Wolves delisted

[sachem longrifle]

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I would like to take the time to explain myself on the first post I made. I didn't make it out that all wolves should be "wacked." Just manage the population better and we could make a lot of people change there minds on wolves in Wisconsin. As to this date I've only seen three wolves in the wild and all were within 1 mile from my house. I have no problem getting venison in the freezer because we have such a high population of deer. Just this muzzeloader season I shot 6 does so plenty of meat for the family. My major concern is tho my wife and kids. It will be a matter of time before someone gets seriously wounded or killed. And I don't want it to be either of my daughters or my wife. Maybe I'm speculating a little too much, but would rather see a few wolves harvested then to see someone get seriously hurt! I just keep reading about the bear dog's and they're handler's runing into the wolves over and over again. WE really need to help incourage a season on wolves so we can protect not only our families, but also our heritage. SB

Oh, on a lighter note, wife and I had our second child, she was a beautiful 5lbs 15 oz's. And she already knows how to call coyote's!!!!!

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Do you mean your wife or new child can call coyotes??? , Congratulations on the new baby

[outdoor ran]

Super Black. Congrads on the new baby

[Super Black]

The baby can call coyote's!! Sounds just like a rabit in distress!! Thanks guy's!

[Blake]

I have an email with an attachment of a wolf attack in upper MI, but can't seem to post it. If I email to someone, could you post it on here?? Thanks

Blake

[Cooter]

Super congrats on the new little one!

[BRULEDRIFTER]

I was gonna say that there has never been a documented attack on a human by a wolf. So Blake, if you got this email, i'd like to see it, and being its an email forward, i'd double check it's authenticity. I'll believe it when I see it from a reputable source.

I would also like to say i agree with a season to keep them in check, and maybe strike a little fear from humans. However, as this post started it really seemed that it was a straight up redneck minded attack on the wolf. They have their place in an ecosystem.

I do not feel bad for the dogs, however. I'll stand by that 100%. I really dont feel it should be legal to hunt bears with dogs, so if a few get taken out by wolves, well thats just part of the game, its a risk that should be taken into consideration, just as I think of my dog out chasin grouse.

It would break my heart, but so goes nature. It would be better than getting smoked by a car or something.

Finally, to show another example of how a wolf population can help an ecosystem, I want to share an article I read a few years ago. I wish i could remember the title and source, but it was something i read in school, and i know it wasn't propaganda from PETA or something.

But the article was about the wolf population in Yellowstone. A few years after the wolf re-established itself, and a few elk were removed(god forbid) by the wolf packs, biologists noticed a shrub rebounding along the banks of rivers and streams where elk grazed. I know most of you could give a (Contact Us Please) about shrubs, but if you take a second and think about the ecosystem as a whole and not just as an ungulate garden, then you may be able to understand how every little thing alive in this world has a place in it. Yup even those (Contact Us Please) mosquitoes. Remove something, and eventually something else goes and you begin the downward spiral. Be glad we can have a sustaining wolf pack, their amazing creatures. I unfortunatly do believe though that in ten years they'll be back on the list due to major poaching from no longer being federally protected and a lack of proper education. Too many big bad wolf stories that still scare the hell out of people.

[sachem longrifle]

Your story reminds me of one that the Ruffed Grouse Society did with ruffed grouse habitat and deer impact. They found that a large number of deer significantly impacted the grouse habitat by eating the new growth and all the lower dense brush that ruffies need to raise young and escape predators. And there are way too many deer in many areas. And I love grouse hunting. Don't do much deer hunting anymore. Too cold and boring

[Blake]

Bruledrifter.....get me your email and I'll send you the email I received with the story. Thanks

[RackMann85]

i read an article about a wolf attack a few months ago. it was in Canada i believe. the story was published in North American Hunter or Outdoor Life, i cant quite remember. it was definitely the guys own fault for going out at night in an unfamiliar area without any self defense, but the DNR and police followed the wolves' tracks in the snow and they pretty much stalked and killed this guy. i'm not saying we need to shoot every wolf in the woods. i do think however that their population is becoming too dense in some areas and it is affecting other hunting, mainly deer.

[nolte]

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I do not feel bad for the dogs, however. I'll stand by that 100%. I really dont feel it should be legal to hunt bears with dogs, so if a few get taken out by wolves, well thats just part of the game, its a risk that should be taken into consideration, just as I think of my dog out chasin grouse.

