PDA

View Full Version : Super pack' of 400 Wolves terrorise remote Russian town


akv
02-11-2011, 00:06
Tough Place, Russia

Super pack' of 400 wolves terrorise remote Russian town after killing 30 horses in just four days

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:15 AM on 7th February 2011

A 'super pack' of wolves has been terrifying a town after leaving more than 30 horses dead in just four days. Four hundred bloodthirsty wolves have been spotted prowling around the edges of Verkhoyansk, in Russia, attacking livestock at will.

Twenty four teams of hunters have been put together to get rid of the wolves, with a bounty of £210 for every wolf skin brought to officials. Stepan Rozhin, an administration official for the Verkhoyansk district in Russia, said: 'To protect the town we are creating 24 teams of armed hunters, who will patrol the neighbourhood on snowmobiles and set wolf traps. 'But we need more people. Once the daylight increases, the hunters will start shooting predators from helicopters.' A pack of wolves this size is unheard of, with the animals usually preferring to hunt in smaller groups of just six or seven.

The massive group is believed to be made from hundreds of packs and has left animal experts baffled. Dr Valerius Geist, a wildlife behaviour expert, said the harsh Siberian winter - where temperatures plummet to minus 49C - had killed off the animal's usual prey.

He said: 'It is unusual for wolves to gather in such numbers of hunt large animal like horses. 'However, the population of their usual prey, rabbits, has decreased this year due to lack of food, so wolves have had to change their habits. 'Wolves are very careful to choose the most nutritious food source easiest obtained without danger - which in this case happens to be horses. 'They will start tackling dangerous prey when they run out of non-dangerous prey.'
Villagers have already managed to snare a number of the animals but the pack is so sizeable that is likely to take some time to deal with.

Verkhoyansk, with a population of just 1,300, is one of the coldest and remotest places in the northern hemisphere and lies within an area known as Stalin's Death Ring, after the former dictator sent political exiles there due to the extreme conditions.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1354445/Super-pack-400-wolves-kill-30-horses-just-days-remote-Russian-village.html#

TOMAHAWK9521
02-11-2011, 00:21
This town is going to have a huge summer sale on wolf-fur coats. :D

JJ_BPK
02-11-2011, 04:11
When Uncle Koba was the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs,, the wolves didn't eat horses??

:confused::eek::rolleyes::(

Dusty
02-11-2011, 04:13
Evidently there's no version of a PETA out there...

Pete
02-11-2011, 05:16
Evidently there's no version of a PETA out there...

Might get a new chapter of WETP.

Wolves Eating Tasty People

Team Sergeant
02-11-2011, 09:23
Anyone been following the global feral pig problem? Someone needs to say "no limit" before we run out of bullets.....


Wild Nature
No Oink About It, Feral Pig Problem Spreading
By Ruth Ravve

Published February 07, 2011
| FoxNews.com
War is being waged right now across the country -- against huge, ever-growing packs of feral pigs that are running rampant, destroying crops, killing wildlife and spreading disease everywhere they go, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports.

They’ve been spotted all the way from Texas to California to Michigan and in New York.

“It's estimated there are at least 4 million of them nationwide, but its impossible to count them all so there may be much more” said Carol Bannerman, a spokesman for the USDA Wildlife Services.

Officials say they cause more than $8 million worth of damage every year. “That amount doesn’t include impact to the natural environment and native species, or to water” Bannerman said. One disease humans can get, she said, by coming in contact with the beasts bodily fluids is called "swine brucellosis," and is extremely painful.

Historians think the hogs were first brought by explorers to this country from Spain in the late 1500s. The boars bred and spread -- and have chomped their way across the country ever since, devouring crops and small livestock.
The pigs are most prevalent in the South, where the climate is most conducive. Texas is said to have the largest population.

In Florida, the animals’ numbers are rapidly increasing. Bryan Swanson, of All Star Animal Rescue in St. Petersburg, said his phone has been ringing off the hook lately, as the pigs make their way into neighborhoods and playgrounds.

“Their population is absolutely exploding because their breeding cycle is insane,” Swanson said. “Just six months after being born, the hogs can have a full litter of up to 13 more hogs. They have no natural predators, so there's nothing to stop them.”

Swanson said people have complained about pets being attacked and yards being destroyed. “You can have a beautifully manicured lawn one day and then wake up the next day and its like a bulldozer went through it," he said.

