Topic: Montana wolves becoming aggressive?

[kneedownnate]

I know people like to say they don't attack people, but you hear stories every now and then and have to wonder if it's merely a story or factual.

From a thread on pirate is a report of wolves acting aggressively toward hunters while recovering an elk killed the day before.  I think I would have done things differently if in the same situation, especially seeing the 2 big guys in the pirate thread, but you never know until it happens.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=929951

[BLACKDOG]

One thing I think people forget is the simple fact is that wolves are wild animals.  Most wild animals do not attack humans, but they are also unpredictable.  If they're hungry enough, they'll go after people. 

[Stocker]

I've seen wolf threads where some people want to hug 'em all and some people want to shoot 'em all. After reading that account on Pirate, I believe the wolves were only after the elk meat. There have been wolf attacks on humans, but they are rare. They sure are fascinating critters and I appreciate that they can exist in the wild. As much as I'd like to be able to see & hear them, I probably wouldn't want to live too closely to them.

[kneedownnate [OP]]

Did you see the size of the 2 in the pics on pirate    That one is frickin huge!

[BoG-ToY]

yeah, nate has officially made me start saving for a sidearm rather then my SAS

[Stocker]

Did you see the size of the 2 in the pics on pirate    That one is frickin huge!

No doubt about it... we've all seen camera tricks to make things look bigger than they really are (I think a couple in the mountain lion thread might qualify), but those are some very big wolves.

[BoG-ToY]

I know that my uncles 9 month old alaskan malamute could stand up... put his arms on my shoulder and have his head way over mine... and I stand 6'3  so a wolf being that size doesnt surprise me at all

[abnormaltoy]

I used to help out at a wolf refuge across the border in NM. The first time I went out there I was introduced to the alpha male. I'm 6'3...he came up to me, got up on his hind legs, put his front legs on my shoulders and looked down at me! Then he licked my face. Beautiful critter.

[BoG-ToY]

sounds about like my uncles dog... I would love to own one, but would have to have my kids all grown up and have room for the dog to play.... sure if my kids were the size they are now... one could ride on the dogs back and the  other on a sled behind it.

but after the stories I here,  and the things I know about dogs... I will wait till my kids are older

[abnormaltoy]

I would love to be in a position where I could have a mix.

[Stocker]

I would love to be in a position where I could have a mix.

Not your typical dog, and not without problems, and not right for everyone... but a great experience. 

[BoG-ToY]

I know several states have laws about blood % of wild wolf dont they?

[kneedownnate [OP]]

Not your typical dog, and not without problems, and not right for everyone... but a great experience. 

And they don't like all your relatives 

[Stocker]

Ah, he likes ya just fine, and not only as a prospective meal  . It just takes him a looooong time to warm up to people and accept them. He's probably more nervous than you are, and he's extremely cautious.

[Stocker]

I know several states have laws about blood % of wild wolf dont they?

Not sure what other state laws are... in California you can't have a pure wolf or a first-generation hybrid.

[BoG-ToY]

Maybe just cali? and maybe thats what I was thinking of?

[abnormaltoy]

I know several states have laws about blood % of wild wolf dont they?

I don't know. I do recall, over the last few years there have been DNA studies to prove they are no different from "regular" dogs. I think the wise choice would be to get a wolfdog that is a few generations removed from pure wild.

[Stocker]

That's true... the DNA is virtually identical, so the term "hybrid" -- which I am guilty of using -- is technically incorrect. You're also right about being best to get one that's a bit, uh, watered down. Fewer potential problems....