It would break my heart, but so goes nature. It would be better than getting smoked by a car or something.

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I'm just curious if you saw the recent article in the Wisconsin Outdoor News about the rabbit hunter that had his beagle attacked by wolves in Iron County.

You are entitled to your opinion, but that sure doesn't mean that I have agree with you on it. Hound Guys put in a lot of time breeding, training, selecting, and hunting their dogs. From my experience it is much tougher to train a hound to do a satisfactory job than a bird dog. Before I get blasted, note that I have a lab for a bird dog and I've put in a lot of time to train him too. Really good dogs (for any type of hunting) are darn tough to come by, and to simply say it's a risk that you have to deal with is very short-sighted. Although a person will get compensated for a wolf attack in WI, many times the amount wouldn't even come close to fairly compensate the owner. I personally have not had one killed, but have had a few run ins. The first-hand stories I've heard from guys who have had dogs attaacked & killed are simply gut-wrenching. I hope I never have to go through that, but I can see it happening. I just think it's ludicrous that you don't have the legal ability to protect your dogs shoould an attack happen, regardless of what type of dog or hunting a guy does.

As a side note, I've buried dogs that have been hit by cars, fallen through ice and drown, contracted blasto, gotten cancer at a young age, died from hunting injuries, been in a major fight with a stray dog, and hung themselves. Not to mention die of old age. Although stuff like that happens, anytime it does it sucks big time. I don't think I'd feel any better if it died more "natural".

[Cooter]

Not to get off-track, but I think its odd how MN still has wolves on the list. They got something like 3,000 of them there I believe. Which I think is where ours moved in from.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

So after doing some research, i did find some cases of wolf attacks on humans, however, they are EXTREMELY RARE! Your more likely to get struck by lightning multiple times before being attacked by a wolf. The few attacks documented were from rabbies, habituation from feeding by people, and Dog/Wolf crosses.

Nolte, I dont see why your calling me out.

No I did not see the article. But I agree man, it would be absolutly horrible to lose a dog that way, anyway for that matter. I also agree that it does take a lot of work training, breeding, ect.

I, however, feel that it IS a risk one takes when out in the wild! I dont feel that statement is at all short sighted. It's a risk we all take. When we step out into the wild areas we hunt and fish, we're at the mercy of nature. Anyone, or their animals, outdoors could just as easily be attacked by wolves, moose, deer, or most commonly bears.

I will say that i am not a bear hunter, but if i was, i would much rather HUNT the thing, rather then have a dog chase it up a tree for me, or sit over a pile of rotten garbage waiting for it to feed. I dont see these methods as very sporting(another topic all together). Hence why it is MY PERSONAL OPINION that i dont think hunting with dogs should be legal(yet another topic). But i also dont think that they should be killed by wolves either. I think you took that the wrong way. its not illegal, and people can do it, so more power, whatever floats your boat, to each their own. But its something that should be considered by each individual before going out. One should step back and say, Hey, im in wolf country im going to have to be a little more alert to my dogs whereabouts while im out here.

I was not aware that you could'nt defend your dog if it was being attacked. I guess if I had the opportunity to intervene in such a confrontation, then i guess there would be a few less wolves in the woods i hunted(refering to the one/s attacking me or my dog), or one less hunter and dog in the world(refering to me fighting till the death). I feel that if indeed there is such a law, that is one that REALLY needs changing!

Im spent on this topic! I feel ive said more then i intended to from the begining.

[Swamp Scooter]

There was just a news article out of Kenora OT that was on wolves IN TOWN!!! many sightings and what to do about it. Apparently they are not afraid of the people and they are seen around the school in daylight. www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/News/287679.html I am sure we will be seeing this in coming years too.

[nolte]

Brule

I think your negative view on dog/bear or baiting, comes from never really experiencing it. Harvesting a trophy size bear (by any method) in WI is tough. To say it's not a hunt or easy shows a lack of exposure to it. But that is a totally different topic than wolves.

