'Fairly large' wolves seen lurking around Old Crow, Yukon

[Thomas D'Arcy McGee]

A wolf in Alaska. Some residents of Old Crow are concerned about wolves in their community because the animals have been known to kill sled dogs. (Becky Bohrer/The Associated Press)

'Fairly large' wolves seen lurking around Old Crow, Yukon

Old Crow, Yukon community lays snares in hopes of killing the animals

CBC News Posted: Jan 18, 2018 7:14 PM CT Last Updated: Jan 18, 2018 7:14 PM CT

People in Old Crow, Yukon, have seen wolves lurking around the community, so they've laid snares in hope of killing the animals.

"They're becoming more bold, coming right up to peoples' houses and caches and visiting the various dog teams in the community," said Darius Elias, the fish and wildlife manager for the Vuntut Gwichin First Nation.

"They've actually got a fairly established trail behind the Chief Zzeh Gittlit school now."

Elias says over the last week, people in the community have seen three "fairly large" wolves, and find it "perplexing" especially because there are moose on the land nearby that the wolves could be hunting.

According to Elias, some community elders have suggested that maybe the pack has lost its lead dog, causing a "bit of chaos."

Elias acknowledges that wolves rarely pose a danger to humans, but says the community wants to take precautions.

"Our game guardian ... is doing a great job. He's in and around the community, watching. He's set some snares out on the land, where their established trails are, so that's what we're going to be doing now."

Elias says some residents are also concerned because wolves have been known to kill sled dogs in the community previously. A lead dog can cost up to $2,500, Elias says.

"This has happened before, where wolves have decided to feed on the local dog teams."

 

[Thomas D'Arcy McGee]

"Our game guardian ... is doing a great job. He's in and around the community, watching. He's set some snares out on the land, where their established trails are, so that's what we're going to be doing now."

I had never heard of the term "game guardian"! What exactly is this position? Is that what we normally call the game warden?

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Why not just do the logical thing and shoot them ?

Grizz

 

[Magellann]

Like you said , thats the logical thing to do.

 

[the spank]

Todays first nations hunters have learned pretending to not know how to handle a wolf pack situation and posting about it on social media like FB or socialist - communist CBC along with a steaming pile of doo-doo bs about reverance for brother wolf nets alot more cash than a wolf pelt and with absolutely no work involved like putting on snowshoes, setting snares and traps or that smelly skinning job!

 

[silverfoxdj]

The CBC buys the story though

 

[fingers284]

A wolf in Alaska. Some residents of Old Crow are concerned about wolves in their community because the animals have been known to kill sled dogs. (Becky Bohrer/The Associated Press)

'Fairly large' wolves seen lurking around Old Crow, Yukon

Old Crow, Yukon community lays snares in hopes of killing the animals

CBC News Posted: Jan 18, 2018 7:14 PM CT Last Updated: Jan 18, 2018 7:14 PM CT

People in Old Crow, Yukon, have seen wolves lurking around the community, so they've laid snares in hope of killing the animals.

"They're becoming more bold, coming right up to peoples' houses and caches and visiting the various dog teams in the community," said Darius Elias, the fish and wildlife manager for the Vuntut Gwichin First Nation.

"They've actually got a fairly established trail behind the Chief Zzeh Gittlit school now."

Elias says over the last week, people in the community have seen three "fairly large" wolves, and find it "perplexing" especially because there are moose on the land nearby that the wolves could be hunting.

According to Elias, some community elders have suggested that maybe the pack has lost its lead dog, causing a "bit of chaos."

Elias acknowledges that wolves rarely pose a danger to humans, but says the community wants to take precautions.

"Our game guardian ... is doing a great job. He's in and around the community, watching. He's set some snares out on the land, where their established trails are, so that's what we're going to be doing now."

Elias says some residents are also concerned because wolves have been known to kill sled dogs in the community previously. A lead dog can cost up to $2,500, Elias says.

"This has happened before, where wolves have decided to feed on the local dog teams."

They've been known to scr#w more of them than eat'm. The sled team leader would be more at risk because he would be the dominant male...after that it would be "cuddletime with the ladies" of the team.

 

[philhut]

Maybe they could send some wildlife experts to capture them and release them on Sussex Ave in Ottawa. If theyv are so safe to have around some communities why not all?

 

[FLHTCUI]

What is a fairly large Wolf and does it look like a Husky?
Rob

 

[geologist]

What is a fairly large Wolf and does it look like a Husky?
Rob

They are pretty big. This one was in the Russian arctic, Chukotka Oblast near the Kupol Mine and I suspect fed by the workers.

