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

have a look at Riflechairs vid.. then report back. it covers all aspects as to what direction our B.C. forest is heading
Any of the natural barriers for predator/ prey balance are disapearing
The B.C. sciencetist are recommending wolf culls
And he is also asking for our First nations brothers and sisters to stop killing cow moose
 
daveyn said:
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.
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I don't think you understand the extent of the problem. I am not and have never been a "the only good wolf is a dead wolf" person. They are very much a needed part of the ecosystem. That said the numbers as of the last few years have exploded to all time highs. For example An outfitter in the Bulkley Valley has trapped an average of 60-70 wolves in his territory for the last few winters and the wolf population is still high. That is just one example of many. People or the general public listening to what Miley Cyrus spouts off about have no clue as to the reality of the problem.
 
daveyn said:
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.
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Methinks you've swallowed to much Walt Dismal "wolves only kill sick and weak" propaganda....they will kill every animal that is available to them and then move on to another area
 
fingers284 said:
Methinks you've swallowed to much Walt Dismal "wolves only kill sick and weak" propaganda....they will kill every animal that is available to them and then move on to another area
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The truth lies between the 2 extremes. From what I've seen, if wolves attack a moose or a deer, they won't kill again until they're hungry again. but if they come across a herd of moose or deer that break through the crust and can't move easily, they'll kill the whole herd. Usually, their population will fluctuate a year or so behind the game population levels. When deer reach maximum population, the following year, so will wolves, and vice-versa. But that's just based on what I have noticed in the wild. Don't take it as gospel. For example, in this area, about 6 years ago, deer were at their max. That year (max pop) and the year after (when numbers seemed to be way down), I could hear large numbers of coyotes yipping all night. But the year after that, I guess a bunch of them had starved off, or they had fewer pups because food was scarce, but I haven't heard them in 2 years. Deer numbers are starting to come back up, so I expect coyote numbers will go up again.

A friend of mine in NE Ontario had a golden lab killed by wolves in his back yard years ago, when wolf numbers were way up. I kinda think another reason they became more brazen is that very few trappers are left, so they've lost a bit of their fear of humans. Until trapping pretty well stopped, we had never seen or heard of wolves near towns. You were lucky to catch a glimpse of one every several years if you spent a lot of time hunting. Now, they're a more or less common sight, and aren't nearly as nervous as they were. But again, just my opinion, and you know what they say about those.
 
fingers284 said:
Methinks you've swallowed to much Walt Dismal "wolves only kill sick and weak" propaganda....they will kill every animal that is available to them and then move on to another area
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Wolves and prey animals co-existed together in the same areas long before people started to screw with the balance. If you've got wolves then you've got a pretty healthy eco-system. Why is the wolf population "exploding"? They aren't a protected species, you can hunt them without a license,its pretty much open season on them, yet they continue to expand. Its because the eco-system supporting the population, if it didn't they wouldn't be there.
And I do understand they don't only kill the sick and the weak, but they will take the easy prey first, it would be stupid not to, and when it gets tough to find easy prey, you are right, they move on, but i would also submit that they are constantly on the move and don't really spend an extended period of time in any one area but are constantly moving within their territory which is massive for a wolf pack.. But if you think they are wanton, indescriminate killers of every living thing the crosses their path, moving into an area, wiping everything out and moving on, well thats kind of an old fashioned perception based on ignorance and not exactly an informed view.
 
daveyn said:
Wolves and prey animals co-existed together in the same areas long before people started to screw with the balance. If you've got wolves then you've got a pretty healthy eco-system. Why is the wolf population "exploding"? They aren't a protected species, you can hunt them without a license,its pretty much open season on them, yet they continue to expand. Its because the eco-system supporting the population, if it didn't they wouldn't be there.
And I do understand they don't only kill the sick and the weak, but they will take the easy prey first, it would be stupid not to, and when it gets tough to find easy prey, you are right, they move on, but i would also submit that they are constantly on the move and don't really spend an extended period of time in any one area but are constantly moving within their territory which is massive for a wolf pack.. But if you think they are wanton, indescriminate killers of every living thing the crosses their path, moving into an area, wiping everything out and moving on, well thats kind of an old fashioned perception based on ignorance and not exactly an informed view.
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Yes, they will do this. And when they move out of the area, what little remains of that species generally has a chance to rebound, unless you have other factors that lead to the decline, like overhunting. But we as hunters don't like to let it get to this point for obvious reasons. And quite often when wolves run short on natural prey animals, they turn to livestock. You know, the stupid, easy prey. Again that's easy to dismiss, unless it's your livestock.
We're long past the stage of "letting nature run its course".
 