In your previous post you said that since we are in wolf country we should be more "aware". I assure you that dog hunters take every singe precaution they can to minimize wolf conflicts. Many areas are now considered off limits because of the higher likelihood of an attack. Places like the Bird Sancutary, Shanagolden, Jackson Box and Thornapple come to mind, just to name a few. If you run in those areas you better be very, very carefull. Also roads are checked in the immediate area to see if any recent wolf sign is present(this is much easier with snow). Hunters also put bells on their dogs to hopefully "scare" off wolves, but I'm not sure how well it works.

The thing about wolves is that they are much different than all the other risks you pointed out. Wolves have/will hunt down your dogs via smell or hearing. It's just a matter of if "they" (the wolves) feel like doing it on that particular day. If we were to avoid areas that 1. wouldn't have a wolf cross our dogs trail, or 2. wolves wouldn't be in earshot, There would be zero areas of the state to hunt. This is the reality of the situation.

[bigfish21]

I would have to agree with Brule on this one. As a society we need to change our attitudes about the outdoors and quit trying to eliminate all the risks that come with the outdoors just so we can enjoy them. We have become accustom to being the top predator in the food chain. The fact remains that there are other predators out there that we have to respect. Wolves have not been an issue in the past due to the low numbers. The research is there that wolves play vital role in the ecosystem. Wolve population also needs to be high enough to realize their benefits. It doesn't matter if there is one wolf or 3000, as long as their out there they are a threat to us and our animals and we need to learn to work around that. Plus, as long as the deer herd is as large as it is wolves will be a very minor problem

[Scott K]

Im no pro at any of this . Im just going to give one more opinion. I have an aunt that lives in northern mn. She runs a farm all by herself, my uncle died a few years back, she has about 50 cows. She is scared to death to go out after dark, or before daylight. Any time a cow calfs when not in the barn, it became wolf food! And alot of the time when the cow is calfing the mother cow also gets attacked. She said on average she looses 20-30 cows a year do to the wolves. She cant shoot them, when there in her yard attacking her livestock. She has complained to the dnr several times, and what they said was if you see one attacking your livestock call us and we will come there and remove the problem wolf. Well a week later after she calls the dnr will show up and say well if you cant tell me wich one, or where this individule wolf is we cant just start shooting "innocent wolves". I agree wolves can be a part of our wilderness, but we need the right to defend our property! If you ask the majority of the people that live with them day to day, they dont want them there. I fortunatly live in southern mn, not to many wolves here, but I have a cabin around minong wisconsin, there are alot of tracks going through my land, it scares me do to I have 3 kids, ages from 8-13, they like to play outside. I have only seen 1 while I was there, and that was while I was deer hunting. I have to say it got my heart pumping, it gave me something to talk about at deer camp, but I will tell you there werent any deer there for a couple days after that. There is a big open grassy field 1/2 mile away, almost every night you can hear them howl, if you drive by you can see a few out there in the evenings. I personally dont like that there are that many wolves around my kids, I cant keep them indoors all the time, or watch them every minute. I used to bring a gun with me on every trip up to my cabin incase something happens, but I havent done that in awhile. Im sure there are many others with the same stories I have but just wanted to add mine.

[CAJ]

I'll tell you what my grandfather used to say, Shoot and shut up. Pretty simple thing. CAJ

[Nate McVey]

I don't know if grandma has a front-end-loader or back-hoe, but like CAJ said.........everyone has the right to defend their home and themselves, no law enforcement agent is going to argue that.....I wish her the best of luck!

[Cooter]

I see it became official very recently - one thing I didn't realize is its not just WI but also MN and MI - the powers that be call it the Western Great Lakes wolf pop. I think right now I'm more interested in seeing what happens in MN with them being so high over pop goals.

[Scott K]

So what does this actually mean? We still cant shoot them, right? So what effect does it have that they are de-listed? Is it that they arent protected federaly, and is up to the indivdual states to decide what to do now?

[klecker]

" So what does this actually mean? We still cant shoot them, right? So what effect does it have that they are de-listed? Is it that they arent protected federaly, and is up to the indivdual states to decide what to do now? "

yup you still cant shoot them, the states will now manage the population. They are not protected federaly. Your fine would deal with a protected animal verse a endangered one. I dont think we will ever see a season in the near future either in the midwest. It would be intresting to see if Native Americans would be able to hunt them. Did they in the past or was the wolf a considered sacrate? Any info on this would be intresting.

Chad