Minnesota wolf hunt !?

[pmer]

Load em up boys, the Mn DNR is planning a wolf hunt next November. Open for hunting and trapping.

6000 licenses and hoping for 400 filled tags.

Seems the feds are turning population control over to the state and its in the "planned" stage. The legislator is not on session yet but I'm surprised it got this far.

[Blammer]

Hmm, wonder if there are guided wolf hunts now. Put me on some wolves with my AR and some hi cap mags and see how many I can get. :)

[Kskybroom]

....Im Ready....

[excess650]

Go get 'em boys!

The coyotes are getting out of hand in the east. They were virtually unknown when I was a youngster, but not any more. Fortunately they're not protected. I have a hide here that's 5-1/2' tip to tip.

[bjeffv]

Any idea on how much a tag will run?

[kbstenberg]

Some of my friends from work will gladly show you where your chanses of filling a tag is probable. They see more wolf tracks than deer tracks every day they are out.

[10 ga]

OOHHH, That is bout as close a season to VA as I can find. I'm already lookin for some 1/8 aircraft cable and snare locks! Already have a bunch of CDR 750 that I use for otter and beaver. Guess I'll need some chain and big grapples. With that equipment I can dispatch with a 22 rimfire! Been to 2 "wolf" trappin seminars when I go to the NTA and state events. Any idea if non-residents allowed and what kind of fees involved? Best to all, 10 ga

[pmer]

I didn't see anything about the cost of a tag either. I herd it on the news and googled a online story.

A 5.5 foot coyote sounds pretty nice. I have tried some calling for coyote but had better luck spotting them out in the field.

Wolves are around my inlaws where they hunt too.

[bjeffv]

I am curious as to tags and trapping. People tell me they are hard to hunt. My time spent in the boundary waters make me think elsewise.

Honestly if trap lines are allowed locals will have lines set up before u can blink. I see small game snares constantly.

[MT Gianni]

Rumor has it that a trapped wolf in a pack will get nibbled on if it can't keep up. Rumors say nibbled til bleeding occurs and eaten if dying.
I would not anchor solid but I don't know how big of a drag you need for a 100+ lb animal. It should be fun.

[looseprojectile]

for the game protectors to put a bounty on em. Hope it don't get that bad but it probably will. Give em a decade or so.
A man could make some money. Might give a man a good reason to field a five or six hundred yard gun with a big scope. I just traded off my 6 X 284 with the Nikon Monarch. Could wing em pretty good with the Garand.

Life is good

[pmer]

I am curious as to tags and trapping. People tell me they are hard to hunt. My time spent in the boundary waters make me think elsewise.

Honestly if trap lines are allowed locals will have lines set up before u can blink. I see small game snares constantly.

Well if they are like coyote they'll learn pretty fast when they are hunted.

[The Ranger]

Wisconsin will have no season, but they will issue a permit to landowners with "problem" wolves. i know there are a couple that pass through my area, the neighbor had one on his trail cam right in his backyard and a few people have seen the same pair that includes a black one within a mile or less of my house.

[41 mag fan]

Some of my friends from work will gladly show you where your chanses of filling a tag is probable. They see more wolf tracks than deer tracks every day they are out.

Those wolves are dang huge up there. Seen one killed on road, down by Pequot lakes about 3 yrs ago.
Never got so lucky to see one while deer hunting up by Walker, but 5 yrs ago, brother-in-law was hunting north-east of Hackensac, in the woodtick. Shot a doe right before dark, said as soon as he shot the wolves started howling barely 3-400 yrds from him.
Said the wolves followed him while he was dragging that doe out, staying just far enough out his flashlight didn't show any reflection from their eyes, but he could hear them growling and yipping. Made him pretty nervous.

Been alot of sightings between Walker and Bemidji.

[akmac]

They will be easy to kill for the first five minutes but once they learn they are no longer protected it will be an entirely different story. The wolves up here are incredibly wary. If they come across your tracks on a lake they will turn tail and run the other way. If you drop your mitten or other small object on a trail they will dive off into the brush and won't come back for a long time. I am glad you guys will get the opportunity to chase them though, it is a bunch of fun.

[onesonek]

They will be easy to kill for the first five minutes but once they learn they are no longer protected it will be an entirely different story. The wolves up here are incredibly wary. If they come across your tracks on a lake they will turn tail and run the other way. If you drop your mitten or other small object on a trail they will dive off into the brush and won't come back for a long time. I am glad you guys will get the opportunity to chase them though, it is a bunch of fun.

I agree, but have concerns up to a point.
I think and believe a yearly hunt is needed to control the population. The numbers are double the low end ,at est. 3000 wolves here, of what was originally intended when they were listed. Seems like when the hope to fill 400 tags out of 6000. That seems low to me. I would figure much higher fill rate on an uneducated population. I would guess a 30-40% fill rate the first year. But what do I know? I just hope they don't over do it, and be able to have future hunts. I think if we can get that population back down to 1000-1500 , it will help the deer and moose population a great deal, and some livestockowners too!! Yet not severely hurt or endanger the specie survival rate. I would figure to get down to 1500 wolves over 5 yrs, then figure out how many tags it takes to keep the pop. at that level. We get too close to their hoped 1500-1750 wolves too quickly, the anti's will be screaming all the more. That is my main concern. But the wolves education will come quick!! The next season will be a whole different game!!!!
It will probably only be a 10% fill rate, if that after the first season.
I would just go with 3000 tags the first season and go from there. But maybe they are planning on a quick reduction, knowing the following year is going to be much tougher?

[Bert2368]

I have seen them on our land in Pine County... Just once. But the tracks are frequent. Good news, the coyotes seem to have mostly disappeared for some reason- I don't have any livestock, but I'd be seriously considering this if I get any.

[429421Cowboy]

I wish you guys the best of luck, our wolf hunt has ended in limited success in my opinion. I highly duoubt that they will be able to shoot the entire quota but i'd love to be wrong! I believe the original plan was that the problem wolves down in the lower areas would be the first to die, however the first season a huge portion of the wolves killed were by backcounty hunters early in the season. We have a tremdous population here that do plenty of damage, the recent hunt has been a good thing in my mind. And here's a pic for anybody that wants to try and compare a wolf to a coyote... You only gotta see one wolf to never try and convince yourself a big coyote is something it's not...

[TXGunNut]

I think if they were serious about it they'd put one tag on every hunting license to allow hunters who happen across one while hunting other game to take one. Livestock owners should be able to purchase tags for $1 ea, 12/$10 for use on their grazing areas and surrounding areas, with strict reporting of course. When wolves become reclusive and retreat into more remote areas the program will be a success. JMHO, of course.

[429421Cowboy]

I forgot to add that our wolf tags cost $19 and the season is subjuct to closure in each managment area as soon as the quota is close to being met for that certain region.