Wolf Behavior Q.

[Mr. Dean]

When does a wolf travel solo?
Couple weeks ago I cut a solo wolf out for a stroll and it got me wondering because I also seen a large pack of 10+, a few days later.

[The Dude]

When they're Lone Wolves! Duh!

My understanding (As an interested amateur) is that some adolescent females will leave the pack structure to get bred to other males, and some males will leave to either hook up with a larger pack, and try not to get killed, or to find other strays and start their own pack. Think teenagers living under "Warren Jeffs" when the boss gets all the chicks, and you get nothing but a bottle of hand lotion and a 9 year old copy of GILF Magazine.
I'd be leaving the Fundamentalist Mormons.....wouldn't you?
Damn straight ya would.

Some others are due to a stronger Wolf pack wiping out the Alphas, and scattering the pack. Ditto to a smaller extent with hunting and trapping.

[gcreek]

Singles that have left/been banished from a pack will follow a pack, picking up the leavings from kills. They run a big chance of being killed by their bretheren. Eventually they will find a mate and start a family of their own.

You may have also been on the track of a pack member when they were spread out going "shopping". How far did you follow?

Pups up to a year old will get told to stay behind occasionally.

[The Dude]

I wonder how many lone Wolves have seen a samsquanch?

[BCKyle]

I wonder how many lone Wolves have seen a samsquanch?

I don't know, but those $%*#ers are worth a lot of money!

[Mr. Dean]

Thanks.
The local trapper has been pulling em' out, as has the CO. And this particular dog has been sighted before on a couple occasions over the past 3 months and each time, it's been on its own.

I got a look at it and didn't think it to be a sub-adult and it looked pretty healthy....
I followed his trail for a good 5k before setting up.

[Mr. Dean]

Wolves are well know to go walk-about solo. Several years ago a collar was deployed on a young male wolf around Lac de Roche, that wolf went through Wells Gray, north to Mt Robson into Alberta back into BC south into the northern kootenays through shuswap to south of Kamloops then returned to join his pack around Lac de Roche.

Jesus!
That's a good 'walk'.

Wolf Gump. :lol:

[hunter1947]

Leave the pack because he lost dominance to the leader or sometimes wolfs will leave the pack to look for prey by them selfs..

[Moose63]

Thanks.
The local trapper has been pulling em' out, as has the CO. And this particular dog has been sighted before on a couple occasions over the past 3 months and each time, it's been on its own.

I got a look at it and didn't think it to be a sub-adult and it looked pretty healthy....
I followed his trail for a good 5k before setting up.

Did you get a shot off? I've had a lone wolf encounter once and quite frankly I was more interested in watching him than shooting him. It had something in its mouth. Could of easily shot him, but it didn't occur to me at the time.....

[horshur]

often when I see a single track one day-----next day or two the pack moves in.

[Mr. Dean]

Did you get a shot off? I've had a lone wolf encounter once and quite frankly I was more interested in watching him than shooting him. It had something in its mouth. Could of easily shot him, but it didn't occur to me at the time.....

Nope.
I didn't notice it until after I was busted.

[Mr. Dean]

often when I see a single track one day-----next day or two the pack moves in.

Good to know - Thanks.


I looked for more sign a couple days later when driving for home - Apparantly he was replaced by a cat that dropped all the way down and into the valley.

[Drillbit]

Two of the wolves I've shot were loners and both of them were big males. I was led to assume that they had grown up too big and the alpha male had chased them off....but who knows.

[GoatGuy]

Wolves are well know to go walk-about solo. Several years ago a collar was deployed on a young male wolf around Lac de Roche, that wolf went through Wells Gray, north to Mt Robson into Alberta back into BC south into the northern kootenays through shuswap to south of Kamloops then returned to join his pack around Lac de Roche.

They also tend to run solo or in smaller groups, summer/fall and pack up during the winter.

younger dispersers typically put on the miles (as in thousands) looking for territory and/or breeding partners.

[cloverphil]

can a lone wolf take a samsquanch, , , who would win ?, , ,

I think the samsquanch wins, , , can a samsquanch take a wolverine ?, , , I wonder who wins that one

[warnniklz]

Not saying this is always the case but...

from what I've heard talking that are serious wolf hunters, is that the pack will send out a lone wolf as a scout.

[horshur]

there is one bit maybe be of intrest to you all.....I think I have seen it a few times and a friend of mine who told me about it forgot more then I will ever know. Somtimes you see a wolf or two together often near a cougar. Wolves will steal cougar kills...when I have seen this along with that, the cats seem to be crowded awful close to people which I assume is to get away from the wolves.
There are these symbiotic relationships where one survives because of another I don't think it is always mutual. Since the wolves have become more cavalier here I have not had much luck with any cats settleing in a tree.....some have become very hard to tree and others aggresive towards the dogs when in the past not so much.

[Mr. Dean]

Bottom line;
This isn't an uncommon thing to happen?

[specbelly]

shot the bugger, he's lomely

[GoatGuy]

there is one bit maybe be of intrest to you all.....I think I have seen it a few times and a friend of mine who told me about it forgot more then I will ever know. Somtimes you see a wolf or two together often near a cougar. Wolves will steal cougar kills...when I have seen this along with that, the cats seem to be crowded awful close to people which I assume is to get away from the wolves.
There are these symbiotic relationships where one survives because of another I don't think it is always mutual. Since the wolves have become more cavalier here I have not had much luck with any cats settleing in a tree.....some have become very hard to tree and others aggresive towards the dogs when in the past not so much.

Same with grizzlies - they've had bears that know if they cut a cat track to follow it and eventually they'll be able to find a free meal.

[proguide66]

Quick note , while trapping the buggers here I follow them for literally miles while trying to find a crossing to snare . I found that the buggers spread out REAL far while 'hunting' or 'whatever' they're doing. I have seen a track up high on one side of the pemby valley, maybe a track in the bottom and heard them up high on the opposite all going the same way.
One more side note , wolves also ( very commonly) 'line out' in single file when together and traveling.this makes it literally impossible to tell how many or possibly even if there is more than one , especially in deep snow. Frozen ground they tend not to line out .
Trapping is real good in deep soft snow ad they will use the same trail.frozen crust sucks and makes it tough to decide snare placement as they run all over the place.

[Drillbit]

An old Nazko rancher told me many stories about wolves.

He says he's seen them cross big openings/lakes one at a time, never in a group. One'll cross, give a little howl for the next one, and so on.

[Mr. Dean]

Quick note , while trapping the buggers here I follow them for literally miles while trying to find a crossing to snare . I found that the buggers spread out REAL far while 'hunting' or 'whatever' they're doing. I have seen a track up high on one side of the pemby valley, maybe a track in the bottom and heard them up high on the opposite all going the same way.
One more side note , wolves also ( very commonly) 'line out' in single file when together and traveling.this makes it literally impossible to tell how many or possibly even if there is more than one , especially in deep snow. Frozen ground they tend not to line out .
Trapping is real good in deep soft snow ad they will use the same trail.frozen crust sucks and makes it tough to decide snare placement as they run all over the place.


Thanks for the tips.
This guy was definately a loner, trotting down a plowed off main with the tiniest skiff of snow on top.

The surrounding snow was a solid 3' deep, soft-n-fluffy... :wink: