No more deer

[Coldfeet]

My older brother has about 360 acres of land in north-central Minnesota. The deer hunting there is usually phenomenal. Last year I counted 43 deer on opening morning of rifle season, so I expect to see some every time I go out. I started bowhunting out there about 3 weeks ago and I was seeing plenty of does and a few small bucks. I did blow two chances at some nice does, but this is my first year of bowhunting so I expect to make a few mistakes. The thing is, I had only seen two deer in the past week, and I've been out nearly every day. Last night, I found out why I am not seeing any deer. I was posted just inside the woods on the edge of a clover field that is usually pretty good in the evening. 6:00 rolls around and I still haven't seen anything, and then I see this doe running for all she's worth about 200 yards out in front of me. She crosses the field and goes into the woods on my right. Two minutes later, I look up and see something else heading across the field, but I can't tell what it is. I thought it was maybe a dog or something so I take out my binoculars and have a peek. It's a f%#$#* TIMBERWOLF!!! I watched it run into the woods and low and behold, here comes another one! After I packed up for the night I headed over to my brother's house and told him what I saw, he said that he had heard them the night before howling just inside the woods by his house. He figured they couldn't have been more than 1/4 mile away when he heard them. I suppose I don't have any options here. I know the DNR will trap them if they are killing your livestock, but we don't have any livestock so I guess we're stuck with them. If they don't move out soon, I'm thinking I'll have to find somewhere else to hunt because it seems as if the deer have vacated the area. Any suggestions?

[jlm]

My advice would be to keep hunting. There is no way that a couple of timbers will take 43 deer in one year. Even if you have a pack of wolves, they usually can only take week, sick, old, or young deer. Most able bodied deer can out run and stay alive and many bucks will actually stay and fight if needed. Eventually the wolves will move on and find better odds someplace else where there are more deer. The only exception that would concern me is really deep snow. Deer are particularly vulnerable then but I don't think you have to worry about that now anyway. Deer are on different patterns now than they will be in about three weeks, that is why you are not seeing as many. Keep hunting and good luck. You might want to carry your knife just in case they decide you are a sick deer...just my sick humor, sorry!

[EXTREME]

Coldfeet, I would continue to hunt the area. Usually the wolves don't bother the deer enough to drive them away from an area. They are still there. One of the reasons that you may not be seeing them is the weather. Too warm out the past couple of days. Plus with the full moon of last week the deer don't move until night. Add to this the bucks right now are in there October lull. They should be out of this lull in the next week or so. Granted I was out this past weekend and I did see some fresh scrapes and rubs...but I believe it to be the handiwork of a yearling buck. Just stick to your guns, unless your area is completely lacking sign, I would stay there....give it a week and a half. Hopefully everyone's hunting will improve!!

[Bushwacker]

I hunt in an area that is heavily infested with timberwolves. It is up north of Bemidji and I have seen a number of them and the cattle farmer across the road from us had 17 trapped out of his farm two years ago by the DNR. We still seem to do very well for deer every year. The thing I hate worst about them is walking among all of there tracks the morning after a fresh snow. I always keep my gun loaded until I meet up with the rest of the crew. A pack of wolves would be a heck of a way to go!

[Ruttin' Buck]

I agree with Coldfeet. It seems no matter where you go up north nowadays there is wolf sign and alot of it. Cold feet was also right in saying that climates have not been right for seeing deer lately as the deer have started sporting winter coats. I took a doe with my management tag on Fri. and her coat was well on its way to being winter ready. She also had more fat reserves than I think I've ever seen on a deer.

I've found many wolf kills in my years of wandering the north woods. It is rare for a wolf pack to be successful before there is deep snow. Even though they may be chasing the deer, it is likely that the deer are surviving despite the wolf numbers.

If you hunt up north, where there are deer, you will find wolves in the same areas.

To the hunt!!

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"When the hunter is in a tree stand with high moral values and with the proper hunting ethics and richer for the experience, that hunter is 20' closer to God"
-Fred Bear

[fivebucks]

I would wait it out. Timbers usually seem to move through areas (at least up by LOW) and the deer will completely vacate that area and shift their paterns until the wolves move through and then after about a week the deer filter back in. I am sure it is different where a pack takes up residence but that's how it is where we hunt for what it's worth.

[Jack Pine]

Coldfeet I would suggest you start looking for a new hunting spot. I too hunt an area with a large wolf population. I know others posted that they will move on...they don't or at least they have not in the area I hunt. Fifteen years ago we averaged seeing 20-30 deer a year per hunter in our group. Now we average seeing two deer a year. I myself have not seen a fawn while hunting in six years, so I don't hold out much hope for things to improve. Sadly, this will probably be my last year hunting in Northern Minnesota.

[Thomas]

there has been no known case of wolves attacking human. there are wolves where i hunt, and the last few years i've seen more deer.