I think I saw a wolverine while heading to the local range

Boomer said:
We tend to see more in traps than live, but . . .
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Great live shot Boomer. Thanks for sharing.
 
drache said:
I think it's funny that I actually had the thought to chase it down to get a closer/better look at the thing :D
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I really have no idea if a wolverine is an animal that may present a danger to a human, or not. We do know that pound for pound, they are the toughest animals in the bush. To actually be attacked by one would be akin to running into three turning buzz saw blades, all at once. But will they, have they, ever attacked?
When trapping was big business and the wilderness was loaded with full time trappers who lived year round in their cabins, wolverine were a dread that trappers would have night mares about. But not because of any danger to themselves, but because the wolverine would follow the trapline and eat everything the trapper caught. The wolverine would also get in the trappers cabin, when he was away, eat everything in sight, then pee on anything else. Wolverines are extremely smart and know how to keep themselves out of trouble and especially out of traps!
Even experienced trappers have been unable to trap them, unless they know how. There is one, nearly sure fire method, told to me by a veteran northern trapper who could easily catch one. In fact, the wolverine in the rug shown in the the picture was caught in the NWT by this trapper, a friend of mine.
Once in the spring of the year when what little snow was left was melting fast, I came across an area tramped down with super fresh wolverine tracks. I had obviously caused him to leave.
A few hours later I came by the spot again and the wolverine had returned and had dug out out of the snow, a moose hide from a hunters kill the fall before. I had a rifle with me, so I felt brave enough to follow the track of the skidded moose hide for a while, but the wolverine was taking it into some pretty thick bush, so I didn't press on.
 
I saw a wolverine at Eskay Creek back in 1997.

I was driving a truck from the exploration camp up to the minesite, when I spotted him walking along the side of the road in broad daylight.

He turned his head at the noise of the truck approaching and then beat all hell to get into the bush, while peering back occasionally as I got closer.

They sure have an awkward looking run.

A few days later, I caught a big grizzly stalking our helicopter pilot who was out for a stroll by the river.

It sure is a lot nicer seeing those critters from the inside of a Ford F250 4x4.
 
H4831 said:
Even experienced trappers have been unable to trap them, unless they know how. There is one, nearly sure fire method, told to me by a veteran northern trapper who could easily catch one. In fact, the wolverine in the rug shown in the the picture was caught in the NWT by this trapper, a friend of mine.
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Do you mind sharing how?

Great pic of the wolverine rug by the way, is it yours now?
 
H4831 said:
. . . To actually be attacked by one would be akin to running into three turning buzz saw blades, all at once. But will they, have they, ever attacked? . . .
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That reminds me of a story I read when I was a youngster. The hero of the story live trapped wolverines for zoos; his method was to use a padded #4 Newhouse wolf trap to avoid breaking the leg, once caught he would loop a rope around the critters neck (which must have been a pretty good trick in itself) then feed the rope through the bung hole of a wooden barrel, pull the critter in, fasten the lid behind it, "and there was your barrel of buzz saws, meat hooks, and assorted sound effects!" Seems that when he was snowshoeing out with one of these barrels lashed to his pack board the lid came loose and he felt hot breath on the back of his neck!!

I doubt that seeing a wolverine would lead to a dangerous confrontation under normal conditions, but if the animal was being removed from a trap and wasn't quite as dead as the trapper thought it should be, he could be in for a bad time. Think of grabbing onto a half pound weasel and multiply by 60.
 
I would love to see on e in the wild. it will probably never happen though they are quite elusive . Great pics btw.
 
One of the smartest, coolest, meanest wee fugger's ... love them ... can't wait to catch my first ... bugger's are wicked smart and elusive! :D We get some big'uns up here! Cool story Dr Ache! :p

Otokiak
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA
 
oneskilledshooter said:
Do you mind sharing how?

Great pic of the wolverine rug by the way, is it yours now?
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Yes, I have the wolverine rug. I think I will eventually give it to our grandson who found the moose sheds, shown in another post.
I will share the trapping method with you, but it will be by PM. The old time trappers would never go public with any of their secrets and in their memory, I like to abide by the same "rules."
 
Otokiak said:
One of the smartest, coolest, meanest wee fugger's ... love them ... can't wait to catch my first ... bugger's are wicked smart and elusive! :D We get some big'uns up here! Cool story Dr Ache! :p

Otokiak
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA
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Catch me a little one and send it to me in a box :D
 
H4831 said:
Yes, I have the wolverine rug. I think I will eventually give it to our grandson who found the moose sheds, shown in another post.
I will share the trapping method with you, but it will be by PM. The old time trappers would never go public with any of their secrets and in their memory, I like to abide by the same "rules."
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A bit of a side issue but if I remember correctly, hearing from a couple trappers our family knew in the Wells area, Wolverine fur was considered the fur of preference for lining the edge of parka hoods. Ever hear that?
 
If you want to make a pile of money wolverine would be a fur of preference, whats a fur going for these days $200+?
 
A bit of a side issue but if I remember correctly, hearing from a couple trappers our family knew in the Wells area, Wolverine fur was considered the fur of preference for lining the edge of parka hoods. Ever hear that?
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Alot of folks up here in Nunavut have qavviq(wolverine) fur around the hood of our parka's. Very warm and very stylish ... ;) :D

Otokiak
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA

Catch me a little one and send it to me in a box
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Dr Ache, I have yet to catch my first ... I have seen some only to disappear ... crafty buggers they are ... :D ... even messing with a wee one would be deadly ... they fend off nanuq(polar bears) up here ... DOH!
 
Otokiak said:
Dr Ache, I have yet to catch my first ... I have seen some only to disappear ... crafty buggers they are ... :D ... even messing with a wee one would be deadly ... they fend off nanuq(polar bears) up here ... DOH!
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Well just throw some bait in a box, wait for small wolverine to run in (needs to be small to save on shipping costs), run up and close the lid, use lots of duct tape please, and I'll give you my address.

I don't see what's so hard about that :D
 
Drache, were you in your neck of the woods or heading out to bonds lake rd? We have Wolverine and Badgers here. When I worked in the woods I witnessed a wolverine back down a grizzly bear from a salmon, now that's mean.
 
A bit off topic....

I saw a fox on Vancouver Island. A red fox with a big bushy red tail. By the book, fox's don't live on Vancouver Island but in reality they do. You never know what kind of critters you may run into. I've yet to see a wolverine.
 
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