#16 - Wolves Losing Their Fear of Humans

Here's an interesting article on Grey Wolves in Minnisota (note the growing lack of fear displayed by the wolves toward People).

Grand Marais, MN (NNCNOW.com) --- The Cook County Sheriff's office has issued a wolf warning in Cook County, Minn.

Residents are being warned because at least five dogs, in the last two weeks, are assumed to have been killed by wolves in and around Grand Marais.

A couple of the wolf attacks were witnessed by the dog owners.

"I think if you're a dog owner anywhere in wolf country, northern, especially northeastern, Minnesota, then you should always attend your dog when it's outside – never leave your dog unattended," according to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Conservation Officer Darren Fagerman.

Sometimes attacks on dogs can occur because of territorial issues, or the wolves are looking for easy prey while in survival mode.

If a wolf is attacking your dog, you are not allowed to shoot the wolf because discharging a firearm in Grand Marais is illegal.

The sheriff's office says you could make an attempt to scare the wolf away with shouting, banging metal and making any loud sounds, and call authorities.

However, if you are outside the city limits of Grand Marais, you can shoot the wolf to protect your dog, and then call the DNR, Fagerman said.

The Cook County Sheriff's office also says wolves have been approaching people on the north side of Grand Marais.

"I don't know if they are curious and losing their fear, I don't know what it is. They seem to be coming into the city more and more lately," Fagerman said. "The wolves seem to be more curious, and not aggressive, when it comes to approaching people."

Fagerman says he learned from second–hand reports that someone was gardening outside in Grand Marais when a wolf came very close to her. He says the woman sprayed the wolf with the garden hose, and it ran away.

Another woman was walking in town when a wolf reportedly came close. She backed away from it, and the wolf went away.

Fagerman says backing away from a wolf slowly is the correct approach.

If you are in that area, and would like to be prepared, Fagerman says you could carry pepper spray.

Ramona Marozas
Rmarozas@kbjr.com
Biography

#15 - Umstead Forest a Hike Around the Lake

Howdy Folks,
I went out wolf tracking last Sunday 1-11-15.  December & January are the two months when your most likely to see, hear or find signs of wolves (because they are most likely to be starving).

When I found this "boundary" marker the woods suddenly went quiet in an eerie way.  Except for two blue jays which were sounding the alarm over my find.  Interestingly - as with past close encounters - there was a "buck-tree" near these scratch marks.  A buck-tree, for those who don't know is a tree which a male deer has taken to marking - it is a stand for that turf.  It's not the same as when a young buck sheds it's antler fur.  These guys mean business - they have full 6-8 point racks and they sharpen them on the singled out tree.  Most of the bark will be worn from the buck-tree at a height that the predictors can smell/reach.  Essentially it's a warning or threat to the wolves.  Hence its not surprising that the wolf marker seen below was placed close by...  Starving wolves will risk impalement rather than die of hunger.

Needless to say, I won't be going out that far alone in the future 😳🐺

- but it was exciting!  Also, noted far fewer deer tracks and far less physical sightings of deer here in NC than in years past...  These were taken while circling a decent sized lake in Umstead Forest, Raleigh, NC.

Keep Alert in the Woods!

Matthew

#14 - If It's A Great Idea To Reintroduce Wolves - Why Did We Get Ride of Them?

The Rage to Get Wolves Everywhere continues... Wolves of the Rockies December 24 at 3:35pm · Reward Increased to $20,000 in Killing of Endangered Wolf in Washington “It’s hard to comprehend these senseless illegal killings, because not only are wolves legally protected, there is no evidence these wolves were doing anything harmful at the time of their deaths,” . “What’s more, if anyone thinks they were helping out livestock producers by killing wolves, the exact opposite is true; a brand new study published by a Washington State University wolf scientist demonstrates that killing wolves can increase wolf-livestock conflicts.” Conservation groups are now offering up to a $20,000 reward for information leading to conviction of those responsible for the illegal killing of the breeding female wolf of the Teanaway pack in Washington’s Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Last month the groups posted a reward offer of up to $15,000, but have now increased the amount, after a member of Conservation Northwest stepped forward to contribute an additional $5,000. http://bit.ly/13F6YQL
Don't You Love IT? Ain't that the prettiest killer you ever seen thou? Why not put them into every great park? And Grizzle Bears too!!!

