Hunter surrounded by wolves, acts in self-defense when one charges

[lokidog]

From the article... "They will usually avoid humans and leave the area when they see, hear, or smell people close by...."

Why?  They have not been taught that people are not good to be around. To them, we are just prey or another predator to compete with by removing us from their territory.

I think the bold is the key part.  Any predator, hunted or not, is very capable of killing a human and every so often they will.  The more common behavior is to avoid humans, which is what the quote says...if that were not true there would be many people killed per day by predators roaming the woods and rural areas.

SMH You just don't get it do you?  They have no reason to be afraid of us. Is it because we are taller or larger?  I think a moose beats us there, or even an elk. As they encounter more and more people with no negative consequences, how are they supposed to learn to avoid us? They don't! It is the same with cougars, when hunting with dogs was allowed, the cougars that were not killed, lots of females and juvenile males, were educated that people and dogs were not good to be around. There seem to be many more human-cougar encounters since hound hunting was prohibited. It will only get worse with the wolves in populated areas until there is some push back.

[huntnnw]

I know a guy who was shed hunting in 101 when a wolf treed him. Didnt have a firearm and called for help. By the time help arrived the wolf had left. Another was a rifle elk hunter near Aladdin mountain and fired his rifle at a charging wolf just grazing it.

[Fl0und3rz]

"Troopers from each agency responded and investigated the incident, determining the hunter was 27 yards from where the wolf had been when he shot. The Union County District Attorney’s Office concluded the hunter acted in self-defense so the hunter was not charged."

Nice.

[wolfbait]

Last week I saw a wolf trotting down Poorman Cr road, I pulled up to where he dunked off the road, and there he stood about twenty ft off the road, he parallel the road for about fifty yards before trotting into the timber 40 yards behind a house.

Folks are seeing wolves closer to their homes now, it's worse then when the Methow had that sudden wolf "migration" in 2010.

Talk to a friend of mine a couple of weeks ago over in Lower Beaver cr, he walks his dog up the road towards the Finally canyon rd, he said he was coming back and there sat a wolf above the road, watching him. He's looking into getting a gun that holds a few more rounds then six.

Wolves tend to encourage gun ownership in rural communities....

[Dan-o]

Last week I saw a wolf trotting down Poorman Cr road, I pulled up to where he dunked off the road, and there he stood about twenty ft off the road, he parallel the road for about fifty yards before trotting into the timber 40 yards behind a house.

Folks are seeing wolves closer to their homes now, it's worse then when the Methow had that sudden wolf "migration" in 2010.

Talk to a friend of mine a couple of weeks ago over in Lower Beaver cr, he walks his dog up the road towards the Finally canyon rd, he said he was coming back and there sat a wolf above the road, watching him. He's looking into getting a gun that holds a few more rounds then six.

Wolves tend to encourage gun ownership in rural communities....

That's amazing.

I believe you, but man I would not want to be unarmed walking my dog with a wolf looking at us.

[grimace]

I'm not surprised by this at all and I think you're going to see more of it in the future, if they don't have anyone hunting them why would or should they fear us. Wishful thinking I know, but I really hope some sort of season will happen in the near future before someone gets hurt or worse.

Last year my son and I had a run in with wolves during the 215 late archery hunt . We were working our way around a mountain side and we heard wolves howling about 400-500 yards out and below us. Froze in our tracks, accessed the direction of the howling and changed coarse as best we could given the terrain. Since they were below us I didn't put too much thought into it except we should start cutting up hill to gain more distance from them. As we were going around the mountain, maybe 10 minutes later we were walking just above some thicker timber I heard some growling directly below us 15-20 yards out. Hair stood up on the back of my neck, as I'm scanning for it I could see the direction and the tree I suspected it was behind but I wasn't able to put eyes on it. At that point I drew my pea shooter ( really wishing I had more than 5 rnds at the time) Then another one growled from behind use. My son and I stood back to back scanning for a charge, the stand off probably only lasted a few minutes but it felt like eternity. During that time each of them growled several times, I thought one was going to charge for sure, then a few branches broke and all was quiet. They were gone. At that point we looked at each other gathered our thoughts and headed up to higher ground. We never heard or saw them again that day. I suspected they had a fresh kill near by, and were protecting it. But we could have very well been that fresh kill they had in mind..

I have rehashed those moments since then, at the time I only had 5 shots if one did charge so I wasn't going to waist it on a warning shot.

