Wolves 6 Black Bear 0

[AT&T]

I was a bit reluctant to write this as alot of people wont believe me but here goes.
Last fall I was in my hunting tower in the back field watching a black bear eating spawning Kokanee. Coming into the wind behind him were two of the very large black wolves I have seen before. Granted the black bear was small. Probably a yearling. I noticed 4 other wolves on the other side of the creek. I knew I was about to see something cool so I just watched through the scope. It was none of my business I figured. The two big wolves easily out weighed the bear. They came up behind the bear in the grass. The one wolf grabbed the small bear by the back of the neck. In an instant the wolf through the bear over back wards. The bears legs went up in the air. The second wolf grabbed a back leg. They had him stretched out in a blink of an eye. By the time it took me to blink the other 4 were all over him and it was over! They feed for an hour dragging what was left across the creek into the bush. Probably just a coincidence but around here we are seeing alot less bears since the wolf packs showed up. Has anyone had any experience with this or heard of wolves predating on bears or cubs. If they can do this so easy they sure can take Grizzly cubs too. Thoughts Comments.

[hairy spotter]

great story grampa, could've used a vampire though...

[Prowler]

Pretty wild! Not sure where "around here" is but AROUND HERE, there would have been lead in the air!!!

[.330 Dakota]

I would have had wolf on a stick, 1 for sure

[CanuckShooter]

Pretty short sighted of you to not shoot at least one of those wolves, after they finish eating all the bear cubs they'll start on the ungulates......

[nolan-sawka]

would have shot a wolf or 2 for sure

[farside]

Poop survey by done by a young fellow I know here on the island shows that on the west coast of the island, the main food source of wolves is bear. Has been for quite some time. Dogs adapt quickly to such an abundant food source.

The young fella that conducted the survey was full of info on cats and dogs and general populations in the province. Three year study to see who is eating who.

[M.Dean]

Yes, it's nice to the howl of a Wolf on a moon lit night, to watch as the pack runs through the grass on a side hill, there fur blowing in the wind, it's a mystical thing! But, unfortunately, Wolves eat the same thing Humans do, Deer and Moose! If man is to continue hunting Deer and Moose and the Wolf too, were going to run out of Moose and Deer! So, the way I see it, if we shoot the Wolves there's going to be enough Deer and Moose for us to eat!!! Personally I would have shot as many of the Wolf Pack as possible! If that pack hangs out where your hunting, don't rely on Venison to hold you over through the Winter Months! The Wolves will be fat and warm and you my friend will starve to death!!!

[silvicon]

You should have shot a few wolves to cut down their #.
I am sure you want to eat moose and deer?
Well, why did you NOT take a few shots at the wolves?

[Prowler]

Quote from AT&T on another wolf thread
After seeing what a wolf packs can do to our animal populations any hunter does not take the opportunity to shoot a wolf is very short sighted.


Haha. OOooops!:neutral:

[Gunner]

Poop survey by done by a young fellow I know here on the island shows that on the west coast of the island, the main food source of wolves is bear. Has been for quite some time. Dogs adapt quickly to such an abundant food source.

The young fella that conducted the survey was full of info on cats and dogs and general populations in the province. Three year study to see who is eating who.Central Coast is the same,the wolves prey heavily on black bears,even digging them out of their dens in the winter.Wouldn't the bunnyhuggers have a fit if their beloved wolves ate all their beloved Spirit bears!:mrgreen: Gunner

[island grown]

Last year I had a pack following me around a lake I hunt out Bamfield way. This summer I found some wolf scat that was filled with bear claws. They looked like cub claws to me. I was surprised to find that. But really we're all opportunists.

[AT&T]

I didnt shoot any cause it was interesting to watch. One wolf was shot from the house the next morning. Total of 3 taken from the hunting tower since then. I do my part.
Kootenay lake country

[Kirby]

I didnt shoot any cause it was interesting to watch. One wolf was shot from the house the next morning. Total of 3 taken from the hunting tower since then. I do my part.
Kootenay lake country

I'd have been very very tempted to watch it play out and not throw lead. and at no point was a range mentioned perhaps it was 1400 yards and he was shooting a 30-30?

Congrats on seeing something 99.99% of the world will never see.

[northern]

AT&T,
wolves regularely dig out bears and kill them during the winter .Years ago on Skeena Journal they had a program that showed the clear evidence of this ,so yes i definately believe you.In your defence you were probably so shocked at what happened you didnt think of shooting at the time!

