Heard a wolf this morning!

[Guy Miner]

That's an older photo, but the range looked about the same this morning. Another officer and I were quietly loading magazines prior to getting him qualified with his handgun, the patrol rifle and the shotgun, when...

A series of long, low, mournful yet menacing howls came drifting down off the mountain above...

I've heard wolves before, but not in My Mountains, so close to My Home, right up where I often hike, bicycle and hunt...

Wolves... Something new to think about in my hills..

Guy

 

[6mm Remington]

Doesn't surprise much Guy as many miles as they can put under their feet in a hurry! You guys too will be hunting them soon enough........I hope!!

 

[Guy Miner]

I'm wondering... We're so doggone liberal in this state, that it might be quite a fight to be able to hunt wolves...

Guy

 

[DrMike]

I am surprised that it has taken this long for you to hear them in your AO, Guy. You'll want to travel up into the hills and look for tracks.

 

[maverick2]

Finding wolves on the home turf makes a person a little more wary. I've seen 3 from the windows of my house, each at a distance of < 100 yds and on the move. We've not lost any dogs or horses, but I find whenever any of our animals are making some noise now or acting a bit weird, I'm out there pretty fast and on the lookout. (They are pretty cool animals to see and watch, but preferably in somebody else's state or country. Definitely NOT cool to see in your backyard.)

 

[Guy Miner]

Dr. Mike - I'm surprised too, since they've been here in the area for a couple of years now. I have seen their tracks here once before and several have been seen just west of town, actually right on the edge of town, over the past year or two.

But, today was the first I heard from them! I don't normally associate that sound with my own little chunk of mountains here in central Washington.

Guy

 

[JD338]

Pack your 1911.

JD338

 

[Vince]

In the case of wolves I make no secret of the fact that I support the SSS method.
Good luck Guy. I hope you all can get rid of the vermin before it does too much damage.

 

[salmonchaser]

Guy, where is the PD range?

 

[skidmark]

In the case of wolves I make no secret of the fact that I support the SSS method.
Good luck Guy. I hope you all can get rid of the vermin before it does too much damage.

The SSS method... :lol: You must of filled out DLP paperwork before.

 

[Guy Miner]

In the case of wolves I make no secret of the fact that I support the SSS method.
Good luck Guy. I hope you all can get rid of the vermin before it does too much damage.

Although I understand the sentiment, that is absolutely not going to happen. Not from me or my sons anyway. There's been at least one, and likely more, successful prosecutions of wolf-shooters here in Washington.

It's reported that some of the wolves wearing GPS collars are also equipped with cameras... I understand that a shooter was ID'd from an image sent by that collar camera. Nope, they're not legal to shoot here, and I'll be darned if I'm losing my hunting rights or going to jail for shooting one.

As far as the end of the wolf coming soon here, they've already been shown to be preying on cattle as well as of course our elk & mule deer herds. I'd bet they're making an impact on the bighorn sheep as well. Doesn't seem to matter. The wolf lovers over in the Seattle area have tremendous political clout and I'm not optimistic about our wolves being subject to hunting anytime soon, if ever.

On a somewhat brighter note, the WDFW did wipe out a particularly troublesome pack up north of my location... But it would be a lot more fun and satisfying to hold a wolf tag eh? :grin:

Regards, Guy

 

[Guy Miner]

Guy, where is the PD range?

Not too far from town, along the big bluffs above the Columbia.

 

[SJB358]

While awesome animals they will put the hurt on the elk and deer pretty quick.

I know you already carry while hunting so the danger for you is pretty low. Although if it was self defense whose gonna argue with a Sheep Dog, protecting the Sheep from the Wolves! Ha!

 

[skidmark]

Does not make sense to me Agencys would pay for tracking collars with cameras
and then pay to wipe out specific packs ? Makes me wonder sometimes.
I would hate to encounter some eating machine in a remote area field dressing
game. Best be careful out there Guy.

 

[alaska100]

Guy, if their new to your area this post will still not be very comforting I am afraid. We respect all wild life and are always respectful of what they "might" do, but we dont give much thought about being attacked by a wolf. Also do you have the DLP law in your state ? That law allows us to legally defend life and property in Alaska, if we need to do so. The count varies but we have between 8000 and 11000 wolves or something like that. Our limit varies from 5 per season to twenty per season to ten per day depending on the unit being hunted.

If you have a dog Guy, they can be more at risk and their presence can put you more at risk

 

[Guy Miner]

Yeah, I do get worried about the dog. He likes to range around while I'm hiking, usually within 100 yards, but still, I could see him becoming a target.

The wolves are fairly new to this area, within the past three years or so. Last year was the first time the general non-hunting public became very aware of them, when a wolf took down a mule deer essentially in someone's back yard right on the edge of town. Made big news here and a bunch of non-hunters were shocked to learn that there were now wolves in the area...

Yes, we can shoot to kill an animal that's attacking. I think a fellow would be best advised to have his ducks in a row on that one.

Guy

 

[Vince]

Guy,

Wolf reintroduction is the result of unknowing, illogical, and unthinking ninnies.

Like you Guy I won't do anything that is considered "illegal" but I also won't be quick to dob someone in. I just don't want to know about it and my amigos are the sort that they will only speak in hypotheticals when I'm around. Makes life easier that way. :grin:

I could lay out my reasoning instead of name calling but after working a second double this week I'm just too tired. All I can say is, the meds I'm on must be working as I'm breathing again and it hasn't been an issue this week after being in the hospital last week. Besides, I think I'd mostly be preaching to the choir and that's wasted breath. Let me just say I do not think those that live in cities, as I do now, should make the rules/laws for those that don't. I didn't always live in a city and don't look to forever.

Vince

 

[akhunter]

I had a pack of wolves howling and moving around me recently when I was butchering my bison in the dark with a headlamp on. They wouldn't leave the timber and expose themselves, but they were letting me know they were there!

 

[hubcap]

I was just reading the news from Boise that there legislature voted 49 to 16 to fund another two milllion dollars to kill more wolves. They still have too many even though limited hunting is allowed. Wa. is heading over the same cliff by not facing realities over the wolf poputation. Wa. legislature approved 200,000 dollars for seminars in eastern Wa. The seminars are needed to teach farmers , cattle and sheep ranchers how to get along with wolves. I cant, stop laughing at our Wash. state elected smarter than us officials. Its a matter of time we will be hunting wolves in Wa. as well.

 

[Africa Huntress]

I was just reading the news from Boise that there legislature voted 49 to 16 to fund another two milllion dollars to kill more wolves. They still have too many even though limited hunting is allowed. Wa. is heading over the same cliff by not facing realities over the wolf poputation. Wa. legislature approved 200,000 dollars for seminars in eastern Wa. The seminars are needed to teach farmers , cattle and sheep ranchers how to get along with wolves. I cant, stop laughing at our Wash. state elected smarter than us officials. Its a matter of time we will be hunting wolves in Wa. as well.

They spend two million dollars to reintroduce Wolves into an area,to bring Elk herds back to a manageable level. which could have been accomplished by opening up the Elk season, which would have brought money INTO the treasury via licenses, tags, etc. It would have also improved the overall economy of an area or state via hunters from out of state, outfitters, equipment, supplies, etc.

Fast forward and now they want to spend two million more dollars to decrease the Wolf population, which once again could be handled via hunting, which once again would bring money in.

Spending 200,000 to educate farmers and ranchers is ludicrous. Trust me, farmers and ranchers, not restricted by government regulations knows exactly how to co-exist with the Wolf or anything else that endangers his livelihood

But what do I know I am a girl ( Dr Mike--ref. the Nosler 26 thread (-: )