 

[ljones]

What is a fairly large Wolf and does it look like a Husky?
Rob

This was an Alpha male taken from a pack just outside Kitimat BC. They were coming right into a subdivision just outside Kitimat a few km's out of town. Coming right into peoples yards and staring into their windows. A trapper friend and my self took out most of the pack. The rest of the pack integrated with other packs in the area. There are still at least 3 packs of wolves in the area around the town and in the valley. They have been coming right into the town this year. In the winter if you go on the trails and back roads you don't see many moose or deer tracks like we used to. Now it is just wolf tracks everywhere. I am 6' 2" 230lbs. 8" from wrist to tip of middle finger to help get the sense of the size of the animal and his paw size in the pics. The shed he is hanging in is 7' from the cross members he is tied to the floor. His hind foot is just shy of touching those cross members and his nose is just off the ground by an inch or two.

 

[Thomas D'Arcy McGee]

What is a fairly large Wolf and does it look like a Husky?
Rob

 

[Magellann]

^^^ Those are some huge animals, I'm not sure if I would trust them, although they seem to be quite playful with the women.

 

[Magellann]

This was an Alpha male taken from a pack just outside Kitimat BC. They were coming right into a subdivision just outside Kitimat a few km's out of town. Coming right into peoples yards and staring into their windows. A trapper friend and my self took out most of the pack. The rest of the pack integrated with other packs in the area. There are still at least 3 packs of wolves in the area around the town and in the valley. They have been coming right into the town this year. In the winter if you go on the trails and back roads you don't see many moose or deer tracks like we used to. Now it is just wolf tracks everywhere. I am 6' 2" 230lbs. 8" from wrist to tip of middle finger to help get the sense of the size of the animal and his paw size in the pics. The shed he is hanging in is 7' from the cross members he is tied to the floor. His hind foot is just shy of touching those cross members and his nose is just off the ground by an inch or two.

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Very nice that is certainly a huge wolf. It wouldn't take too many hides to make a nice fur coat.....

 

[BrotherRockeye]

They've been known to scr#w more of them than eat'm. The sled team leader would be more at risk because he would be the dominant male...after that it would be "cuddletime with the ladies" of the team.

You obviously know a lot about sled dogs...

 

[Papaclaude]

This was an Alpha male taken from a pack just outside Kitimat BC. They were coming right into a subdivision just outside Kitimat a few km's out of town. Coming right into peoples yards and staring into their windows. A trapper friend and my self took out most of the pack. The rest of the pack integrated with other packs in the area. There are still at least 3 packs of wolves in the area around the town and in the valley. They have been coming right into the town this year. In the winter if you go on the trails and back roads you don't see many moose or deer tracks like we used to. Now it is just wolf tracks everywhere. I am 6' 2" 230lbs. 8" from wrist to tip of middle finger to help get the sense of the size of the animal and his paw size in the pics. The shed he is hanging in is 7' from the cross members he is tied to the floor. His hind foot is just shy of touching those cross members and his nose is just off the ground by an inch or two.

View attachment 145827
View attachment 145828
View attachment 145829

I saw wolf tracks about that size many years ago. At first glance, I thought they were the tracks of a medium bear. Then as I walked further, it clicked that this "bear" didn't leave any hind leg tracks, so I gave them a closer look. I was in shock when I realized they were wolf tracks.

 

[Grock-co]

maybe they are Werewolves, be afraid, be very afraid

 

[pounder]

That cone is 27 in. tall. There are wolves up here that will just kill sled dogs ( for fun ?? )

pounder

 

[GUB]

Riflechair has a new vid out.. Won't be long and all the ungaletes will be gone..
Call to action for the hunters to get to work.. Instead of shooting paper shoot wolves

 

[daveyn]

Riflechair has a new vid out.. Won't be long and all the ungaletes will be gone..
Call to action for the hunters to get to work.. Instead of shooting paper shoot wolves

Interesting perspective, I'm amazed that the wolves, bears, cougars, coyotes, lynx didn't wipe out every single prey species on the continent in the thousands of years before the white man with firearms showed up and decided they needed to be "managed" to protect the game species so we could shoot the game.
I'm a hunter and have shot wolves in the past but I love seeing wolf tracks in the snow when I'm out hunting because it just makes the day more interesting knowing they are in the area and I also know they wouldn't be there if there wasn't game around.
Wolves will not kill every living prey species in their territory, but people will and people see wolves as competition as opposed to just another player in the ecosystem. Hunting wolves is an awesome experience because they are really smart and really elusive, wiping them out would be stupid and short sighted.