[AT&T]

Thanks for that Kirby. It was amazing to watch. I had a 300 win mag with a scope turned up to 16 power. They were 400 yards away. I could of spun one, maybe two but l will never get to watch that again. As I mentioned in other post I have taken that pack down by 4 since then.

Thanks again for appreciating my experience.



I'd have been very very tempted to watch it play out and not throw lead. and at no point was a range mentioned perhaps it was 1400 yards and he was shooting a 30-30?

Congrats on seeing something 99.99% of the world will never see.

[rifleman]

Thanks for that Kirby. It was amazing to watch. I had a 300 win mag with a scope turned up to 16 power. They were 400 yards away. I could of spun one, maybe two but l will never get to watch that again. As I mentioned in other post I have taken that pack down by 4 since then.

Thanks again for appreciating my experience.
well done! wish I was there to see that.

[phoenix]

I wish I was allowed to hunt wolves but here in Region 8 they are just finally admitting we even have them. I hear them howling way up above the house sometimes.I have noticed a drop in the deer populations in a couple of my old favorite hot spots where I am now finding wolf tracks and scat on a regular basis. That said, I haven't seen one in the flesh yet. I find it strange that I can hunt turkeys which are still pretty rare around here but not wolves which seem to be less rare.
Kim

[Peter Pepper]

Very cool AT&T. Start packing a cammera, cause man I'd love to have seen that!
Thanks for sharing, even if you though nodody would believe you. Wolves do target B bears if nothing easyer around. Wonder what they eat after all the B bears are gone?

[Van-Isle]

How did this extremely cool sighting turn into a rant about how he didn't shoot some wolves? I'm not against anyone shooting a wolf or two but when did it become irresponsible to NOT shoot a native species in this province? The wolves have just as much right to the deer as we do.
Has anyone ever looked at the population studies of predators and prey? Take a look at how the Lynx population follows that of the Snowshoe Hare up and down then up again. The wolves might kill the deer in the area but they will die off from starvation in turn im willing to bet.
Again im not against the odd wolf being taken but lets not be so quick to kill them all, I applaud you for just watching an amazing part nature that hopefully I get to see one day.

[elkhunter1]

Would have shot at least 2 from start of attack
if poss.

[AT&T]

I get enough opportunities to shoot wolves and as mentioned have shot wolves before that happned and several since then. To those who seem to be upset that I didnt shoot I dont know what to say. Sometimes it is good to witness nature in action on its own. We are just visitors out there after all. My appreciation for all wildlife allows me to occassionaly witness special times like this. Maybe those with less opportunity are more Zelous to take advantage of a situation.

Dont be upset with me. Go kill one yourself. Maybe two?

[whognu]

Would have shot at least 2 from start of attack
if poss.

right.......400 yds away, on full attack mode, gonna smoke 2.....

good luck with that

(yes, i am just pulling your leg)

[Gunner]

AT&T,the choice to intervene or to observe was rightly yours,and in this case there was no wrong decision to make.You witnessed something that most people never will,don't take any criticism from anyone,let them make their own choices when it happens to them.(not!)Thanks for posting the story,Cheers Gunner

[DMAN009]

How did this extremely cool sighting turn into a rant about how he didn't shoot some wolves? I'm not against anyone shooting a wolf or two but when did it become irresponsible to NOT shoot a native species in this province? The wolves have just as much right to the deer as we do.
Has anyone ever looked at the population studies of predators and prey? Take a look at how the Lynx population follows that of the Snowshoe Hare up and down then up again. The wolves might kill the deer in the area but they will die off from starvation in turn im willing to bet.
Again im not against the odd wolf being taken but lets not be so quick to kill them all, I applaud you for just watching an amazing part nature that hopefully I get to see one day.


BINGO!!!! SOMEONE KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT....

Cool Story! Love reading about stuff like this!

[BiG Boar]

Where are the pics of the dead 4. I want to see them! What colors and sizes and stuff?

[AT&T]

Where are the pics of the dead 4. I want to see them! What colors and sizes and stuff?

They were all black. I am leaving or trying to leave the two biggest ones alone. I believe they are the alpha male female. Another pack of 16 mostly grey have moved in about 20 miles away. Not sure if they are still around. They could be in Alberta or Revelstoke for all I know. Didnt take pics. had no camera when skinning them out. Just one picture of a head freshly skinned, eye balls sticking out. Not very nice unless your a sick red neck like me.

