Wolves..

[springpin]

Is there anybody hunting in 4-34, and noticing that there is more wolf tracks than deer lately? Every area I have gone into lately..nothing but wolves tracks, ran into a real messy kill site, can you guess what tracks were there?

[brotherjack]

I dunno about 4-34, but in the last 5 years, I have seen an exponential growth in dog tracks without accompanying human tracks in the EK around cranbrook. A couple of areas where I never used to see any dog tracks, I now see more dog than deer once the snow moves in. Mostly coyotes I think, but I see some now and then that I think are too big for 'yotes.

They're getting thick enough in spots, that I may actually break my "don't shoot it if you ain't gonna eat it" rule this year and hammer some dogs this winter.

[Paulyman]

my uncle and I were up in the clinton area hunting this past week,there were wolf tracks everywhere, and if i saw deer tracks there were wolf tracks right on top of them.As a result we never saw many deer at all.

then on saturday my uncle and i went to the christian valley and he raised his scope to take a shot at a whitetail and it ran off,guess why.............. a wolf came chasing right behind the whitetail, stopped and looked at my uncle for a second and kept on chasing the whiteail.

I think its time to start shooting some of those buggers.

[Marc]

I'll shoot them if they stop long enough for a shot, just ask the coyote this fall that stopped at 220 paces to see if I could hit it.:biggrin:

[Johnny Shotgun]

My son and I were up in 5-5 area and had seen any animals for our whole trip from oct 15-23 , and not from any lack of searching from high to low and everything in between(road - stalking -quading) when we took a break and went to a 22 shoot at the local range and got talking to some of the local folks who said they hadn't seen many either but said the wolves were everywhere and putting the run on them all. To bad as it was our first hunt ,but the boy did get himself a bunch of grouse which I'm thankful for because it sure helped to keep him entushiastic and we both can't wait to get back out again:biggrin:. Although we did see a few does and a little bear in the ditch on our way home.:roll:

[Will]

Ran into some in Reg 3 today.........one of my Fav Buck spots too.
Saw a bit of sign in there last year but this year is Nutz with them........wolf sign all over.

These same 5-6 Wolves covered every trail, road and everything inbetween up there......we literally cut these tracks everywhere we went :shock:
Looked like at least 2 good sized ones with 3-4 smaller ones.

Even found places they had laid down and rested...played, even found chewed up sticks.
http://usera.imagecave.com/BCWILL/IMG_2279-copy.jpg

Not surprising the deer were abit scarce today :wink:

[kishman]

I took this photo near Princeton last week. I was hiking along this road well before dawn and heard wolves in the trees around me, howling, barking and running around. I found the head on my way back to the truck, I walked right by it in the dark. I never did find the fawns body....
.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/kishman_2006/012.jpg

I must have bumped them off the fawn as I made my way down the road to where i was gonna hunt that morning. All in all a very spooky experience, I've never had any "close encounters" with wolves before.

[troutseeker]

Yep Will, I've seen quite a few tracks as well in 3 ann also in 8. Man why did you go and sell my .223 like that???

Troutseeker

[Will]

Yep Will, I've seen quite a few tracks as well in 3 ann also in 8. Man why did you go and sell my .223 like that???

Seems to be more and more especially now I'm beginning to find them in areas I've never seen sign before....:-?

The 223 had to go.....FAST ! :redface:
I made some purchases I had to pay off before the wife found out......:wink:

[Grandbois]

I was up saskum a couple weeks ago, seen 4 different sets of tracks all along the 4100 road i think it was, hiked up to the end of the road, saw no other tracks in the snow other than a few rabbits, i was lookin for moose, came back down and they had been on the road again since i was last up and one had peed over where i had, tried calling them in with a rabbit in distress call, but no luck, barely saw any wildlife the 2 days i was up in the area, just one doe and a couple grouse, time to thin out the dogs im thinkin

[hunter1947]

The place i hunt in the EK ,there has been a big increase of wolfs in the past 5 years.http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon8.gif

[Orangethunder]

I see dog sign almost everywhere I have hunted in region 3, 5 and 7. I am planning on thinning them out if I get a chance. They are super sneaky though and my predator calling skills need help. We all need to chip in take one or 10 and do our part!

[Barracuda]

I have been telling folks for years that i am seeing wolf tracks and most folks dont believe me. I have even seen then in region 2 .

[BCrams]

Wolf numbers are on the increase province wide. More in some areas than others.

Do ungulates a favour - shoot them.

[smeegle]

its the nature of the beast, influx in wolf and a decrease in game pretty soon there will be a dec in wolf(because of lack of food and unter reducin some of the populations) and an influx in the deer population

[Moosetalker]

Wolves are hunters like us, if you don't eat them don't kill them.

[Gateholio]

Wolf numbers are on the increase province wide. More in some areas than others.

Do ungulates a favour - shoot them.


Last winter was the wolf winter around here...

Lots of wolf/livestock problems, dogs being eaten in backyards etc.

Shoot em, there is no shortage of them!

[todbartell]

Wolves are hunters like us, if you don't eat them don't kill them.

I'll keep that in mind when I shoot three of the *******s this winter

[Orangethunder]

Wolves are hunters like us, if you don't eat them don't kill them.

While your comment has some value you to it I think your missing the bigger picture. As hunting is essentially managing wildlife numbers and you cant simply harvest prey species like deer and moose and ignore predator species. Realistically no one is going to eat a wolf nor should they have to. Hunters should however consider that by not shooting a wolf given the chance and by shooting deer and moose you are throwing the balance. I dont think that we need widespread poisoning or culling as was done in the past but a sensible approach by hunters to control the numbers. If I am lucky enough to get one you can bet I wont be eating it. I will however be giving it to a local trapper who can use it at his discretion. Just my .02:cool:

[Gateholio]

Wolves are hunters like us, if you don't eat them don't kill them.

Wolves and humans are quite different.:wink:

[Moosetalker]

I'll stick with " if you kill it eat it" Nature has a way of sorting things out. Lots of ungulates minimal wolves, then a reverse cycle. Don't need us hunters to balance that. If you have had a chance to watch the wolves in action in different circumstanses, in my opion, they are hard to pull the trigger on. They are by nature a predator, but necessary.

[whitetailsheds]

Out 2 weeks ago along the Kiskatinaw Rvr. Buddy and I spent the better part of the day trying to pick off 20+ wolves that must have just taken something down (never did find a kill despite looking). Heard them the nite before howling away.
Next day, they started up again (07:45). "Well, I guess we're wolf hunting rather that moose/ elk." Worked our way towards all the noise, got close enough to hear them growling/ snarling. Inside thick brush, we couldn't see them, so figured we'd howl. Not 5 minutes into that business, we have 3 or 4 coming towards us. Black one comes over the top of a knoll at 40 yards, no idea we're there, winds right, bang! One for the ungulates.
Can hear the others still moving about. Off to the right, there's flashes of grey. Another coming in 30-40 yards in some scrub brush/ willows, line him up, bang! He's on the run. Few more shots in the brush running, no luck. Couldn't thread one through at him. Can hear the others following.
Make our way over the top of a larger hill, still wolves howling everywhere. Crest the hill, looking into a deep gully and there is all hell going on in the bottom. We decide to sit, overlooking the opposite side of this small valley and see if we can find, exactly, where in the thick spruce, all the wolves are. Just barking/ growling/ snapping. Unreal! Never witnessed this before.
After a few minutes we start to see movement. There's a group of 4. 450-500 yards across this gully. More start moving when we start howling to get them to stop and range them. What the f@#k!!! We are in wolf hell! There's 6 more going the opposite direction in the deep cut. Well...let the music begin. Two '06's start firing at a couple standing dogs. Misses!
8 more puppies start scattering. Boom, boom, boom. Nada. No dead dogs. Mental note: put shooting stix on Christmas wish list!
We spent until 14:30 walking around that gully, calling, getting replies with no further luck. Those wolves only ran to the top of this hill and continued to howl even as we walked out of there.
Even when in the thick stuff looking for a kill (we were going climb in the trees and ambush them if we found it), we had them coming back down the hill, into the thick stuff, not 50-60 yards away. Just too thick to see them.
Had this one we called a werewolf as it barked weird and had the evilest howl we've ever heard. It was down right wild in there. And not too intimidated by us. He came in scouting for the rest, a lookout. Smart, old one?
After finding no kill, skinned the first out and hiked out of there. With all the serenading still going on.........
Called 3 in myself 2 weeks before all this, about 8 miles away. Got the one in my avatar photo while calling moose. Did not realize they were there, 40-50 yards behind me. Initially thought I was hearing mice scurrying around in the grass. NOT!!!!
Sorry for the length of my reply, but this was absolutely, the most incredible fall I've had as far as predators are concerned. The wolf population up here in the NE of BC, IMHO, has skyrocketed with the winterkill we experienced.

