Just got in from pigeon hunting with the kids in the backyard (they got a couple unsuccessful shots off), found two sets wolf tracks 70 yards from the house.
There’s lots of coyotes around, but this is the first wolf sign I’ve seen on our land this winter.
Sucks and explains why there’s a lack of deer…We only have a few deer in the neighborhood, well at least we “did”. 
Screenshot_20241224-125035-1.png
You could set up a trail camera back there and see if one shows up. Would be cool to get one on there (plus whatever other critters are around).
They must be Wisconsin Wolves because we all know there are no Wolves in Minnesota.
Wolves and deer have live together forever. There’s nothing to worry about unless you have a dog.
Wolves and deer have live together forever. There’s nothing to worry about unless you have a dog.
yea, the deer try to live and the wolves will eat deer 
Wolves and deer have live together forever. There’s nothing to worry about unless you have a dog.
That’s what a lot of people say that don’t have wolves in their yard.
I’m far more worried about our small deer population than my dog.
Shoot me your address Crawdaddy and I’ll drop some big coyotes off for you, hope you’re not a deer hunter.
Not a wolf B. Grouse was just out walking his new pet.
Something new for the boys to trap B. 
I am definitely not a wolf lover…by no means however I am always curious about all the wolves and no deer. Well the wolves have to eat something and if there are no deer then what do they eat? I believe that the deer are still there however they have switched their tactics to avoid the wolves, say deeper in the swamps. The deer are no longer are in the area’s that they once were. I am certainly not an expert but would welcome some more insight on this. Thanks
Wolves can be 20 miles away in a day according to what i was told by APHIS Feb 2 this year 2500 dollars to fix him ! Im sick of it !
438741471_2661284074032294_6217603899465487976_n-1.jpg
I am definitely not a wolf lover…by no means however I am always curious about all the wolves and no deer. Well the wolves have to eat something and if there are no deer then what do they eat? I believe that the deer are still there however they have switched their tactics to avoid the wolves, say deeper in the swamps. The deer are no longer are in the area’s that they once were. I am certainly not an expert but would welcome some more insight on this. Thanks
Voyageurs national park’s wolf project has shown them eating a lot of beaver and fish up there where the deer numbers have dropped substantially in the last 10-15 years.
From my experience up there, and in Aitkin county, the deer stay close to people, yards and roads to avoid the wolves, not go deeper into the swamps.
They eat what’s available and move on, that’s why they claim large territories. If there’s too many competing packs in one area they’ll find a new area or starve to death.
A wolf took a woman’s dog in their backyard when she was just a few feet away from her. Woodruff Wi.
There are too many and are loosing the fear of man. They are moving closer to many towns because of urban wildlife=food source.
When WI reintroduced wolves there was only enough habitat for 350 wolves. Now the DNR basically claims the whole state is wolf habitat. Now we have 1200 wolves and it still is not enough.
And how many deer get killed by cars? winter? I do believe their should be a wolf management program, but many reasons for the lack of deer
Wolves and deer have live together forever. There’s nothing to worry about unless you have a dog.
the wolves native to the area were the gray wolf, the ones they imported to the area are the Canadian timber wolf , the apex predator and a completely different animal then what was native here, they are a invasive specie in my book.
It sucks B-man! We had one in the backyard yesterday – about 20 yds from the back door – it just stood there as my boy came up the sidewalk. When he got within 20 yds, it trotted off. We have too many of them around here, and the deer population is a fraction of what it was a few yrs ago. Its pathetic. I know a lot of guys that have shot them, and I have thanked every one, every time!
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>crawdaddy wrote:</div>
Wolves and deer have live together forever. There’s nothing to worry about unless you have a dog.the wolves native to the area were the gray wolf, the ones they imported to the area are the Canadian timber wolf , the apex predator and a completely different animal then what was native here, they are a invasive specie in my book.
That is not true. Wolves have never been reintroduced to Minnesota. They’ve always been here. The wolves here now are genetically the same as always.
And how many deer get killed by cars? winter? I do believe their should be a wolf management program, but many reasons for the lack of deer
Not many cars in Voyageurs National Park. Deer numbers are a fraction of what they once were there too. There are 16 known and documented packs of wolves in the area though.
But they’re so cute.
Wolves are known killers. Long time residents in Deer areas can tell you that. I’m not in favor of eliminating Wolves but there needs to be strict control of the populations. Governing bodys for that control need to be from Wolf areas. I’m not trusting anybody from Edina to set the Wolf numbers.
My advice, if a Wolf gets with-in 20 yards of your kid, shoot it.
Everybody knows that the scientifically supported deer population target should be “enough that I get a trophy on opening morning”.
My advice, if a Wolf gets with-in 20 yards of your kid, shoot it.
If one gets that close to my kids, it means I already missed several times 
Wolves eating deer are one thing but can’t we agree it’s the musky that is the true enemy. They are eating all of our walleyes and must be eliminated.
LOLLL and I fully get your sarcasm. At what point do wolf-haters understand that wolves are an integral part of the ecosystem? Love them or hate em, they belong here(probably more so than us European blooded whities) and if your deer herd sucks go cry in your cheerios about it. I’m also a dog lover and understand the risk of them hunting in the woods where wolves may be, so wouldn’t blame them if she got torn up while hunting. Would I shoot one to defend her? Sure. Would I shoot one for preventative measure? Hell no. Never been a wolf-worshipper but for gods sake seeing some of you cry about wolves ruining your lives might make me into one. Who needs to eat that deer more, you and your kids or that wolf pack and their pups? Bet it’s the latter. Go buy some chicken at the grocery store and stop crying about wolves ruining “your” deer herd. *roll eyes*
Labdaddy, curious where you live? Have you ever seen a wolf? Are you a deer hunter?
If you live in a metropolitan area, never seen a wolf in the wild, and/or don’t deer hunt…then your reply wasn’t worth the time to even read.
That’d be like me giving my wife advice about menstruation 
All we need to do is show wolves the benefits of a vegetarian diet. Once they see how tasty grass and sticks can be they will leave our deer and pets alone 
What we need to do is somehow train the wolves to eat the Musky, then everyone’s happy.
I live near wolves so my only precaution is I go out with my dogs when letting them out.
When you see their prints in the snow it’s always impressive for how big they are compared to everything else.
Any decline is northern deer populations is in no way related to the multiple sequential years of well above average, sometimes record snow and late late springs.
By april the deer always look rough and worn out from lack of food source but 2019-2023 winters had them all looking nearly starved to death.
If you really wanted deer populations to have an increase…maybe close hunting for a season? This years harvest in Minnesota was 143,176. hold that for a year and there should be a good bounce back right?
When I read the title I thought there was a Basketball Day Minnesota and the Timberwolves were playing an outdoor game. 
If you really wanted deer populations to have an increase…maybe close hunting for a season? This years harvest in Minnesota was 143,176. hold that for a year and there should be a good bounce back right?
I sort of agree to this except have a season on the wolves to bring their numbers in check, say set a quota at 143,174 wolves. We don’t need more than 2 here.
Honestly, I can see where wolves have a place in the eco system, however I also see the need to tightly control their number. Minnesota’s wolf numbers are way out of whack. Not only do wolves prey heavily on the deer herd, they hit the moose population as well. When was the last moose hunt held here? Granted, the moose have other parasitic stuff to deal with, but if the calves were safe, the wolf numbers in check, the population might grow enough to actually open a season again.
Weather and climate have always been a factor in deer number so that can be set aside. The car/deer collision stuff is a factor since there are way more vehicles on the highway, but here in the SE I see car kills all the time and in some areas I see multiple carcasses. These same areas still have a lot of deer. Lots of deer. However, with the deer herd, we cannot compare the northern 1/3 of the state with the southern third. The middle of the state holds its own. If one looks at the northern third as compared to the southern third, the only real variable is the wolf numbers.
I think our DNR needs to get upper management personnel that actually hunt deer and see/understand the conflict between deer numbers and wolf numbers. I think our DNR need to belly up and fight the feds who constantly give in to the green sector. Minnesota should not have a wolf season canceled by some judge in Georgia or wherever the last cancel job came from. And Minnesota’s government should give any and all pro wolf special interests lobbys right off the capital grounds.
We have cabin property north of Two Harbors. When we see deer in the yard every day and during the day, we hear no wolves howling. When the wolves howl in the evening, deer are seldom seen at all. Every year while there at the cabin we get people stop by and ask about the wildlife and where they might go to hear wolves howl…. they’re all tourists. I tell them they have to get out of their cars and get into the wilderness. Of course I’m lying but that’s how I envision wolves in this state.
Until individual states are allowed to determine what is a healthy wolf population without the green people of fed intervention the northern deer herd is going to take a beating, and the most troublesome aspect of that is the wolf range is constantly sinking southward.
Guys who say wolves ate all the deer typically hunt in areas that have no forest harvest. Old growth woods doesn’t produce deer. Voyagers national park is a perfect example. I see and hear wolves around my house often. I also have tons of deer in the area. Reason being is I am surrounded by state land that gets sold for harvesting rights. They sell in sections so there is always new growth coming up somewhere in the area. Creates a lot of habitat for deer, grouse, woodcock etc. A lot of northern mn and wi forest are lifeless because it is old woods.
That said, we definitely should have a wolf season. Both for managing the population and to put the fear of man back in to them. The longer we go without hunting the more likely we are to having an attack on humans. Some of them are getting pretty bold.
They are abundant at our lake property. A guy two miles down the road shut down his beef operation due to wolf kill of calves and adult cattle. Didn’t kill and drag them off to eat just kill. I see them on a very regular basis all year up there. Our lease property where our dock and boats are are a half mile down the road. My daughter and I and my grandson walk down there and back often in the morning just for a quick exercise. Had a wolf come out of the woods no more than 20 yards in front of us and just stop and stared at us for what seemed like a minute but it was probably 5 seconds. He clearly was not afraid. I no longer make that walk unarmed.
Very similar thing happened last winter while out ice fishing only this was two of them. I stepped out of the house to take a pi$$ and grab another beer of course. Once I unzipped and looked around there were two wolves on the ice 40 yards away to my left. Same thing. Just stopped and stared and one took like two steps towards me before trotting off onto a nearby island. They serve their purpose but there are just too many and they are becoming unafraid of human presence.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