[IslandHunterBXL]

Pretty wild! Not sure where "around here" is but AROUND HERE, there would have been lead in the air!!!
x2 in port alberni

[AT&T]

x2 in port alberni
Lead in the air wont kill anything.

[nerka992003]

Was driving between Pr Rupert and Terrace yesterday and about 1/2 km from the Exstew river there were 3 wolves one laying in the snow and the other two just milling around . they were only about 150 yards from the highway. I wish they were further from the highway and would have had my .243 there would have been some lead flying thats for sure.

[Brew]

I would love to witness what you were so lucky to see. Congrats on thinning the pack after the incident as well. Didn't even cross my mind that wolves would kill bears but seems seems obvious to me now.

[Sooke Hunter]

AT&T,
wolves regularely dig out bears and kill them during the winter .Years ago on Skeena Journal they had a program that showed the clear evidence of this ,so yes i definately believe you.In your defence you were probably so shocked at what happened you didnt think of shooting at the time!
Good comment!!:)

[killer]

Very cool to see.But i would have had to let er rip or i would never forgive myself.

[Moose Guide]

I was watching a clearing for Elk when I spotted a small blackie with 2 cubs leaving and looking back in a nervous manner, shortly after a grey wolf appeared and I missed:oops:

[Moose Guide]

Wolves in the arctic eat polar bear cubs so they probably eat grizz cubs too!

[proguide66]

2 years ago I was guideing a fella named Warren Strickland ( google him) , good guy , we sat on a hill and below us two wolves were just layin there , a black and big grey. I had a shotgun due to my 700rum blowin up , and Warren his bow...damnit...anyway , wolves take off , 8 ft boar walks out...then 30 min later a big bull and 3 cows are tunning down valley...THEN I glass behind them , here's a sow and that springs cub up in the sheep slopes and no bush/cover...THEN the two wolves went rushing in at her , we couldnt believe it...the little grizz cub stood between her legs while she snarled at them...they tried to lure her forward and back door her to the cub for maybe 20 minutes...sleezy looking scene..then they just plain laid down right in front of her maybe 6 yrds...with an attitude like" we got all day bitch , we're gonna git him"....I was wishing for a gun soo bad...anyway , they eventually got bored and left after maybe 45 minutes of terrorizing the pair...could only imagine if there was a few more dogs...:evil:

[mark]

I have heard a story, of a trapper, that witnessed a pack of wolves take down and kill a small-medium size grizzly near revelstoke!
Apparently 8 wolves!

[Dutch Ppoacher]

i know of a story about a guy here on the island that was draging out a deer from a old growth timber spot that had also produced several deer days earlier. well on his pull out of the bush, a pack of wolves tracked him down. the wolves totally intended to hurt him as they really payed no attention to the buck laying on the ground. only reason he is still here today t tell the story is because of a big fat tree to back against and a really fast trigger finger. one was kill and many injured.the day after this occured the hunting group went in together and that was when they fund the dead one and many blood trails heading off in different directions in the snow.
seen the pictures as proof.
they are just oppertunistic animals ding what they do, pray you have enough bullets and a clipp gun!!!!!!

DP

[west250]

Missed an opportunity for some nice black wolf rugs man! Oop's just read the other post and see a bit of a rant going on - certainly not my place to judge, nor am I - would like a nice rug or two though =]...

[west250]

My wolf story:

Something that thought was weird at the time was an incident that happened while hunting up north. I was underneath a shear mountain cliff which held a population of mountain goats. Of course these animals do fall on occasion and scavengers cruise the bases looking for free meals. I tucked up against a bush in this rolling sloped area and was glassing when this old lone wolf came around a bush with his head down about 10 yards away moving right toward me! I startled and jacked one in the chamber fearing that he was going to walk right into me. He heard the noise and had a split second look of surprise on his face then quickly regained his composure, changed course never braking stride. It all happened so quickly I couldn't put the hairs on him. He was rough looking and alone and I don't imagine he had a very easy time of it.

[scott h]

It would never have crossed my mind that they would tackle a black bear....
but I guess "why not".Cool story for you to have that I'm betting will be repeated many times over your lifetime. Probably not a lot of people have seen something like this first hand.

[Tikka270wsm]

Last winter was a really mild one on the southern island here with very little snow. So "Mikey" and I went shed hunting a few times in February and March. While seaching for sheds, we came across several piles of wolf scat that were full of bear hair. It seems the wolves were digging the bears out of their dens. No snow must have made it tuffer to run down the deer so they were feeding on the bears.