[whitetailsheds]

PS....never did see any elk/ moose/ deer that trip.

[Barracuda]

I'll stick with " if you kill it eat it" Nature has a way of sorting things out. Lots of ungulates minimal wolves, then a reverse cycle. Don't need us hunters to balance that. If you have had a chance to watch the wolves in action in different circumstanses, in my opion, they are hard to pull the trigger on. They are by nature a predator, but necessary.

what is the difference between killing a wolf and killing a ungulate?? you are still meddeling in natures balance either way and it makes no difference to the animal if you use its fur or its meat( by the way do you simply waste your deerskins or do you use them ?)

[Gateholio]

I'll stick with " if you kill it eat it" Nature has a way of sorting things out. Lots of ungulates minimal wolves, then a reverse cycle. Don't need us hunters to balance that. If you have had a chance to watch the wolves in action in different circumstanses, in my opion, they are hard to pull the trigger on. They are by nature a predator, but necessary.

Eat the wolf if it makes you feel better. I know I won't.:p

Then again, wolves don't always eat what they kill, either.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Problem with wolves is that they will clean out an area them move on to the next. It takes quite a while for the populations of game to rebuild.

Saying that nature will take care of itself is a pretty naive approach. We are also a predator and a very competitive one at that.

SSS

[Moosetalker]

When the wolf kills and moves on he leaves the best, the hardiest and the smartest ungulate to repopulate. No doubt a few years hence he will be back but there will be many deer with a gene pool equipped to deal with the wolf.

[Gateholio]

Saying that nature will take care of itself is a pretty naive approach. We are also a predator and a very competitive one at that.

SSS

Not to mention that humans are a part of nature, always have been.

:smile:

[dana]

The First Nations of this Province had it right. They knew all about predator control. Why??? Cause they'd starve if the predators ate out the food supply. They would find the wolf den and kill all but one pup. Why? Keep the bitch lactating and she won't go into another heat.
I do think the government is got a good handle on the PC issue. Do you know who the hired guns are? Good on them I say. Hard to argue with Native rights. :)

[Barracuda]

not true MT wolves kill what they are able to catch which could very well be the best genes but because of circumstances they are able to catch it. Secondly wolves have been known to kill numerous animals beyond what they can consume simply because they have the opportunity, the concept of them only killing what they need is somewhat outdated and rather whimsicle .

[Gateholio]

When the wolf kills and moves on he leaves the best, the hardiest and the smartest ungulate to repopulate. No doubt a few years hence he will be back but there will be many deer with a gene pool equipped to deal with the wolf.

Don't believe everything you hear. Wolves don't just take the sick and the old. They are non discriminatory killers, they can and will kill mature bucks and bulls, make no mistake about it.


Coyotes they just seem to kill for fun. Tear them to shreds, and don't eat them.

[Avalanche123]

I had an interesting day on Sunday while bowhunting. I had two wolves come in and actually stalk me up to 30 metres away. At that point they began growling and howling to the point I thought they were calling for extra help. Seeing as I was only armed with my bow and bear spray and the near by trees were not really climbable, I left my blind and headed out. They made so much noise, the area was pretty much screwed for deer hunting for the day anyway. If I had a gun, I likely would have had two wolf pelts by now!

