In Michigan, the Era of Wolf Management Begins....

Forums: Environment
Email this Topic • Print this Page

About a decade or so ago, wolves were reintroduced to the upper peninsula of Michigan, a sparsely populated area where wolves once thrived. Wolves, however, are a migratory species, following prey wherever they can find it. Apparently, they followed deer across the frozen straights of Mackinac and have now established a presence in the northern lower peninsula...

The NLP isn't exactly sparsely populated, at least not in comparison to the UP. Wolves, and people, don't mix well. The DNR knows this, and, with a now well established wolf population on both sides of the bridge, are petitioning to begin (lethal) wolfpack management.

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr

Personally, I think reintroducing the wolves was a bad idea in the first place. They kill for fun. They are extremely dangerous and especially so if they get even slightly used to humans (unlike most bears, they will hunt you as food). The whole thing to me seems like a black eye for the DNR and smacks of misguided "conservation" efforts run by bleeding heart bureaucrats whose closest encounter with a wolf was on PBS.

Topic Stats
Top Replies
Link to this Topic

Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 680 • Replies: 9

No top replies

I'm truly surprised by the lack of responses.

0 Replies

I don't know why you're complaining. Doesn't this give the people who live there an excuse to wander around in the woods with high powered fire-arms for self protection? Isn't this what you want?

0 Replies

Wolves don't "kill for fun". Man kills for fun.

0 Replies

Intrepid wrote:

Wolves don't "kill for fun". Man kills for fun.

I have to agree. Wolves don't kill for fun.

Normal healthy wild animals have to be very cautious with their actions because even small injuries (cuts and abrasions can become infected) to them can result in their own death (unlike humans who can help each other survive most injuries). Because of this, wild animals rarely attack something unless they need to for some reason (food, defense, territorial behavior, all survival related at one level or another).

0 Replies

i don't think wild animals are aware of the dangers of receiving minor injuries while hunting for food.

their caution is a result of instinct, of making sure they remain predators, and not become another critter's meal...

0 Replies

Wolves will hunt for fun in a target rich environment. It's the coyotes and the vultures that clean up after them.

0 Replies

Wolves and bears and cougars frighten me. Most hunters travel to and from their stands during the hours just before dawn and just after dark. Just as deer fear me, I fear being hunted. Wouldn't you? The DNR denies that cougars exist in the LP but they do. The wolves are not supposed to be in the LP but they are.

There's another reason I fear wolves but I won't post it here. It has nothing to do with being attacked by them.

0 Replies

Trust me, you ain't seen nothin' yet! Central Idaho is suffering from the wolf introduction of over a decade ago. Our elk population is declining rapidly in the areas where the wolves are, largely because wolves very much do kill for fun. It's usually referred to as "reflex sport killing", and it's similar to what other dogs do when they get into a flock of chickens. They essentially just keep killing until the entire flock or herd is dead. Some of our hunters have found over fifteen uneaten elk carcasses in an area, often finding disembowelled cows who have crawled a considerable distance dragging their guts behind them, finally dying while digging into the ground with their front feet in a final effort to escape. As far as the livestock industry in concerned, we were able to determine conservatively that well over two hundred calves and thirty cows were lost to wolves by Idaho ranchers in 2006, and early reports indicate that 2007 will be worse. Have fun in your neck of the woods with them!

0 Replies

My hunting land has been invaded by coyotes - at least I think they are coyotes. I have heard them at night, found their deer hair clotted scat, and seen their tracks. I have never seen one of them. Since I probably won't be investing in a night sight and varmint rifle anytime soon, I'm thinking of hiring/inviting a trapper. They will decimate the upland bird population we have so much fun hunting (and almost never bag) and kill many fawns in spring.

They woke me up two weeks ago howling - probably over a kill. I searched though and found nothing - just the scat. The damn things are LOUD.

0 Replies

In Michigan, the Era of Wolf Management Begins....

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know