One group that enjoys the growing pork population are hunters.

“A lot of people like to hunt feral swine because the pigs are so intelligent, it’s a lot more challenging to hunt them than, say, deer or bears. They’re considered fun to hunt,” said Mary Dettloff of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The state, which is estimated to have about 6,000 wild swine, now has a “shoot on sight order,” which means anyone with any type of hunting license can legally kill a feral pig. In July 2011, it will become legal for a person to shoot a hog that comes onto his property as well, she said.

Although Midwest states like Michigan have a smaller number of swine, the animals are so adaptable they’re able to survive even in harsh winter weather by growing hair on their coats and developing tusks, Dettloff said, so “we expect to see a lot more of them over the next several years.”

Animal rights groups are outraged over what they say is persecution of pigs. Don Anthony, of the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, said he doesn’t believe the swine are causing all the problems that are claimed.

He wants state leaders to “leave them alone or find a way to neuter them to keep their population down,” he said. Since the hogs have been in the United States for five hundred years, they’re “almost natives,” so “we should be used to them by now. Killing them is barbaric and unnecessary,” he said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is taking the problem very seriously. "Because of the impact it has on everything from agriculture to natural resources and humans’ health and safety, its an extremely important problem,” Bannerman said.





http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/07/oink-feral-pigs-growing-problem/

Dusty
02-11-2011, 09:32
Where I live you get 25 to life for shooting a pig.

Pete
02-11-2011, 09:37
.........He wants state leaders to “leave them alone or find a way to neuter them to keep their population down,” he said. Since the hogs have been in the United States for five hundred years, they’re “almost natives,” so “we should be used to them by now. Killing them is barbaric and unnecessary,” he said..............]

Did somebody just say they don't like eastern NC Bar-b-Que?

A vision of hunt, Bar-b-Que and plate sale just popped into my mind.

I've heard the mid size ones are best.

Team Sergeant
02-11-2011, 09:42
Did somebody just say they don't like eastern NC Bar-b-Que?

A vision of hunt, Bar-b-Que and plate sale just popped into my mind.

I've heard the mid size ones are best.

I love BBQ, all kinds.;) I just think there should be an unrestricted hunt until the population is brought under control........

JJ_BPK
02-11-2011, 09:55
Although Midwest states like Michigan have a smaller number of swine, the animals are so adaptable they’re able to survive even in harsh winter weather by growing hair on their coats and developing tusks, Dettloff said, so “we expect to see a lot more of them over the next several years.”



Someone needs to review Animal Husbandry 101, chapter 99, Domestic Farm Hogs that go Wild.. (Not on Spring Break)

They all revert to growing hair and tusks no mater what the weather..

They also get a attitude,, real bad attitude...

Horny Fat Bastards...

But they eat good... :D

greenberetTFS
02-11-2011, 12:55
I love BBQ, all kinds.;) I just think there should be an unrestricted hunt until the population is brought under control........

OK TS,what's your recipe for wild pig?..........;)

Big Teddy :munchin

Team Sergeant
02-11-2011, 13:34
OK TS,what's your recipe for wild pig?..........;)

Big Teddy :munchin

Are we talking a leaner pork?:munchin

Pete
02-11-2011, 13:35
OK TS,what's your recipe for wild pig?..........;)

Big Teddy :munchin

Whole lotta' pieces-parts on a medium size pig. So - so meat can be ground up and mixed with bear. Puts the sizzle in bear burgers. Childhood memories - all the kids standing around watching as the bear (black) was cut up and chunks of meat run through the hand grinder and mixed with ground pork and spices.

Oh, yeah, us kids knew what was coming next. A couple of grills were fired up and the patties made, charcoal spread out and then SIZZLE TIME. The burgers disappeared just as fast as they came off the grill and be slapped between two pieces of bread.

All the dads seemed content drinking beer while watching all the neighborhood kids down the bear burgers.

I can remember more than a couple of bears being the main attraction at a neighborhood cookout.