Also a few years back, when I lived in Ucluelet, I spoke to some biologists that were collecting wolf scat along Kennedy Lake. At that time they said the wolves number 1 source of food on the coast there was river otter and racoon, second was seal, third was deer and fourth was black bear. It doesn't surprise me to hear your story. Wolves are opportunistic hunters that will adapt to what food source is available. Hell, they'll swim from island to island,braving strong currents and cold water to get to the deer once they've cleaned an area out.

Thank you for sharing your story. Likely will never see this type of kill again. If you do, shoot some of the wolves.

[Jagermeister]

AT&T,the choice to intervene or to observe was rightly yours,and in this case there was no wrong decision to make.You witnessed something that most people never will,don't take any criticism from anyone,let them make their own choices when it happens to them.(not!)Thanks for posting the story,Cheers GunnerLike the man say's, "....the choice to intervene or to observe was rightly yours....". Ranting at AT&T for not shooting is assinine.
Thanks for sharing your experience AT&T.

[Ltbullken]

I posted this to another thread regarding wolves and it 'bears' saying here too I think.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One wolf needs 15 - 19 deer per year to survive (whitetail deer/wolf in Minnesota). A pack of ten will then consume 150 - 190 deer per year in one area. In 1998, there was an estimated 7500 wolves in BC. That is then a total deer consumption of 112,500 to 142,500 animals per year, assuming the data above is correct. Considering the mule deer population in BC is about 150,000 to 250,000, there is a potential for wolf predation to account for a significant number of deer in BC. Mule deer being bigger than WT deer, the number of mule deer killed per wolf is probably less than WT. Maybe 30 - 60 % bigger so maybe half the animals than what is suggested above might be predated. Guestimates here folks. And they also take elk, moose and other animals too so the number of deer is still lower.

So, while I agree that wolf predation may not threaten deer or ungulate populations in BC, it is likely a significant source of competition to hunters. Also, in some areas, ungulates may experience serious pressure to establish or go through serious population drops, which will affect wolf populations directly as well, and wolf predation will just hammer it harder. If we want more deer, moose, etc., to hunt, it makes sense that we would want to manage the predator populations.

I don't agree with the mentality of killing blood thirsty wolves for the sake of getting rid of them. I do however support efforts to manage their populations and would thus gladly harvest a wolf in support of that goal.

[AT&T]

Considering it is now legal to bait wolves in BC I will be spending some days this winter laying in wait, to see if I can make a bigger dent in our local West Kootenay population. I dont know why so many people get so aggro with me about watching that event. I dont regret it for a second. Besides like I said I did deal with a few of them. Hopefully the next couple months will provide me with a good opportunity AT&T. (Reach out and touch someone) something

[bsa30-06]

I would have been tempted to sit and watch aswell, i love those moments when your out and you get to watch animals doing things most people will never see or only watch on TV.

[AT&T]

Quote from AT&T on another wolf thread
After seeing what a wolf packs can do to our animal populations any hunter does not take the opportunity to shoot a wolf is very short sighted.


Haha. OOooops!:neutral:

woops what does that mean. Read before you comment

[Rainforest hunter]

if you see a wolf it should be habit to shoot. They eat 40 - 50 island deer a year.

[kennyj]

What an awesome thing to see. Thanks for posting your story.
kenny

[hunter1947]

Wolves are at the top of the food chain list for sure a big pack of wolves will take on any wild animal that lives in the wild.

When I was in my early twenties and out hunting on Vancouver island I saw 4 wolves take down and kill a adult black bear this was in the lens creek area around 40 years ago.

Wolves where not a problem back in them days so I did not shot any of them ,if I saw this to day lead would be flying at the wolves..

[Deer_Slayer]

Wolves will kill "any animal" they figure they can tackle. They are the Grizzlies worst enemy and that is part of the reason a Grizz will wait until a big snow falls to cover its tracks to the den, so wolves can't track it and kill it. I woulda been dropping a few wolves too. They will kill everything they possibly can.

[burger]

Wolves are at the top of the food chain list for sure a big pack of wolves will take on any wild animal that lives in the wild.

When I was in my early twenties and out hunting on Vancouver island I saw 4 wolves take down and kill a adult black bear this was in the lens creek area around 40 years ago.

Wolves where not a problem back in them days so I did not shot any of them ,if I saw this to day lead would be flying at the wolves..


Actually were the top of the food chain!:mrgreen: