Close encounter raises concerns about wolves

Idaho Press-Tribune ^ | 6/4/06 | Scott Richards

[Jeff Head]

Sadly, that is not necessarily the case. Liberals have been moving into the Bitterroot Valley over in Montana for a loing time and many are pushing to get more Grizzlies introduced in the mountains just above their biking and hiking trails.

I am afraid it will take some them getting eaten before they figure it out.

Several years ago, in the Pioneer Monntains of SW Montana, I had my son and dog up camping and hiking. We were doing a little late summer spotting for the elk season later in the fall. A group of young, more or less hippy looking young people in their mid-twenties came hiking by and asked me why I had the rifle since it wasn't huntiong season.

I told them it was because I loved my son and that there was a danger particularly from Bears and Cats up there...a good fifty-sixty miles from the nearest town. I told them the dog was there to sense and hopefully deter those animals, but the gun was there just in case she didn't.

They laughed and joked about it, saying those animals wouldn't hurt anyone...then drank some water with us, and went on their way.

As they walked off, I told my son that I feared for such people, but that he should always remember that in cases like this it is much better to have it and not need it (the gun) than to need it and not have it. Whether the critters were two legged or four legged. I told him I was afraid that such people as those we had just talked to would learn that lesson the hard way.

[Jeff Head]

Been living with the same issues here in Idaho and Montana for a number of years. The state government here is making some progress on the issue though.

[Sam Cree]

"...remember that the wilderness is their world."

Some of us who have grown up in and lived in heavily wooded rural areas consider it our world."

[Leatherneck_MT]

"The other possibility is they really were starving, in which case the population is not being managed properly."

The population should be exterminated from the lower 48 if you ask me.

[Wolfstar]

There is a reason why wolves and bears are the bad guys in traditional fairy tales.

By far the most vicious killer on the planet walks on two legs and uses tools. This wanton, indiscriminate slaughterer has taken more lives of its own species than all the other species combined ever have (with the possible exception of viruses and bacteria).

The world's #1 killer uses weapons far more fearsome and deadly than mere canine teeth, and thinks nothing of destroying everything in its path when the mood strikes. Yet this mass killer pretends that other species who share the planet with him are "the bad guys."

[Conservative Texan Mom]

We sleep better knowing they are gone. We caught them on the property before at shot at them, but it was dark and we missed. A few days later, our foreman found bite marks on one of the calves. Our neighbor's border collie was sitting in the pen with the calves, and he was concerned that the border collie had done it. I didn't think so because our neighbor's dog is a regular fixture. He loves my kids, and apparently our collie. She's pregnant with his puppies. The first thought that came to my mind was those dogs that we had shot at several nights earlier. We took the calf to the vet. The vet thought it might have been a bobcat because some of the marks were more like tears from claws. That night we stayed up keeping watch. We thought that if it had been a bobcat it might have been detered by the calves size and given up. Anyhow, the next morning was when the dogs got back in. They went after the calf that they had attacked two days earlier the hardest. I think what happened a couple of days earlier is that they went after her, and our neighbor's dog came and ran them off. He then sat in the pen with the calves for protection, which is why he was there when we found them. He sleeps inside at night, and was not out that morning of the viscious attack. I rather feel like those dogs were pretty much stalking our place. They were quite determined, and calculating. We are out with the cattle very often, yet they attacked at times that we weren't just out of sight, but were away and out of hearing range.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this Upper Midwest (WI, IA, MN, MI, and anyone else) list, largely rural issues, please FR mail me. And ping me is you see articles of interest.

[Sgt. Stryker]

One problem is that the wolves they are re-introducing are not native to the lower 48 states, hence that's why they call them Canadian wolves. The native wolves from 100+ years ago ran in the range of 40-50#, not the 150+ that is roaming our western states and moving east and south.

There was an article in Western Horseman magazine a year or two ago about a man and his wife riding in Idaho and a pack of wolves was circling their camp one night. The next day a wolf started for the wife and the husband, carrying a rifle, dropped it when it was within 10 feet of his wife.

The family and I are heading for the mountains of Wyoming with our horses in a few weeks and I'll be carry a rifle and a sidearm. The wolves and cats are getting bolder all the time. No sense taking any chances.

[Chi-townChief]

Certainly not cute and cuddly but they do possess a certain cool and shouldn't be taken lightly.

[RSmithOpt]

Seems as though no matter where one goes, a gun is best to have if never needed for those 'hungry' 2-legged or 4-legged critters.

From what I've seen, Montana is one beautiful place (Billings, Bosman, on into Idaho ways). Hopefully, one day, I'll get up that way to smell the air.

You are correct about the euphoric 'warm-fuzzy' liberals and their overall ignorance with respect to just how wild the wildlife really is. Of course, they have to 'experience' it all, so, they decide 'how great' it is to mingle with nature; much like going to the new night club ..... after a while some animal zeroes in on some prey 'cause it's hungry.

IMHO, with current human population growth on the upswing with all the 'immigration', eventually man and beast are going to be at some real odds with one another for a living space......much like the days of the Old West. Eventually the flat-footers from the cities will get some wisdom and help cull out the predators to just a few, or, wind up as some critter's man-steak.

[Tammy8]

The larger size may explain the hunger issue that many say causes them to be even more dangerous. I can see where a wolf that size might have a problem finding enough food on a regular basis in the drier areas of the country where some have been introduced. I had never heard that the wolves being introduced were so much bigger than what was here naturally before. Thanks for that info.

[tgusa]

I was at Busch Gardens with my grand-niece and nephew a few weeks ago - they were oooohing and ahhhhing over a couple of timber wolves in one of the habitats. It delighted me to tell them that those wolves would eat them alive, given half a chance. Same thing for the polar bears at the zoo. Urban kids have no concept of what 'wildlife' is - I think Disney is largely to blame.

[ahayes]

It's kind of disturbing to see the intent way the wolves watch toddlers at the zoo. They wobble about and make high pitched squeals and the wolves perk right up.

[ahayes]

I haven't decided yet. If we're going just by number of fatalities domestic dogs should be exterminated first--average over a dozen kills a year, and many more nonfatal attacks.

[Ladysmith]

As for the wild dogs, well, we caught up with them and no one will be seeing them anymore.

Good!

[tgusa]

Yes it is!

[Chi-townChief]

What's funny is that I have an old Shepherd/Collie mongrel that makes that same face but is the friendliest dog you'd ever want to meet. It amazes that somehow early man determined that some animals will work with you and other similar-looking ones will rip your throat out; must of taken a lot of trial and fatal error.

[stevio]

I guess I'm going to get you started on coyotes. ;^) We have them around our area, the other night we heard one as close as our backyard. My 6 & 4yr old want to sleep outside this weekend with me in a tent. Is there any precautions I should take? A gun and knife will definitely be will me.

[stumpy]

Not just in the woods. I killed a full grown wolf (somebody's per), in a school yard just a few miles from L.A. international airport. It was while the children K-6 were arriving at school. During the previous night, it had killed a St.Bernard, 2 shepards and who knows how many poodles and other small dogs.

[Conservative Texan Mom]

Mostly I want to wring the neck of the people who dumped them. I don't know what they were thinking! If the dogs had presented a problem, they should have been put down. If they couldn't do it themsleves take them somewhere and have it done. It may sound cruel, but the poor dogs end up starving and suffering before going wild! I think some owners think a problem dog just needs room to roam, and that a rancher will take them in. That almost never happens. Our collie is an exception, and we took her because she was a collie. Also, the park ranger who found he had had her a couple of months and knew how gentle she was. Ranchers have to have dogs they can trust, unless it's a puppie, most will not take in strays. There is usually a reason someone dumped them, and that is usually the same reason that makes them a danger to people and livestock. It's too much of a risk! So, they end up going hungry and hurting other animals, or people, before someone shoots them. It makes me very mad.