TOMAHAWK9521
02-11-2011, 13:43
I saw a local hunter's pictures posted in the Loveland, CO Sportsmans Warehouse taken from his Russian Boar hunt last February in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The animal was said to have weighed in excess of 400 lbs and looked like a freaking VW with fur. :eek:

Pete
02-11-2011, 14:25
I saw a local hunter's pictures posted in the Loveland, CO Sportsmans Warehouse taken from his Russian Boar hunt last February in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The animal was said to have weighed in excess of 400 lbs and looked like a freaking VW with fur. :eek:



".....Hunting Specifications for Russian Boar in Michigan
Enter hunters. While one state representative tried to introduce legislation in 2001 to allow the shooting of the feral Russian boars, it was defeated through opposition by the DNR. Not until the end of 2006 were hunters with valid licenses urged to shoot any wild pig in select Michigan counties. As of 2007, hunters can not only hunt at one of the hunting preserves (where the price can easily be $750 or more) but can also shoot any feral pig in 50 counties, ranging from urban Oakland and Wayne counties to rural Baraga and Lake counties. In these counties, prosecutors agreed to not prosecute hunters, as Schmitt notes. As of 2010, "provided there's a hunting season of some kind open," and the shooter is licensed, it's open-season on the Russians. "Just shoot 'em," urges the Michigan United Conservation Clubs.

Hunting Tips
So with virtually little limits, hunters can visit hunter's preserves in the Upper Peninsula that allow you to hunt for a price--or search out your own feral Russian boar in the wilds of Michigan. In spite of disease concerns, as long as the meat is properly cooked (cooked to an internal temperature of 170 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), there is little to no risk in eating the flesh. ................"




Read more: Upper Michigan Russian Boar Hunting | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6497871_upper-michigan-russian-boar-hunting.html#ixzz1DgStzNGr

Buffalobob
02-11-2011, 16:46
I always root for the wolves. Humans have very few natural predators any more for population control and there is a need to restore the law of natural selection. The earth is way over populated with idiots. We need lots more wolves.

I was thinking about going down to Alabama the first of March for pig hunting in the Sipsey Wilderness area but have changed my plans and am going back to South Carolina again in the middle of March.

http://www.aonmag.com/article.php?id=1901&cid=188

craigepo
02-11-2011, 18:33
We have had hogs move into Missouri, especially around the Mark Twain National Forest. The Missouri Department of Conservation encourages killing hogs any time or day, however you want to shoot them. Baiting is allowed(this is the only type of baiting allowed in this state).

The most effective way the locals have found to take large numbers is the use of dogs. The dog handlers put tusk-guard vests on their dogs, as once the dogs run the hog to exhaustion, there is a hell of a fight between a pack of dogs and a large-tusked 400 lb. wild boar. Also, the price of Missouri jumping mules has went up, as the guys who run the dogs use the mules to keep up with the dogs, in an area with lots of old fences.

The hogs are prolific breeders, and do horrible damage to natural food sources. Essentially, once the hogs move in, the native sources move out.

Ribs from a smaller wild hog are excellent table fare, I would say better than domestic pork.

badshot
02-11-2011, 20:37
I always root for the wolves. Humans have very few natural predators any more for population control and there is a need to restore the law of natural selection. The earth is way over populated with idiots. We need lots more wolves.

http://www.aonmag.com/article.php?id=1901&cid=188

Not if you want to continue to get your non-resident Elk tags...

I strongly agree with your view about 'natural selection'. Probably should have reintroduced them on the east coast and California first, don't you think?

As for the ones in Russia, sounds like heaven to me. Aside from cooling barrels, the only thing that would save'em is skinning time.


:D

SF_BHT
02-11-2011, 20:46
Just think of all the meat that this could produce. Start a welfare BBQ program...... Homeless shelters would have meat all year round. We can put to work some of our down on their luck Vets. They already know how to shoot.

Might save the Gov some money...... Plenty of 55 Gal drums out there that can be turned into BBQ grills.:munchin

219seminole
02-11-2011, 20:52
He wants state leaders to “leave them alone or find a way to neuter them to keep their population down,” he said.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/07/oink-feral-pigs-growing-problem/

OK, everybody wanting to join the neutering detail line up behind Bubba.

Peregrino
02-11-2011, 21:05
OK, everybody wanting to join the neutering detail line up behind Bubba.

I think it's a great idea. Ought to work hand in hand with Buffalobob's appeal for a Darwinian intervention. Personally, I want to watch - from a comfortable tree stand with a full cooler and a couple cases of ammo for the ones that try to get away (liberals or hogs either one!).:munchin

dr. mabuse
02-11-2011, 21:09
*

badshot
02-11-2011, 21:10
Never have hunted pigs but have always wanted to. Nothing like hunting something that hunts you back and tastes good too!