https://www.canadiancattlemen.ca/2015/10/21/wolves-of-the-west/

Article from Canadian Cattlemen mag, its pretty balanced I think and illustrates some of the predation issues and some solutions as well as why killing wolves doesn't always solve the problem.

I'm not against killing wolves, its an awesome hunting experience, but suggesting the killing all the wolves is the answer to wildlife population issues is absurd when you've got unprecedented road building, petroleum exploration, logging and expansion of farming and ranching industries and expansion and growth of urban population centers plays a far bigger role. The difference is we feel we can do something about the wolves but we can't do anything about the other stuff so lets kill all the wolves so we can kill more moose. Its dangerous to look for simple solutions to complex problems.
And yes,there are some areas where wolves are a problem and need to be reduced, I get that, but to throw out extirpation of the wolf as the answer to the moose population problem is pretty linear thinking.
The wilderness would not be nearly as interesting a place without wolves in it.
 
daveyn said:
https://www.canadiancattlemen.ca/2015/10/21/wolves-of-the-west/

Article from Canadian Cattlemen mag, its pretty balanced I think and illustrates some of the predation issues and some solutions as well as why killing wolves doesn't always solve the problem.

I'm not against killing wolves, its an awesome hunting experience, but suggesting the killing all the wolves is the answer to wildlife population issues is absurd when you've got unprecedented road building, petroleum exploration, logging and expansion of farming and ranching industries and expansion and growth of urban population centers plays a far bigger role. The difference is we feel we can do something about the wolves but we can't do anything about the other stuff so lets kill all the wolves so we can kill more moose. Its dangerous to look for simple solutions to complex problems.
And yes,there are some areas where wolves are a problem and need to be reduced, I get that, but to throw out extirpation of the wolf as the answer to the moose population problem is pretty linear thinking.
The wilderness would not be nearly as interesting a place without wolves in it.
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Well said.....
 
daveyn said:
Wolves and prey animals co-existed together in the same areas long before people started to screw with the balance. If you've got wolves then you've got a pretty healthy eco-system. Why is the wolf population "exploding"? They aren't a protected species, you can hunt them without a license,its pretty much open season on them, yet they continue to expand. Its because the eco-system supporting the population, if it didn't they wouldn't be there.
And I do understand they don't only kill the sick and the weak, but they will take the easy prey first, it would be stupid not to, and when it gets tough to find easy prey, you are right, they move on, but i would also submit that they are constantly on the move and don't really spend an extended period of time in any one area but are constantly moving within their territory which is massive for a wolf pack.. But if you think they are wanton, indescriminate killers of every living thing the crosses their path, moving into an area, wiping everything out and moving on, well thats kind of an old fashioned perception based on ignorance and not exactly an informed view.
Click to expand...

The number of times I have heard this statement uttered....:rolleyes:

Man has been part of the balance for thousands of years and effectively hunted and killed predators centuries ago as well. Where do you think dogs like Irish Wolf hounds and other types bred for hunting and killing wolves came from hundreds of years ago?
 
yes I agree that wolves are a problem...but I must ask..since when does one "lay" a snare..pretty sure a snare is "set"...
 
Pay my flight and accommodations and I will show them how to shoot Arctic wolves.
I once took on around 20 who turned and took me on and I shot 3 huge black ones, 1 huge white one and 1 small cream coloured one and the rest ran away.
I shot 16 Arctic wolves in 3 years.
 
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