#13 - Red Wolves - Moving North - Evidence in MD

A macabre Christmas - but sooo interesting. I'm up hear in Fredrick, MD at our family farm. During the day discussion about the massive population explosion of deer in the area - of increased car wrecks, a record high limit of 30 deer to be "taken" by a hunter in a single year! and the statement by my Uncle Dave - that you couldn't hardly back out of your garage without hitting a deer got me thinking. It actually revived a memory of North Carolina having almost exactly the same experience in 2009 & 2010. Dead deer all along the side of the road - the country citizens complaining about unusually numbers being seen... Got me thinking alright - what would drive the deer out of the deep woods onto the "safer" locations of public land? Why would the 'sex drive' of deer suddenly (as it was acquitted)be driving them in mad dashes into our streets and highways? Last time I was up for Thanks Giving 2014 - I had the good fortune to be awake and on the front porch at 2AM. That is when I heard the reason for why the whole community of local dogs was in an uproar earlier that night. A fight was brewing between the local Coyotes and the new intruding Red Wolves. The pack of Coyotes has a distinct set of yips and cries - sounds I grew up hearing in the Sonora, Mojavean and Southwestern Deserts. The cry of the two wolves was/is very distinct from that of Coyotes... BTW The distance from where Red Wolves are being released and Fredrick is 360 miles - with Wolf releases now going on 5+ years. The first signs of possible predation were this deer skull and rib cage - the ribs were gnawed at there ends. This could easily have been Coyotes picking apart the carcass of a deer killed by hunters however.

However, I had seen two patches of deer fur - mostly the white hind-end fir and the underbelly in White Tailed Deer species. The patches of fur were about dinner sized plates and had no skin or blood - so whatever pulled it free hadn't gotten a good grip. As I reached the path down to the train track I noticed a body shaped shadow up the tracks - the deer hadn't gotten very far:

The first thing I noticed was that the animal had been eaten from the rear - this is a classical kill style for the Red Wolf. Often leaving the animal alive for extended periods (eating it alive - eek!). The second thing is that one of the hind legs was stripped to the bone - making sure that the animal could not escape the location. Now this is a full grown deer - a yearling but full grown. Not something that would be taken down by Coyotes. Thus the possibilities are - Hunter, Train or Wolf. The neck was unbroken and no bullet hole was discoverable - plus the way the deer's hide was stripped from the leg is identical to the kill found in North Carolina. Deer hide is very strong - in my opinion - nothing but the 1500 lbs per square inch of a wolf's jaw could so easily strip the leg to the bone. Naturally I got my cousins second opinion - he verified that there was no bullet wound. Now notice the wound on the animals front right leg:

The dark triangle at the cent of the wound is the exact location where a large canine tooth could be hooked between ten-dent and bone - effectively stopping escape. I the bush - not far from the kill lay another pick of forensic evidence - a tuft of fur - this time with a strip of deer hide still attached. The chase which had started up near the two patch's of fur (hair really) - had led down to this point where the wolfs had gotten a better hold:

This morning - December 26th more of the kill was eaten and another bone stripped:

General attitude of the politically correct on wolfs - 'just get along with them?! Soo happy together!' (The Wolf is the Mascot of the group which blew up our Three Buildings on 9/11) - 'Just get along with them!' - duh/nope! http://jeffmittelstadt.com/wildsides.org/RedWolf/MASTER/

#12 - Video of Wolf Encounter...

Message To The People: Parents Don't Send Your Kids To Play In The Woods

#10 - Historical Wolf Research - Part Two

Never Cry Wolf

Unless You Have Evidence

Please take a moment to visit this website: http://graywolfnews.com/

----------PART TWO----------

Common Man Institute, in cooperation with Abundant Wildlife Society of North America, has done extensive research on wolves and their history for several years. We have gathered evidence on wolf attacks which occurred in North America.

A forester employed by the Province of British Colombia was checking some timber for possible harvest in the 1980s. He was met by a small pack of three wolves. The forester yelled at the wolves to frighten them away. Instead, the wolves came towards him in a threatening manner and he was forced to retreat and climb a nearby tree for safety. The wolves remained at the base of the tree. The forester had a portable radio, but was unable to contact his base, due to distance, until evening. When the call for help came in, two Conservation Officers with the Ministry of Environment were flown to the area by floatplane to rescue the treed forester.