Anyone say bacon sandwiches :D

Why would anyone want to neuter a good food source, sounds nutty...


.

akv
02-11-2011, 21:20
I strongly agree with your view about 'natural selection'. Probably should have reintroduced them on the east coast and California first, don't you think?

The beauty of natural selection is it is always in effect. I don't know about exposing wolves to NY'ers, but the quality of hunting and fishing in the Golden State might surprise you, though hunting wild boar could get hazardous for a badshot....;)



How to Stalk, Kill, and Cook a California Wild Pig

—Thomas McGuane

For years, Northern California and the Bay Area have proudly flown the flag of epicurean hedonism, leading the nation in wine production and nouveau cuisine. Even in this merlot-soaked, fresh-organic-ingredients milieu, where great chefs are treated like celebrities, it is seldom noted that the region boasts another little-known gastronomic piece de resistance—the feral pig.

According to the California Department of Fish and Game, wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are a nonnative species. Our wild pigs are, in fact, one of the happier accidents of animal husbandry. Settlers introduced domestic swine to California in the 1700s, some of which wandered into the wild. Then, in the 1920s, a landowner imported the European wild boar to Monterey County. The boars mated with the local feral pig population, creating a wild boar/feral domestic hybrid. Today, at least 45 California counties are up to the elbows in Sus scrofa. These wild pigs are covered in hair, have tusks, and multiply very quickly. One of their few natural predators is the mountain lion. Another is the human being.

Last year, California hunters bagged approximately 30,000 wild pigs, with the heaviest concentrations being found in Sonoma, Mendocino, and Monterey counties. Unlike other game animals, pigs come with almost no restrictions. You can hunt them every day of the year, with no daily limit. You can use any size bow and arrow, rifle, or pistol. And hunting a wild pig is dirt cheap—five pigs will cost only $7.90 in Fish and Game tags. Some say it’s the best bargain in the state—of any kind. Whether that claim is fact or exaggeration, California’s wild boars attract hunters from all over the world.

Many big-game hunters place importance on bagging a trophy for the wall of the den or the rug on the floor. Pig hunters are a different, oddly self-actualized breed. They hunt wild boars because they eat them. The meat is delicious and free of preservatives or hormones.

This article will show you exactly how to stalk, take, prepare, and dine upon your own wild pig. To help compile this guide, SF Weekly retained the services of two Bay Area swinologists, who requested that their identities be concealed for fear of retaliation by Northern California’s large population of animal rights activists. For purposes of identification, we’ll call our pig consultants the Philosopher and the Pragmatist.

The Philosopher runs his own South of Market business; the Pragmatist is a successful practitioner of the culinary arts. They have hunted pigs together for five years, averaging five or six expeditions per year. In exchange for anonymity, the two agreed to share their boar-hunting expertise—including a tour of a secret pig-heavy location in rural Sonoma County.

I. What You Need

A logical first step in hunting pigs is to obtain a copy of the Fish and Game Department’s Hunting Guide for Wild Pigs in California, which covers the basics and includes maps of public hunting areas. You will also need a state hunting license, which costs $27.55 for adult residents, and a tag for each pig you take ($7.90 for five).

If you have never gone before, it’s advisable to bring along somebody familiar with wild boar hunting. Ask the Central Coast Fish and Game office in Napa for a list of local pig outfitters. These guides typically take people on one- or two-day expeditions. On these excursions, most supplies are included, but fees can exceed $500 for a weekend. If you don’t use an outfitter, your bare minimum of supplies should include binoculars, knives, a knife sharpener, plenty of rope, rubber gloves, a strong hacksaw, a bucket, and a source of fresh water.

In California, pig hunting is allowed on any public land managed by federal, state, or local government agencies, with minor restrictions. Experts, however, say these areas have been hunted so frequently that the pigs have learned to avoid them. Results are best on private land, where hunters strike deals with landowners for access to pig-friendly property. Hunting is most successful during early spring or early fall, when seasons are changing, but people have good luck just about any month of the year. The ideal time is either dawn or dusk, when the pigs feed.

(Despite the small cost and few restrictions—the only significant regulation on boar hunting requires that they be taken during daylight hours—some people still find it necessary to poach wild pigs. Poachers often use dogs to bring down the pig, then finish it off with a knife. As protection against the pigs’ sharp tusks, the dogs are dressed in suits of armor. This technique, supposedly, is less noisy than shooting. Fish and Game staff regularly patrol the twilight pastures with infrared equipment, and sometimes set up pig decoys to draw out illicit hunters.)