[Paulyman]

Wolves are hunters like us, if you don't eat them don't kill them.

i also have a no eat no shoot rule, however the wolf population is out of control in my opinion, let's thin em out so we can have a few deer for ourselves.

[whitetailsheds]

The 1 out of the group of 20 we were able to get from the thread I put in earlier.

[Scobo]

Wicked wolf!! i would have that made into a rug forsure and if I ever get the chance it will be me in the picture instead of you. BTW. Look into Andy's Wilderness Taxidermy. He did my bear and also a few buddies bears. He does a good job and at really good pricing. PM me if you want his phone number. His name is Andy...go figure.

[Wildman]

There are lots of wolves around here. Kisman, did you set up and wait for the wolves to return for their kill? I would have.......It would be nice to hammer an alpha male.

[hunter1947]

Don't believe everything you hear. Wolves don't just take the sick and the old. They are non discriminatory killers, they can and will kill mature bucks and bulls, make no mistake about it.


Coyotes they just seem to kill for fun. Tear them to shreds, and don't eat them. True wording gatehouse ,they are killing machines ,i read a book about wolves just killing for the fun of it ,a pack of wolfs killed this small bull ,then they never came back for it.

[BlacktailStalker]

Avalanche; Why didnt you shoot them with your bow ??

[RMG]

The truth is wolves are killing machines, they are the ultimate predator in North America. They are not even surpassed by the grizzly bear. Do the research! You will find wolves are not conservationists, they are known to kill everything starting with prey first, then other predators, then start killing each other because they are cannibals.
You want to discuss wildlife not being killed in a humane way by hunters, in comparison to wolves there is none. Wolves are addictive "Sport Killers" this takes place during the winter in heavy snow, the deeper snow the more "Sport Killing" deer and elk carcasses literally slaughtered for miles on snow-covered logging roads, (two dead elk approximately 150 feet apart), only hind quarters ripped out not eating any of their prey, the carcass left to rot for scavengers, and in many cases the animals are left standing alive bleeding a torturous death in the snow for several days with only hindquarters torn out. It is a very slow and excruciating painful death. This happens routinely while teaching young pup wolves how to hunt.
Professor Warren Ballard in Alaska. studies documented that wolves will kill about 30 moose per year (per wolf), and he is careful to say that this is a low number because the researchers probably missed some kills with their survey methodology. And, this doesn't include such well-documented phenomenon as "surplus killing" and "sport killing" by wolves.

[The Hermit]

There are lots of wolves on the island for sure. BANG!!

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I'm sure most of you remember this......
http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=10987

SSS

[hunter1947]

There are lots of wolves on the island for sure. BANG!!
I never heard of wolfs on the island years back ,it was never talked about. Only in the last 20 years wolf talk has occurred ,and now look at it..http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon9.gif

[springpin]

There are lots of howlers on the island. When I worked at Mt. Washington I would see wolves on the road up to the hill. Also when camping at wolf, quinsum, and lost lakes we'd hear them quite often.

Comox boy in Golden.

springpin

[Gamebuster]

I never heard of wolfs on the island years back ,it was never talked about. Only in the last 20 years wolf talk has occurred ,and now look at it..http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon9.gif

There was a wolf control program approx. 20 yrs ago on the island...north island anyway...

[kishman]

There are lots of wolves around here. Kisman, did you set up and wait for the wolves to return for their kill? I would have.......It would be nice to hammer an alpha male.


I was in the area for another 2 hours or so but never came across them again. Your right though that would've really been something, that whole episode really got the ol' heart a pumping.

[bruin]

Saw a pile of wolf tracks up north this year, didn't seem like there was a trail to be found that didn't have them. Saw one black wolf on numerous occasions, howled him in once to 80 yards but the hunter missed him clean, young black. I think that keeping wolves at stable populations is so important. One, it keep the wolves we do have healthy and reduces competion for them. Nature does balance itself but it is usually through starvation and suffering of predators. Also, if they hunt out an area, especially a large area and with the variable weather we seem to be gettting, the ungulates have a very difficult time recovering.