Vulnerable

[DrMike]

Why don't we just round them all up and turn them loose in Congress?

I don't know. :? Will Wolves eat weazels???

Very funny! :mrgreen:

 

[Guy Miner]

Grolar bear. I've heard of them. A cross between the grizzly and the polar bear. Are they more difficult/bad tempered than other bears?

I've backpacked, camped, fished and hunted in grizzly/brown bear territory with few problems - but it is a little unnerving to realize that the bear could push the issue if he so desired.

Wolves are interesting. They're new to "my" area of the Cascades. Likely haven't been many here in the past 100 years... But here they are. Interesting addition to the landscape and I hope they don't decimate the elk & mule deer herds here like the re-introduced wolves did in central Idaho.

Regards, Guy

 

[FOTIS]

Why don't we just round them all up and turn them loose in Congress?

I don't know. :? Will Wolves eat weazels???

Oh that is hilarious!

 

[cloverleaf]

Guy- If that dog was well behaved hed be the thing to have along in addton to your rifle of course. A big burly Chessie wougive you some warning and be able to fend for it self some what. CL

 

[Thankful Otter]

Grolar bear. I've heard of them. A cross between the grizzly and the polar bear. Are they more difficult/bad tempered than other bears?

I've backpacked, camped, fished and hunted in grizzly/brown bear territory with few problems - but it is a little unnerving to realize that the bear could push the issue if he so desired.

Wolves are interesting. They're new to "my" area of the Cascades. Likely haven't been many here in the past 100 years... But here they are. Interesting addition to the landscape and I hope they don't decimate the elk & mule deer herds here like the re-introduced wolves did in central Idaho.

Regards, Guy

Yes sir, on average the Grolar is the one bear we take very seriously. not a lot of them and they are all up North, but they are very aggressive. They seem angry all the time and at everything.

I may have missed the intent of the thread and if I did I should have stayed quiet. If your talking about the fear of being attacked by a pack of wolves while sleeping, i would not. however, if you have camped the area for years and now for the first time are seeing their tracks and hearing them at night, it can be un nerving for sure. Also I am not arguing or defending any re introduction plan and I also would hate to see any decrease of game animals in the area because of the wolf. I was also not defending the wolf over the Rancher, as I understand the concern of anyone who loses part of what helps him make a living for him and his family. On reflection I should have stayed quiet.

while I am here, I will mention that an untrained dog can aggravate the situation and you are better off without one that is not trained properly. An un trained dog will increase the emotional side of the wild animal, plus if your dog is in danger or runs into the wild, you may do something you normally would not do to save a dog you love. A female dog in heat will draw wolves to them and increase the problem for the dog owner. Our dog is used simply as an early warning signal that danger is near and sometimes as a distraction. He is also trained to follow a blood trail of a wounded animal, but never is our of our sight.

Again, I am in no way arguing the reintroduction plan, the loss of game animals because of the Wolf, the loss of livestock because of the Wolf and as previously stated should have just stayed quiet and/or posted this disclaimer in my first post

 

[JD338]

Good insight Cheyenne.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

Indeed, I appreciate your contribution, Cheyenne. Good stuff.

 

[Guy Miner]

Very interesting input. Absolutely. Thanks!

As said, I have precious little experience with wolves. They're new to me, as a species to live with out in the wilds.

I've learned that by keeping a clean camp, and avoiding certain areas, I almost never have a problem with black bears. So far, so good with the grizzlies & brown bears too. Several of my Wyoming friends are quite cautious about their local grizzlies, seeing too many of them, and the bears appearing to be more bold around men than in years gone by. These ranchers have discouraged my solo-backpack trips in areas near Yellowstone in recent years.

The wolf though - I don't know the wolf well at all. He is new to me.

Thanks for the input! Guy

 

[bullet]

Why don't we just round them all up and turn them loose in Congress?

all you would have is a bunch of sick bears and some might die of food poisoning especially the one that eats Reid or Polosi

 

[bullet]

Yes, Guy I like your thinking indeed. I love to get out by myself and enjoy the mountains, low humidity and awesome scenery and when you put it together with the hunt, man it does not get any better than that. I can't wait for this fall and my trip to Arizona again black bear hunting. I do love it indeed, yes I do!

 

[alaska100]

Guy, I would not lose any sleep worrying about a pack of Wolves attacking you while your sleeping, Pun intended.

We, my mother, wife, daughter, son and myself spend a considerable amount of time in the wilderness and none of us have any fear of being attacked by wolves while we are asleep or when we are awake.

There are a lot of hunters on the forum and combined have spent a considerable amount of time in the mountains. who here has been attacked by a pack of Wolves I know several guides who make their living, living in the mountains and have never been attacked. Cheyenne and her husband literally live and work in the mountains on a full time basis, and has not been attacked.

I also am not championing the relocation of, damage to wild and domestic animals, which creates a loss of revenue to the farmer and the loss of game animals for the hunter.

 

[BeeTee]

who here has been attacked by a pack of Wolves

No doubt, wolves may not be a big threat, but the possibility of an attack is not zero. Because it's not zero, it remains a concern to people who never had to think about it before they were relocated into our backyards (in a manner of speaking) without our permission.