As far as weaponry goes, both the Pragmatist and the Philosopher swear by the Remington .308 rifle with scope, but almost any caliber gun will do. If you’re really serious about pig hunting, the bow and arrow apparently is the ultimate way to go. But remember: Creeping within 30 yards of a wild pig requires camouflage, and silent clothing. And a healthy reserve of courage.

II. The Hunt

Pig hunters speak of their craft as having two basic methods. The first—“spot and stalk”—means that you walk through the countryside until you see a pig, then stalk it until you’re close enough for a good shot. The second method—“fair chase”—involves a pack of dogs, whose presence can turn a hunt into a complicated, noisy circus.

Outfitters often bring dogs, one hunter says, because it gives the impression of a real safari, an atmosphere that allows them to charge novice hunters more money. Unfortunately, dogs also will chase the pigs up and down the hills. According to John Waithman, author of the Hunting Guide for Wild Pigs in California, running builds up lactic acid in the muscles, which can diminish the flavor of the meat and make it tough. The true wild boar aficionado, therefore, hunts alone or with one other person. No guides. No dogs. Our expedition will be of the dogless spot and stalk variety.

Once you reach a hunting location, park your vehicle and bring weapons only. Leave most everything else—the binoculars, knives, rubber gloves, hacksaw, and bucket—for later. Walk quietly but quickly through the gray dawn, scanning the fields and inspecting the trees. Once the sun comes up, you won’t have much time. Keep an eye out for footprints and boar scat. Matted grass is a sure sign that a herd has bedded there during the night. Stop and listen frequently. If pigs have been feeding in the area, the grass will be turned over in clumps where they have rooted for food. (This so-called “depredation” can very quickly render a field useless for any agriculture; some farmers become pig hunters simply to protect their crops.)

The Sonoma County scenery in which our hunt takes place is magnificent. Across one fence is a flower farm; over the next hill is a winery. But don’t let idyllic surroundings lull you into thinking you’re enjoying a pleasant, if well-armed, early morning stroll. Remember: You’re not hunting cute pink pigs from the county fair. These are hairy, muscular wild boars. They are fast and smart, stand 30 inches tall at the shoulder, measure 4 to 5 feet in length, and can weigh up to 300 pounds. The hide over their shoulders serves as a thick armor plating, and their tusks grow to be 3 inches long. Their eyesight is poor, but their sense of smell is excellent. Stay downwind if at all possible.

The Pragmatist says the secret of pig hunting reflects most of life’s difficult quests: Be at the right place at the right time. Gesturing to a patch of trees, he whispers, “They like to be under the oaks. I shot a beautiful sow right over there.”

But if wild boars are plentiful in Northern California, finding a herd is never guaranteed. You may walk the length of a pasture, stumbling over uprooted grass and other signs of pig infestation, and not see any pigs at all. Furthermore, pigs are difficult to track, because they don’t migrate single file, as do other animals. Boars travel in herds, wriggling through barbed wire fences, and they cover up to 40 square miles a day. Even if you come across signs of pigs, they may have already moved onto the next ranch.

But you may get lucky. One of your party—perhaps, say, a panting journalist with a notepad—may spot a straggler, standing under some trees, feeding. Snout to the ground, tail twitching back and forth, this lone pig may be your only chance. Once the herd hears the first shot, wherever they are, they’ll be moving like hell....continues in link

http://www.jackboulware.com/uncategorized/hunting-wild-boar

badshot
02-11-2011, 21:22
The beauty of natural selection is it is always in effect. I don't know about exposing wolves to NY'ers, but the quality of hunting and fishing in the Golden State might surprise you, though hunting wild boar could get hazardous for a badshot....;)


I climb and run fast...:D

Peregrino
02-11-2011, 21:43
AKV - Great article! Thanks for sharing. Now I've got another reason to persuade the gunsmith to put together a hog gun for me. (TR - I'll see your 5 rd 45-70 lever action and raise you 10 rds of AR-style .458! :p)

mojaveman
02-11-2011, 22:24
The beauty of natural selection is it is always in effect. I don't know about exposing wolves to NY'ers, but the quality of hunting and fishing in the Golden State might surprise you, though hunting wild boar could get hazardous for a badshot....;)





http://www.jackboulware.com/uncategorized/hunting-wild-boar

Interesting story akv.