[98yota]

i have a friend that used to have a purebred or a first generation hybrid, dont remember which, healthy he weighed about 180lbs. when first meeting the wolf i had to be intriduced through a fence so he could get to know me first then could go in the backyard to get in the pool, but even still you couldnt wrestle or mess with the kid's sister or mom because the wolf took it as if they were "his" and would jump in after you, not to kill you but to make sure you werent hurting them

[98yota]

lately ive been hearing some game wardens talking about wolf sighting in northern california and that they are coming down from oregon, even heard one say the other day that they saw one a little bit north of chico, which is close to where i am. not sure how true this is but worth looking in to

[kneedownnate [OP]]

Well, a few years back I was driving back down the highway from the upper end of the alps and saw a very tall and slender dog slowly trotting across the highway.  As I drew closer I noticed it's head shape wasn't at all dog-like, but it was in fact a coyote.  A crazy tall coyote!  The first thought I had was "I wonder if it somehow bread with a wolf?"  Highly unlikely, but it stood at least a foot taller than any other coyote I've ever seen, and I almost got close enough to hit it if I'd swerved, so I was definitely close enough to get a great look at it.

I don't doubt that animals from other areas have worked their way over here at some point, probably loners or outcasts for the most part.  Sorry to those it bothers, but if I saw a wolf in the woods around here while hunting, I'd shoot it.  We have enough predators already controlling an ever dwlinding deer population.  But hey, I'd probably shoot a poacher too, if there weren't such a tidy bounty on their heads 

[98yota]

hahahaha im totally with you on that one. next year i might just set up a trap and get me a poacher tag to fill

[Sparkplug]

I own 2 hybrid wolves, a malmute hybrid, male, and a german shep hybrid female. Wolves are totally different from normal dogs, even hybrids. They will almost ALWAYS fight another male for dominance, right off the bat, if you only own 1 male. They are way easier to ruin with punishment, but are far more loyal. they eat WAY more, they are extremely territorial. They are horrible with cats, or any other animals they see as food. They are extremely smart, too smart sometimes. They are VERY pack oriented. This being said, I won 2, and will continue to get hybrids, they are the greatest dogs. As far as legality, in my county, Tehama, hybrids are legal, you just get a dif reg. If I remember gith, the cop told me full wolves are legal with a permit or some dif registration. If you ever look into getting a hybrid, make sure it is from a good breeder. Wehn they are bred with normal dogs, not cetrain types, or bred wrong, bad things happen.

[AllanM]

As a life long Montanan and a person who makes a large part of my living from farmers and ranchers ( I own a water well service company ) I get to hear stories that well some may find upsetting ? My Dad when he was a young fella told of a trip into town in a wagon when a pack of wolves attacked and if Grandpa wasn't such a mean bugger with a bull whip who knows what may have happened ? Yes they went after the team of horses but still .
 Not to long ago a school teacher was attacked and killed and partially eaten in Alaska , Many head of livestock has been killed by wolves . I for one have taken a wolf trapping class in case of the event where we can once again trap wolves in Montana ! I also am a Certified trapping instructor . And cant wait for things to settle down so I can get out with my 87 toy and see how many coyotes I can fit into the box of that pickup ! LOL
 I have a friend who hauled out 3 bull elk with horns in his !
 Best Wishes, Allan 

[madhunt]

my cusin just went to montana deer hunting and his group got a close call with a pack at night, scared the poop out of them. they are used to little coyotes here but not them wolfs

[Stocker]

My daughter showed me this... some of you might find it interesting. It shows a distinct difference between wolf pups and dog pups when both are hand-raised and treated equally by humans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKhOoTns5iQ

[abnormaltoy]

My daughter showed me this... some of you might find it interesting. It shows a distinct difference between wolf pups and dog pups when both are hand-raised and treated equally by humans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKhOoTns5iQ

There was an interesting show on the tube (hell, it's not a tube anymore is it!) this last week, about how dogs had been bred for certain characteristics. It has some of the same experiments as this video...to me it showed how independence had been bred out of wolves (or that dependence had been selectively "bred in" to dogs)...not, that wolves where inherently more independent.

I noticed in this video that the human wasn't displaying alpha behavior...she was, in fact, very submissive. I'm sure this had a lot to do with the puppy "not caring" what the human (the only other animal in the pack) did. Also, the pup and the human are both females...so, unless there is distinct alpha status behavior from one, the other will challenge for alpha status.

[Rocksurfer]

There was an interesting show on the tube

You're old, hell some of the kids around probably didn't even understand that.