G

 

[bigskyhounds]

From the article... "They will usually avoid humans and leave the area when they see, hear, or smell people close by...."

Why?  They have not been taught that people are not good to be around. To them, we are just prey or another predator to compete with by removing us from their territory.

I think the bold is the key part.  Any predator, hunted or not, is very capable of killing a human and every so often they will.  The more common behavior is to avoid humans, which is what the quote says...if that were not true there would be many people killed per day by predators roaming the woods and rural areas.

SMH You just don't get it do you?  They have no reason to be afraid of us. Is it because we are taller or larger?  I think a moose beats us there, or even an elk. As they encounter more and more people with no negative consequences, how are they supposed to learn to avoid us? They don't! It is the same with cougars, when hunting with dogs was allowed, the cougars that were not killed, lots of females and juvenile males, were educated that people and dogs were not good to be around. There seem to be many more human-cougar encounters since hound hunting was prohibited. It will only get worse with the wolves in populated areas until there is some push back.

But no one's done a scientific study on this to know if that's actually the case 

We don't need a study to show us the public would be safer. Even if they just approved the pursuit season, that the wdfw can't figure out, it would help a lot.

I hunted lions in northern Alberta probably about 12 years ago. The houndsman I hunted with told me they never had issues with wolves and their dogs. because they were hunted and trapped, those wolves have a fear of humans and associate dogs with people there is always the possibility of an attack but when predators are managed and controlled you don't see the issues we are faced with today.

The main predator in Montana that causes problems is the grizzly bear. Main reason has to be there's little to no management of this predator.

[Skyvalhunter]

They do need a season for grizz over there for sure. They huggers are doing all they can to keep that from happening

[idahohuntr]

From the article... "They will usually avoid humans and leave the area when they see, hear, or smell people close by...."

Why?  They have not been taught that people are not good to be around. To them, we are just prey or another predator to compete with by removing us from their territory.

I think the bold is the key part.  Any predator, hunted or not, is very capable of killing a human and every so often they will.  The more common behavior is to avoid humans, which is what the quote says...if that were not true there would be many people killed per day by predators roaming the woods and rural areas.

SMH You just don't get it do you?  They have no reason to be afraid of us. Is it because we are taller or larger?  I think a moose beats us there, or even an elk. As they encounter more and more people with no negative consequences, how are they supposed to learn to avoid us? They don't! It is the same with cougars, when hunting with dogs was allowed, the cougars that were not killed, lots of females and juvenile males, were educated that people and dogs were not good to be around. There seem to be many more human-cougar encounters since hound hunting was prohibited. It will only get worse with the wolves in populated areas until there is some push back.

There are some negative consequences and interactions with humans even in "unhunted" areas like WA.  My point is there are hundreds of wolves and thousands of cougars in wa...if the quote above about usually avoiding humans was not true there would be fatalities just about every day. 

[zwickeyman]

Idahohunter

Can you at least admit the fact that there has been more attacks/conflicts with Wolves and Cougars in the last 10 years than in the previous 80

There are facts to back that up that even you cant argue

Do you believe these will slowly diminish or will they increase?

Please answer honestly with out political speak

[KFhunter]

I'm not surprised by this at all and I think you're going to see more of it in the future, if they don't have anyone hunting them why would or should they fear us. Wishful thinking I know, but I really hope some sort of season will happen in the near future before someone gets hurt or worse.

Last year my son and I had a run in with wolves during the 215 late archery hunt . We were working our way around a mountain side and we heard wolves howling about 400-500 yards out and below us. Froze in our tracks, accessed the direction of the howling and changed coarse as best we could given the terrain. Since they were below us I didn't put too much thought into it except we should start cutting up hill to gain more distance from them. As we were going around the mountain, maybe 10 minutes later we were walking just above some thicker timber I heard some growling directly below us 15-20 yards out. Hair stood up on the back of my neck, as I'm scanning for it I could see the direction and the tree I suspected it was behind but I wasn't able to put eyes on it. At that point I drew my pea shooter ( really wishing I had more than 5 rnds at the time) Then another one growled from behind use. My son and I stood back to back scanning for a charge, the stand off probably only lasted a few minutes but it felt like eternity. During that time each of them growled several times, I thought one was going to charge for sure, then a few branches broke and all was quiet. They were gone. At that point we looked at each other gathered our thoughts and headed up to higher ground. We never heard or saw them again that day. I suspected they had a fresh kill near by, and were protecting it. But we could have very well been that fresh kill they had in mind..

