not the wolf. For many years now they've been selling management tags like candy up here. It's a $ scandal. Who does these counts? Not many hunters saw enough deer to harvest their "management" tags. So yah, people are gonna look for blame on bad hunts. Maybe it's the thousands of bogus bonus tags sold for harvest, not our wolves. DNR.

[fivebucks]

I don't think having it open on deer firearms will have much of a harvest. We've been hunting up by LOW and all of us together have only seen 1 wolf while deer hunting in over 30 years. I know people over by Cook that seem them more regular but I don't think the hunters during deer season will have much of an impact. I know I won't even apply for a license as the chance of me seeing one are way too slim. IMO hunters will never come close to the quotas - it will be the trappers that will be sucessful.

[lichen fox]

I don't think there is even remotly a chance of over harvest...first off, they are talking about limiting the number of License...I think it will be in the 4 to 6 thousand range...hunting and trapping total...then they are also limiting the harvest number...to start with somewhere around 400 total...lets say they save 1500 license for trappers the first year...that leaves about 4500 hunters with tags and they'll probably set the hunting quota at 250 animals to save 150 for the trappers...I would really doubt that the success rate for the first hunting season will be more than 5%...as a comparisson...look at Manitoba, they have about the same number of wolves as MN...they have more land mass but far fewer hunters and trappers...In MN there will be only about 6,000 licensed Wolf Hunter-Trappers total...Manitoba has about 40,000 deer hunters...50,0000 small game....and I'm not sure what the trapper numbers are...all hunters and trappers can take one wolf per year if they choose to...no extra license required it is included in thier hunting and trapping license...Average annual Wolf harvest in Manitoba...350 animals...the only harvest numbers they don't know are what the treaty natives take as they are not required to report any information...400 animals in Minnesota won't even take out 10% of the pup crop each year...It really is going to be interesting to see how the quota's and season's evolve as the MN DNR learns about wolf population management over the next few years...

[Musky Buck]

We just need to do what Wyoming is planning, classify them as a predator and you need no tags or license, just a simple call in and you're good to go. I find it interesting the way we in MN are approaching this when out west it's no big deal really, if they truly have concerns about how hard they are on elk,antelope,mulies,whitetails,moose etc. what do you really think they are doing to our lone whitetailed deer population and out west wolf numbers are much lower, they are throttling the deer here, they aint livin off of a mouse diet. We don't have the volumes of prey for them like out west and they're concerned ? I've got a wolf problem at my farm right now and I tell you it will be hard not to load the 30.06 when the baby calves go missing, I hope he or they moved on. I have to take a head count of the cows and calves daily. The deer are so thinned out here they need to expand their meal plan.

[goblueM]

I find it interesting the way we in MN are approaching this when out west it's no big deal really

Montana sells wolf licenses. So does Idaho. They both set quotas.

In fact, Wyoming doing what they did is WHY wolf management was such an issue out west. Because they were the only state without an acceptable management plan. Which is what kicked off the whole debacle with USFWS, environmentalists suing, and the federal courts

[lichen fox]

Musky...I believe you are in the B Wolf management zone...the plan is already in effect...when it comes to shooting wolves under the circumstances you indicated... Here is how the DNR's plan reads...It took effect on Jan 27th, 2012....

Outside the wolf's core range, in the southern two thirds of the state (Zone , a person may shoot a wolf at any time to protect livestock, domestic animals or pets on land they own, lease, or manage. The circumstance of “immediate threat” does not apply.

A DNR conservation officer must be notified within 48 hours, and the wolf carcass will be surrendered to the conservation officer.

[monstermoose78]

So musky if ya got issues with wolves then i would be glad to help ya out if i was helping a farmer save some cows heck yeah

[Wallydog]

Idaho has quotas in some units, no limit in others.

This link shows a recap of the season.

WD

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/?getPage=121

[hockeybc69]

MB,

You have a wolf problem in Ottertail County???

[Musky Buck]

Sorry so tardy but we did yes 2 years ago now, not to bad for us but our relative had wolves rallying his pet deer until one made a jump for it and the wolves killed it immediately, they were pretty brave being by the buildings etc. Federal trapper caught I never heard the final tally but I think it was a dozen in that area and said I'm sorry I didn't really make a big dent in how many are around here. He said he could hear 3 separate packs calling to one another almost nightly. I'm unclear if they moved on or what or at least I didn't hear about like cattle getting it but I see in the Cuff's and Collar's outdoor news that our area CO there has handled quite a few of those types of calls. I will call a good friend as he has the intel on what's happening in that area wolf wise.

[Musky Buck]

Yo hockey I missed the gist, I'm on a farm south of Mille Lacs lake right now sorry, my Ottertail county area is ok I think ? I was talking about the wolf(wolves) that the neighbor said seemed to readying to have a go at the herd, there's 25 cows and 21 newborn calves there so it's been a nightly thing to really drive around the section as much as possible lately and I'm pretty sure they moved on. That's really a plus to have a road around the section as they get uncomfortable quick and head to greener pastures. At least you can communicate and monitor the section easier than when there's miles of it which isn't far away. Either way, we'll finally be able to control the numbers some.

[BlackArrow1]

Glad we're talking wolf management. Harvest. But wow. 3 separate packs heard? From what I've heard/seen; a pack is very territorial of their ranges. So to have 3 different packs in an area seems strange.

[BlackArrow1]

Not calling anyone out. But when you hear an active wolf pack close..... there is no mistake. I believe some may mistake coyotes vs wolves. And they're are variations to the pack howl for different reasons. Lots of online recordings for references. I hunt a remote region for bear, and have had a wolf pack howling at dark right by me twice, within 100yds. Common sense says no fear, but when that pack rips that low guttural howl, you know you're not the only apex predator hunting at that point. I'll say I left my ground blind early uncomfortable twice. Say what you will,when they're all around howling at dark, and your shining a flashlight on your back trail looking for eyes.... It's very uncomfortable. Thats just me.

[lichen fox]

That's why you always hunt with a buddy...preferably, someone who can only run half as fast as you can!