Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Wolves => Topic started by: wolfbait on January 19, 2015, 09:09:56 AM

Title: Wolf attacks on livestock and dogs in 2014 jump to one of the highest levels in
Post by: wolfbait on January 19, 2015, 09:09:56 AM: Wolf attacks on livestock and dogs in 2014 jump to one of the highest levels in more than a decade

"Munson Badini said it is hard to draw too many conclusions from what can be a cyclical predator-prey relationship that fluctuates due to many factors, including weather.

Back-to-back harsh winters reduced deer numbers, which may have motivated wolves to turn to other prey, such as calves."

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/01/wolf_attacks_on_livestock_and.html (http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/01/wolf_attacks_on_livestock_and.html)
Title: Re: Wolf attacks on livestock and dogs in 2014 jump to one of the highest levels in
Post by: jasnt on January 19, 2015, 09:27:49 AM: Funny how they always blame the weather or anything else but wolves
Title: Re: Wolf attacks on livestock and dogs in 2014 jump to one of the highest levels in
Post by: AspenBud on January 20, 2015, 08:56:28 AM: Points of note...

"All of the dogs killed were in the act of hunting or training at the time; no yard dogs were involved, said Debbie Munson Badini, DNR spokeswoman in Marquette."

And most, if not all, were likely bear dogs.

"Munson Badini said it is hard to draw too many conclusions from what can be a cyclical predator-prey relationship that fluctuates due to many factors, including weather.

Back-to-back harsh winters reduced deer numbers, which may have motivated wolves to turn to other prey, such as calves."

That's not an entirely unreasonable assumption. Michigan winters make Washington look like the tropics. Especially last year. There were several instances where guys were finding deer that had either been stuck in ice and snow and froze or starved to death or been eaten by coyotes where they stood stuck.

"The hunt took just 22 of 46 targeted animals. Eleven were males, 11 females. The median age was 2.6 years; two were more than seven years old."

They also had a trapping season, the trappers didn't meet their quota either.
Title: Re: Wolf attacks on livestock and dogs in 2014 jump to one of the highest levels in
Post by: jasnt on January 20, 2015, 09:46:47 AM: "All of the dogs killed were in the act of hunting or training at the time; no yard dogs were involved, said Debbie Munson Badini, DNR spokeswoman in Marquette."

And most, if not all, were likely bear dogs.

How does that change anything??? Bear dogs are expendable?
Title: Re: Wolf attacks on livestock and dogs in 2014 jump to one of the highest levels in
Post by: wolfbait on January 20, 2015, 02:16:37 PM: "Back-to-back harsh winters reduced deer numbers, which may have motivated wolves to turn to other prey, such as calves."

Do you suppose the wolves were killing any of those deer during the "back-to-back harsh winters?

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C03E3D7163EE033A25755C2A9639C946697D6CF (http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C03E3D7163EE033A25755C2A9639C946697D6CF)