I have rehashed those moments since then, at the time I only had 5 shots if one did charge so I wasn't going to waist it on a warning shot.

G

 

I suspect they knew you were there well before the howling started, then you heard them gathering the troops in a rally.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[KFhunter]

From the article... "They will usually avoid humans and leave the area when they see, hear, or smell people close by...."

Why?  They have not been taught that people are not good to be around. To them, we are just prey or another predator to compete with by removing us from their territory.

I think the bold is the key part.  Any predator, hunted or not, is very capable of killing a human and every so often they will.  The more common behavior is to avoid humans, which is what the quote says...if that were not true there would be many people killed per day by predators roaming the woods and rural areas.

SMH You just don't get it do you?  They have no reason to be afraid of us. Is it because we are taller or larger?  I think a moose beats us there, or even an elk. As they encounter more and more people with no negative consequences, how are they supposed to learn to avoid us? They don't! It is the same with cougars, when hunting with dogs was allowed, the cougars that were not killed, lots of females and juvenile males, were educated that people and dogs were not good to be around. There seem to be many more human-cougar encounters since hound hunting was prohibited. It will only get worse with the wolves in populated areas until there is some push back.

There are some negative consequences and interactions with humans even in "unhunted" areas like WA.  My point is there are hundreds of wolves and thousands of cougars in wa...if the quote above about usually avoiding humans was not true there would be fatalities just about every day.

What negative interactions?  That half eaten sammich a wood cutter tossed in the brush? There's so little poaching its a non-factor, is that what your hinting at?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[pianoman9701]

The more we protect these diseased animals, the more comfortable they'll be finding their food around humans. It's only a matter of time before someone is attacked and/or killed by wolves.

[Hockey21]

Last week I saw a wolf trotting down Poorman Cr road, I pulled up to where he dunked off the road, and there he stood about twenty ft off the road, he parallel the road for about fifty yards before trotting into the timber 40 yards behind a house.

Folks are seeing wolves closer to their homes now, it's worse then when the Methow had that sudden wolf "migration" in 2010.

Talk to a friend of mine a couple of weeks ago over in Lower Beaver cr, he walks his dog up the road towards the Finally canyon rd, he said he was coming back and there sat a wolf above the road, watching him. He's looking into getting a gun that holds a few more rounds then six.

Wolves tend to encourage gun ownership in rural communities....

A couple months ago I was up by Finally Mtn and there were wolves howling across the canyon from me. It's creepy when you know they're close. More so when you hear them or see them.

[grimace]

I'm not surprised by this at all and I think you're going to see more of it in the future, if they don't have anyone hunting them why would or should they fear us. Wishful thinking I know, but I really hope some sort of season will happen in the near future before someone gets hurt or worse.

Last year my son and I had a run in with wolves during the 215 late archery hunt . We were working our way around a mountain side and we heard wolves howling about 400-500 yards out and below us. Froze in our tracks, accessed the direction of the howling and changed coarse as best we could given the terrain. Since they were below us I didn't put too much thought into it except we should start cutting up hill to gain more distance from them. As we were going around the mountain, maybe 10 minutes later we were walking just above some thicker timber I heard some growling directly below us 15-20 yards out. Hair stood up on the back of my neck, as I'm scanning for it I could see the direction and the tree I suspected it was behind but I wasn't able to put eyes on it. At that point I drew my pea shooter ( really wishing I had more than 5 rnds at the time) Then another one growled from behind use. My son and I stood back to back scanning for a charge, the stand off probably only lasted a few minutes but it felt like eternity. During that time each of them growled several times, I thought one was going to charge for sure, then a few branches broke and all was quiet. They were gone. At that point we looked at each other gathered our thoughts and headed up to higher ground. We never heard or saw them again that day. I suspected they had a fresh kill near by, and were protecting it. But we could have very well been that fresh kill they had in mind..

I have rehashed those moments since then, at the time I only had 5 shots if one did charge so I wasn't going to waist it on a warning shot.

G

 

I suspect they knew you were there well before the howling started, then you heard them gathering the troops in a rally.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

That's very possible, most of the videos I have seen seem to have no less than 4 in a pack . I'm just glad it didn't escalate.

G