When the Conservation Officers arrived, the forester was still in the tree and one wolf, the apparent leader of the pack, was still at the base of the tree. The officers, armed with shotguns, shot at the wolf and missed. The wolf ran for cover and then started circling and howling near the two officers. After a couple missed shots, the wolf was finally shot and killed.

The wolf tested negative for rabies. It appeared healthy in every respect, but was very lean. The Conservation Officers felt the attack was caused by hunger. (Taped Interviews and a photo of the wolf on file at Abundant Wildlife Society of North America.)

This is but one example from British Colombia. Wolves overran Vancouver Island in the 1980s. Attacks became so common that articles were published in Canadian magazines documenting such attacks. (Copies available upon request.)

Wolf Attacks on humans have occurred in national parks, too. In August 1987, a sixteen-year-old girl was bitten by a wild wolf in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario. The girl was camping in the park with a youth group and shined a flashlight at the wolf. The wolf reacted to the light by biting the girl on the arm. That bite was not hard and due to the thick sweater and sweatshirt the girl was wearing, she sustained two scratch marks on her arm. The wolf was shot by Natural Resources personnel and tested negative for rabies. (Interview with Ron Tozer, Park Naturalist for Algonquin Provincial Park, 7/25/88.)

Well-known wolf biologist Dr. David Mech took issue with this attack stating it couldn't really be considered an authentic attack since the girl wasn't injured more severely. It was exactly nine years when such an attack would take place.

Algonquin Provincial Park is one of several areas where people are encouraged to "howl" at the wolves in hopes of a response from the wild wolves in the area. In August, 1996, the Delventhal family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, were spending a nine-day family vacation in Algonquin and joined a group of Scouts in "howling" at the wolves. They were answered by the howl of a solitary wolf.

That night the Delventhals decided to sleep out under the stars. Young Zachariah was dreaming when he suddenly felt excruciating pain in his face. A lone wolf had bit him in the face and was dragging him from his sleeping bag. Zach screamed and Tracy, Zach's Mother, raced to his side and picked him up, saturating her thermal shirt with blood from Zach's wounds.

The wolf stood menacingly less than a yard away. Tracy yelled at her husband, Thom, who leapt from his sleeping bag and charged the wolf. The wolf retreated and then charged at Tracy and Zach. The charges were repeated. Finally the wolf left. Thom turned a flashlight on 11-year-old Zach and gasped "Oh, my God!" "The boy's face had been ripped open. His nose was crushed. Parts of his mouth and right cheek were torn and dangling. Blood gushed from puncture wounds below his eyes, and the lower part of his right ear was missing." Zach was taken to a hospital in Toronto where a plastic surgeon performed four hours of reconstructive surgery. Zach received more than 80 stitches in his face.

Canadian officials baited the Delventhals' campsite and captured and destroyed a 60-lb wild male wolf. No further attacks have occurred since. (Cook, Kathy; "Night of the Wolf" READER'S DIGEST, July 1997, pp. 114-119.)

#9 - Historical Wolf Research - Part One

Unfortunate Tidings

Missing Pets

Well Winter is at the door and unfortunately that's not all - 2 weeks ago a neighboors cat went missing - a professional hound tracker was hired and turned up a "two day" old trail.  The tracker thought maybe a Coyote got this one...  Hum - it's hard for people to believe.  But the proof is right under our noses - simply go to check Google or go here: http://www.outer-banks.com/alligator-river/redwolf.html

As such let's begin the study of historical wolf studies:

WOLF ATTACKS ON HUMANS

By T. R. Mader, Research Director

It has been widely discussed whether a healthy wild wolf has ever attacked a human on this continent. In fact, many say such attacks have never occurred in North America.