I'll have to get up there one of these days.

Time for Mark46th to chime in.

badshot
02-11-2011, 23:19
AKV - Nice article, sounds like a good hunt.

One comment on removing heads (works for bears and elk, should work for pigs too)...easiest way to remove a head is to use a sharp knife and cut all the way around the base of it (where the skull and neck meet). Then turn the head one direction until you hear a crack. Finally twist the head the other direction and it comes right off. :D

mark46th
02-11-2011, 23:54
I hunt pigs in Central California. There is no limit on wild pigs in California but you do need a tag for each pig you take. I have a hunt scheduled for March 12th and 13th. Can you say "Home-made Sausage"? The biggest one I have seen was about 400 pounds. My hunting buddy has seen them up to 600 pounds further North in Mendocino County.

badshot
02-12-2011, 00:05
I hunt pigs in Central California. There is no limit on wild pigs in California but you do need a tag for each pig you take. I have a hunt scheduled for March 12th and 13th. Can you say "Home-made Sausage"? The biggest one I have seen was about 400 pounds. My hunting buddy has seen them up to 600 pounds further North in Mendocino County.

Post some pics. If your going with guide on private land and their good, post that as well. Would like to try it next fall sometime when I am back in Phoenix.

TOMAHAWK9521
02-12-2011, 02:25
I always root for the wolves. Humans have very few natural predators any more for population control and there is a need to restore the law of natural selection. The earth is way over populated with idiots. We need lots more wolves.

http://www.aonmag.com/article.php?id=1901&cid=188

The major flaw with the Wolf Reintroduction Program in the US is that they forgot to reintroduce the wolves' primary food source-Bison. I'm no expert but from what I have read, the wolf populations have gone completely askew from their projected models. They have already moved as far south as central Colorado as of a year or two ago. These wolf populations will annihilate the elk, deer and sheep populations.

JJ_BPK
02-12-2011, 05:06
I hunt pigs in Central California. There is no limit on wild pigs in California but you do need a tag for each pig you take. I have a hunt scheduled for March 12th and 13th. Can you say "Home-made Sausage"? The biggest one I have seen was about 400 pounds. My hunting buddy has seen them up to 600 pounds further North in Mendocino County.

Mark, et all

The last time I did black powder for deer & hogs was at the Three Lakes Management Area in Central Florida,, Just South of the Orlando area.

They limit access, ONE GATE. The F&G team counted all in and out and did "samples" of all game taken. You could not gut in the field. You had to wait until you came out.

Anyway, the F&G insisted that you wear gloves and immediately washed after gutting because ALL the pigs had blood born pathogens that were very nasty. Kidney & liver failure if not treated properly.

As I remember we were given a slip of paper and told to hand it to the ER doc if we came down with Cold like symptoms??

We were told it is hot weather problem and generally does not bother hogs from cold climate areas?? It was not trichinosis, but a viral/bacterial type.

Watching the F&G guys & gals take liver & gal bladder samples like it was a big city operating room made me a little leery??

Do you have the same warnings??

badshot
02-12-2011, 05:33
The major flaw with the Wolf Reintroduction Program in the US is that they forgot to reintroduce the wolves' primary food source-Bison. I'm no expert but from what I have read, the wolf populations have gone completely askew from their projected models. They have already moved as far south as central Colorado as of a year or two ago. These wolf populations will annihilate the elk, deer and sheep populations.

For not being an expert sounds like you got it right...

They have also migrated to OR, WA, and Utah. A researcher in Yellowstone has noted they are killling the Lions and other predators for sport and/or competition reduction. In one incident a female and three sub-adults were killed. Talk about a rodent, skunk, bunny, porcupine, etc. population explosion down the road.

The only exception is the Mexican Gray Wolf program in Arizona/New Mexico that has been going on since the mid-90's, though that could change as well. As of 2010 there where 50 with 2 breeding pairs.

Makes you wonder what the hell they were thinking or weren't...



.

Penn
02-12-2011, 06:43
There is no way a canine population can reach those numbers and hunt in a unified manner. It contradicts pack structure and order based on alpha male, alpha female. It presents impossible circumstance to manage pack interactions and hierarchical structures.

In a word: BULLSHIT!!!!