To learn more about wolves attacking people click the following link:
http://www.bing.com/search?q=wolves+att ... ORM=IE8SRC

 

[bullet]

I have been charged by a few animals when in the field, three hogs, one lion and threatened by a black bear although I was not to concerned about the black bear, because he did not continue lay back his ears keeping them press against his head and he did not continue to look directly at me, but even though I new it was pretty much just a bluff, it still caused the hairs to stand up on the back of my neck. If the possibility could take place then I need to always be observant, it might pay off in a way that lets me avoid and event. Anything is possible and I have seen stranger things.

 

[35 Whelen]

Over the years we have had about every visitor you can imagine in camp from lots of bears of both kinds, to wolves and wolverines, and even otters trying to steal stuff from us to eat. Had a big brown bear reach right into the tent thru the flap and hook a fry pan with bacon grease still in it right out into the front yard one nite about 2am........................ now where did I set that darn flashlight :shock: It was a constant thing with hunters to wake you up at all hours of the nite and ask that question "Did you hear that" ........................... windy nites are the worst as there is always a branch that will touch the tent and keep them petrified all night long.................... :?
But the oddest visitor I ever had in all the years we spent outdoors was hard to top............
One time back in the early 80's Gary Porter and I were down below Dillingham Ak at a place called Oosik Spit, getting ready to spot Herring for the Japanese market, and we got in late and sit up our tent, and parked both planes up off the beach, onto the tundra, and tied them down to barrels of fuel, the tender had dumped off there a few days before. There was an onshore wind, but we thought little about it.
About 5am I could hear a funny noise outside, but had never heard anything like it before, so I unziped the tent, and looked out with the flashlight, and got the shock of my life!!!! :shock:
A darn big ICEBERG had come ashore right in front of our tent, and gone aground , totally blew me away, when I saw it, bet you cant top that!!!!

 

[alaska100]

who here has been attacked by a pack of Wolves

No doubt, wolves may not be a big threat, but the possibility of an attack is not zero. Because it's not zero, it remains a concern to people who never had to think about it before they were relocated into our backyards (in a manner of speaking) without our permission.

To learn more about wolves attacking people click the following link:
http://www.bing.com/search?q=wolves+att ... ORM=IE8SRC

You are correct sir.

Guy, my attempt was to help a fellow hunter understand and perhaps even help him to put his mind at rest ( as well as his body at night ) and to continue to enjoy the mountains he has enjoyed all his life.

Any wild animal should be given the respect it deserves, as under the right circumstance they can all be dangerous to ones health.

To help put the wolf in some perspective however, our teenage daughter rides her horse into the mountains with her other teenage friends and camps out on weekends. Our son worked the entire summer, last summer, in the mountains for a guide and didn't report any problems with Wolves. If you read Earles post above he has certainly spent a night or two in the wild and has never been attacked. I was and am just trying to put your mind at ease---no more and no less. I will comment no further about the Wolf.

Earle, that is a great story, thanks for sharing. And your right, I dont think we can top that one

 

[hunternyny]

Sean, I am sure Guy appreciates your effort to alleviate his concerns, but even with a large group of members on this forum from Canada, I wonder if your effort might not fall under the old saying of "dont confuse me with the facts my mind is made up"

My wife, children and I have traveled to Montana every year for the last twelve years to hunt and enjoy the beatiful state of Montana with a life long friend and his family. He has horses and we ride up into the mountains and camp sometimes for a week or two. We hear the Wolves at night, but have never been bothered by them.

He also raises cattle and said that getting government to reimburse him for lost calves is an effort in futility. It can be done but it is not easy. He decided to handle the problem himself and brought in some Texas Longhorn s and Brahmas to protect the herd and he says it has worked out pretty well. He has also found new ways to make money by using these breeds and selling them to those who want them for rodeos and the horns of the Texas Longhorns are also a source of revenue for him. And now he can even hunt the wolves. Classic case of making lemonade out of lemons

 

[DrMike]

I live with wolves. Truthfully, they've never directly threatened me, though I am cognizant that they are large canids, capable of inflicting serious harm should they attack. In recent years, they have inflicted serious losses on the ranchers in this area; and they clearly are involved in suppressing ungulate populations in the valleys where they have become established. I can't say that I've ever lost sleep over them. I have not had grizzlies bother any camp site, though they have wandered past on a few occasions. Black bears are more curious and somewhat more worrisome in my estimate.

 

[bullet]

“A sword by itself kills nobody, but it is a weapon in the killer's hands” Nice signature Mike, and it is not the introduction of the wolf that has depleted the Elk herd but the fangs on the wolf as the wolf does what is natural, I blame a thoughtless government.

 

[BeeTee]

No worry about bears?

View attachment BearCountryWarning.jpg

 

[Guy Miner]

This sign got my attention a few years ago while camping & hiking in Idaho. They were warning about wolf traps near the hiking trail... Interesting! That was before any of the western states had a legitimate wolf season:

Then there were these grizzly bear warning signs near Yellowstone:

Mama grizz & baby grizz tracks. Alaskan Brown Bears actually:

Somebody's bigger track next to my size 12 boot:

Mostly though, the Brown Bears and I have gotten along just fine. I don't push that though.