History states otherwise. Although attacks on humans are uncommon, they have occurred on this continent, both in the early years of settlement and more recently. Here is one report:

“NEW ROCKFORD, DAK, March 7 - The news has just reached here that a father and son, living several miles northeast of this city, were destroyed by wolves yesterday. The two unfortunate men started to a haystack some ten rods from the house to shovel a path around the stack when they were surrounded by wolves and literally eaten alive. The horror-stricken mother was standing at the window with a babe in her arms, a spectator to the terrible death of her husband and son, but was unable to aid them. After they had devoured every flesh from the bones of the men, the denizens of the forest attacked the house, but retired to the hills in a short time. Investigation found nothing but the bones of the husband and son. The family name was Olson. Wolves are more numerous and dangerous now than ever before known in North Dakota." (Saint Paul Daily Globe, March 8, 1888)

Here an account is reported which included an eyewitness and the family name. Some have reasoned the wolves were rabid. That is unlikely as these animals were functioning as a pack. A rabid wolf is a loner. Our research has never found a single historical account of packs of rabid wolves on this continent. Individual animals are the norm. Further, accounts of rabid (hydrophobic) animals were common in that day and were reported as such.

The winters of 1886-1888 were very harsh. Many western ranchers went broke during these years. The harsh winter could have been a factor in the attack.

Noted naturalists documented wolf attacks on humans. John James Audubon, of whom the Audubon Society is named, reported an attack involving 2 Negroes. He records that the men were traveling through a part of Kentucky near the Ohio border in winter. Due to the wild animals in the area the men carried axes on their shoulders as a precaution. While traveling through a heavily forested area, they were attacked by a pack of wolves. Using their axes, they attempted to fight off the wolves. Both men were knocked to the ground and severely wounded.  One man was killed. The other dropped his axe and escaped up a tree.  There he spent the night. The next morning the man climbed down from the tree. The bones of his friend lay scattered on the snow. Three wolves lay dead. He gathered up the axes and returned home with the news of the event. This incident occurred about 1830. (Audubon, J.J., and Bachman, J.; The Quadrupeds of North America, 3 volumes. New York, 1851 - 1854)

George Bird Grinnell investigated several reported wolf attacks on humans. He dismissed many reports for lack of evidence. Grinnell did verify one attack.

This occurrence was in northwestern Colorado. An eighteen-year-old girl went out at dusk to bring in some milk cows. She saw a gray wolf on a hill as she went out for the cows. She shouted at the wolf to scare it away and it did not move. She then threw a stone at it to frighten it away. The animal snarled at her shouting and attacked her when she threw the stone at it. The wolf grabbed the girl by the shoulder, threw her to the ground and bit her severely on the arms and legs. She screamed and her brother, who was nearby and armed with a gun, responded to the scene of the attack and killed the wolf. The wolf was a healthy young animal, barely full grown. Grinnell met this girl and examined her. She carried several scars from the attack. This attack occurred in summer about 1881. (Grinnell, G.B.; Trail and Campfire - Wolves and Wolf Nature, New York, 1897)

In 1942, Michael Dusiak, section foreman for the Canadian Pacific Railway, was attacked by a wolf while patrolling a section of track on a speeder (small 4-wheeled open railroad car). Dusiak relates, "It happened so fast and as it was still very dark, I thought an engine had hit me first. After getting up from out of the snow very quickly, I saw the wolf which was about fifty feet away from me and it was coming towards me, I grabbed the two axes (tools on the speeder), one in each hand and hit the wolf as he jumped at me right in the belly and in doing so lost one axe. Then the wolf started to circle me and got so close to me at times that I hit him with the head of the axe and it was only the wielding of the axe that kept him from me. All this time he was growling and gnashing his teeth. Then he would stop circling me and jump at me and I would hit him with the head of the axe. This happened five times and he kept edging me closer to the woods which was about 70 feet away. We fought this way for about fifteen minutes and I fought to stay out in the open close to the track. I hit him quite often as he came at me very fast and quick and I was trying to hit him a solid blow in the head for I knew if once he got me down it would be my finish. Then in the course of the fight he got me over onto the north side of the track and we fought there for about another ten minutes. Then a west bound train came along travelling about thirty miles an hour and stopped about half a train length west of us and backed up to where we were fighting. The engineer, fireman and brakeman came off the engine armed with picks and other tools, and killed the wolf."

It should be noted that this wolf was skinned and inspected by an Investigator Crichton, a Conservation Officer. His assessment was that the animal was a young healthy wolf in good condition although it appeared lean. ("A Record of Timber Wolf Attacking a Man," JOURNAL OF MAMMOLOGY, Vol. 28, No. 3, August 1947)