The Pack

Domestic dogs do well in group-living situations and are fairly flexible as to the arrangements. In the wild, the typical number of wild dogs or wolves in a fully-fledged pack ranges between eight and 15. The group usually consists of related adult males, related adult females (that are unrelated to the males), and their offspring. Order is maintained by means of an almost linear hierarchical relationship between pack members, an arrangement known as a dominance hierarchy. In essence, this means that there are leaders and followers. The most dominant individuals control the resources and subordinates must defer or face the consequences.

http://www.wolf.org/wolves/learn/basic/resources/books_videos.asp

Dusty
02-12-2011, 06:59
I would not want to have to shoot a wolf. I don't even like the thought of killing 'yotes, but they're coming down into the back yard, now-and there are no natural predators to balance out that situation other than the Boat-tailed Hollow Point.

akv
02-12-2011, 11:30
There is no way a canine population can reach those numbers and hunt in a unified manner. It contradicts pack structure and order based on alpha male, alpha female. It presents impossible circumstance to manage pack interactions and hierarchical structures.

Sir,

This is a logical point, and I'm no wolf expert. However IIRC, there might be some modern historical precedent for this type of activity on the Eastern Front during the Great War. In the Kovno area of Lithuania, a temporary truce was declared between Russian and German forces in the trenches, for the purposes of dealing with large numbers of starving wolves, apparently killing several hundred. The thought of modern armies with heavy weapons taking this step was an attention getter. The recent story could be a hoax, it could be numerous packs, or it can be an instance of nature adapting to desperate circumstances. Enclosed in the link is a 1917 NY Times article on the episode.


http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9E0DE3DD103BE03ABC4151DFB166838C609EDE&oref=slogin

badshot
02-12-2011, 16:51
It could be BS, but could also imagine them to be starving if they just eat rabbit.
(people die of protein poisoning)

In any event, here is some authoritative info on Wolf's.

http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/wolf/naturalhistory.shtml

Notice their diet in the West is 75% Elk (some being as big as horses) and average pack size is 10.6 animals.

Team Sergeant
02-13-2011, 11:37
There is no way a canine population can reach those numbers and hunt in a unified manner. It contradicts pack structure and order based on alpha male, alpha female. It presents impossible circumstance to manage pack interactions and hierarchical structures.

In a word: BULLSHIT!!!!



http://www.wolf.org/wolves/learn/basic/resources/books_videos.asp

Mother Alligators were long thought (by scientists) to be cannibals, eating their own young. This was witnessed hundreds of times and until recently (last 50 years.) It is now well known that the mother gators are gathering up their young in their mouths to protect them. They will also assist in breaking the eggs and digging out the little ones stuck in the nest.

My point is that even the scientists can make colossal observational mistakes, especially when dealing with carnivores.

Dolphins, sharks etc hunt in super packs (hundreds to thousands) when the prey presents itself in vast numbers..

This wolf super-pack theory would not surprise me in the least.

Go Devil
02-13-2011, 12:59
If the "Circle of Life" as we know it, was followed for reintroduction of flora and fauna instead of what is visually stimulating or what is dwindling in numbers, the programs would probably be more successful.

That's my opinion.

I'm sure the issue at hand with those pesky wolves is associated with the following link... as well as many other things.

http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2010/09/26/Russian-Wheat-Embargo-Likely-to-Raise-Global-Food-Costs.aspx


Damn that Russian drought.

badshot
02-13-2011, 20:33
My point is that even the scientists can make colossal observational mistakes, especially when dealing with carnivores.

Seems to occur quite regularly, I can think of several just here by MT Biologists. Or Global Warming, or Vaccines cause Autism.....


Dolphins, sharks etc hunt in super packs (hundreds to thousands) when the prey presents itself in vast numbers..

This wolf super-pack theory would not surprise me in the least.

Dido...
There are many more examples of species that are either stressed or as TS pointed out; exposed to vast numbers of prey that will tolerate each others presence. Another that comes to mind are Bear, normally loners that give each other wide births, except during events like a salmon run or a good garbage dump.

Conversely Penn, I'd have to agree that it would be unlikely (not impossible, that conclusion would be subjective) that one alpha pair would, in such an instance, control up to 40 individual packs. If the event is true, it is more probable that the packs acted individually in close proximity or some packs even combined.

In any event, still an interesting story. You can bet any researchers who can get there, will, and hopefully provide some interesting insight.

Good post Dusty.

LarryW
02-14-2011, 08:25
Here's a 400 pounder this fellow nailed in Texas. Have heard of stories about folks arming themselves when they walk out to their cars at night because of the feral hog problem. Of course, they may also be doing some multi-tasking...

17944

Pete
02-14-2011, 08:44
Here's a 400 pounder this fellow nailed in Texas. Have heard of stories about folks arming themselves when they walk out to their cars at night because of the feral hog problem. Of course, they may also be doing some multi-tasking...

17944

They always like to stand behind the hog. In this case it looks to be about 4 feet +/-. Doing that makes the hog look bigger.

Dusty
02-14-2011, 09:05
They always like to stand behind the hog. In this case it looks to be about 4 feet +/-. Doing that makes the hog look bigger.

Works with shellcrackers, as well.;)

Team Sergeant
02-14-2011, 17:04
Seems to occur quite regularly, I can think of several just here by MT Biologists. Or Global Warming, or Vaccines cause Autism.....

Good post Dusty.

Vaccines causing Autism was a complete scam and very deliberate, real doctors pointed out that long ago that the individual and the research was complete BS.

Global Warming is a political and money driven unsubstantiated theory.

My point was about the real, unintentional mistakes scientists make, not scams.

Chris Cram
02-14-2011, 18:48
My point was about the real, unintentional mistakes scientists make, not scams.
My favorite scientists all had a level of humility, perspective, and caution with respect to what they ‘Knew’ was true.

Here is a thread of time and understanding… They all ‘Knew’ they were right.

Aristotle (384-322 BCE) Geocentric, static, steady state, finite extent, infinite time
Ptolemy (~140 CE) Geocentric Universe
Copernicus (1514) Heliocentric Universe
Albert Einstein (1917) Static, bounded, finite.
Einstein & DeSitter (1932) Expanding flat space.
Bondi & Gold (1948) Expanding, steady state, infinite
Steinhardt, Turok (2002) Expanding and contracting in cycles
Baum & Frampton (2007) Dark Energy, zero entropy…

:munchin Just imagine what we will know tomorrow…

Buffalobob
02-14-2011, 20:53
The major flaw with the Wolf Reintroduction Program in the US is that they forgot to reintroduce the wolves' primary food source-Bison. I'm no expert but from what I have read, the wolf populations have gone completely askew from their projected models. They have already moved as far south as central Colorado as of a year or two ago. These wolf populations will annihilate the elk, deer and sheep populations.

No one forgot. The reintroduction of large numbers of bison is opposed by ranchers who receive a form of welfare by grazing their cows on public land at reduced rates. The buffalo herd in the Henry Mountains of Utah where I killed mine was limited to 200 animals even though it was all BLM land and that was in 1980. The once in a life time permit drawing was a means of culling the excess animals. The same thing occurs in Wyoming.

Having been in the restoration business most of my life, I can tell you that there is no road map for restoring a river, lake or animal population that has been destroyed. You do the best you know how to do and often you make mistakes.

badshot
02-15-2011, 05:07
Vaccines causing Autism was a complete scam and very deliberate, real doctors pointed out that long ago that the individual and the research was complete BS.

Global Warming is a political and money driven unsubstantiated theory.

My point was about the real, unintentional mistakes scientists make, not scams.

Point taken. You are correct, I got off topic on another wolf issue that is not directly related to this post.

Everyone makes mistakes, myself included.

Buffalobob
02-15-2011, 06:38
As I said earlier the opposition to bison is from the ranchers.


http://indiancountrynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11059&Itemid=118

But attorneys for the Interior Department said in a response filed with Lovell last week that stopping the slaughter would allow bison to enter parts of Montana where they could spread brucellosis to livestock.

The attorneys also warned that if the migration of the “massive wild animals” is not put in check, they will enter agricultural and inhabited areas where they could jeopardize public safety, cause property damage, compete with livestock for grazing and destroy crops.

The Yellowstone wolves don't seem to be very effective so far in controlling bison populations but then it is early to tell how things are going to play out.


http://www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/wolves.htm

These wolves have plentiful, semi domesticated not very wild animals to prey upon and have chosen to protect large territories in moderate sized packs irregardless of food supply. This territoriality has caused an expansion out of the Park for the excess wolves and has caused behavioral changes in the prey animals. If food became scarce the question would be how would the packs behave.