Coyote or timber wolf pup in Duluth?

[83walleye]

Sunday am driving back east down Arrowhead Road from Menard's - coming up to the big field just short of where the Dairy Delight used to be, and a wolf runs up the curb and then goes back into the woods, on the south side of Arrpwhead Rd.

My initial thought was it's a timber wolf pup - tall, w/long legs and big feet, with a fairly short summer coat. Might've been a big coyote, but those long legs and big feet made me think timber wolf. What are the chances what I saw was a timber wolf? Any other sightings? This was like 10am in the morning on a clear, sunny day.

I've seen timber wolf pups up around the Toohey/Fourmile area out of Finland - this thing looked just like them.

[Bobby Bass]

I have seen them North of Two Harbors over the years, would not surprise me at all.

[Steve Foss]

One of the thing that surprised a lot of biologists after wolf populations recovered was the species' willingness to live very close to people. There have been verified sightings in Twin Cities suburbs, so why not Duluth, which is much closer to the heart of wolf range. Plus, the wolves that repopulated northern Wisconsin almost certainly dispersed from northeastern Minnesota, and that would involve crossing I-35 and some pretty populated areas south of Duluth. And, even more than wolves, coyotes are very adapted to living right up against human populations.

[Capt.Blaine]

I was told there are two packs running around between hwy 53 to #4 and as far south as boulder lake and Island lake. Just about every deer season we hear them at night. We rifle hunt on the north side of Boulder Lake. Every season we also see wolf sign. No one in our hunting party has seen any wolfs since 1998. But they are still there! What's Island Lake about 10-15 miles down Rice lake rd to Arrowhead rd? It very easily could have been a wolf.

[Surface Tension]

"One of the thing that surprised a lot of biologists after wolf populations recovered was the species' willingness to live very close to people."

Thats very true but some would lead you to believe otherwise to support their agendas.

Arrowhead road is on the fringe of the city and big woods.

There are wolves in the area and have been for some time. Seeing a wolf wonder on that fringe wouldn't be all that unusual especially with wolf numbers rising and new territories being sot after.

[Northlander]

Had a wolf and a few foxes in my area. Its getting to the point I dont put the dog out on the runner after dark unless Im out there as well. People keep cutting down the animals land and putting malls and condos on it and we cant figure out why we see more animals?

No, Im not against hunting. I hunt fish almost daily.

[83walleye]

Well, maybe my gut feeling was right then. It was just too big to be a coyote. Might be interesting to know if people up in those neighborhoods have had any pets disappear - don't think a coyote would prey on a big dog, but with the timber wolves, anything is fair game.

Northlander, like your "hunt fish" comment. More power to you, brother!!

[Steve Foss]

83: We have a pack of coyotes that frequents our yard on the edge of Ely and the surrounding area. Last summer, a male in the pack bred a female lab down the street. She weighed about 70 pounds, and the coyote tore her up to the tune of several hundred dollars of local vet work.

[fishermn]

Last year in the Duluth hunt one of the guys hunting in our zone had one come in (t-wolf). It stopped right where a doe had been shot a day before, sniffed around a bit then proceeded on his way. That was right smack in the middle of the city!

[Ely Lake Expert]

83,

It would not suprise me at all if it was a timberwolf. My hunting shack is 35 miles north of Duluth up hwy 4, pretty close to whiteface resevoir. We see lots of timberwolves every year. Last year while out fourwheeling one morning a couple of us drove up on a small pack of timbers chowing down on a small bull moose they took down the day or night before.

[upnorth]

I have seen a few timberwolf, but never that close to town. But I do see some wolf sign in the woods pretty dang close to Chisholm here. I always figured that they would be even more spooked close to town.

[cloyd]

seen timberwolf sign an spotted one once some 20 years ago in the brainerd lakes area

timbers have been around for a long long time..especially in the duluth/bwca across to warroad to bemidji

not to mention wolverine around redlake

cougar around emily area..old grade

even found lynx in certain areas

coyotes an timbers are mortal enemies so timbers will push a coyotes range alot closer to town...easy food source for a scavenger like a coyote

hard to say what ya seen...coulda been either..they are around an not going anywhere

[SKIPPERS KID]

I have seen one in west Duluth, and it was shot my dads neighbor and his dog was killed by the wolf, Well there are a lot more good food for them in town than in the deep woods look at the deer in town and other food well cant blame them for moved in as well. It's food and lot's of it .

[Bassboy1645]

just last nite we were takign a suana and my roomate yells down COYOTES!!!!! we run outside in our skivies and swimtrunks to the front porch and real quiet my roomate lets out a rabbit in distress call off the varmit call. they came right in 30 yards in our front yard and driveway.....this was right in residential ely around the woodlots by shagwa lake....very cool sight indeed and they def were coyotes becaseu we seen plenty of them in farm coutnry.......

[Steve Foss]

There's a coyote pack that runs the Shag/Miners area. It's the same pack that sometimes hangs out around our place, since we overlook Shag on one side and Miners on the other, and our back yard turns into woods that runs right down to Shag. The coyotes have adapted to the area just in and around Ely, because it's not an area any wolf packs claim, and coyotes can make a living there without being zapped by wolves.

[cloyd]

my old trapping partner ( old indian ) told me that timbers hate coyotes due to pack orientation an family stucture

a timber wont bother a red fox though

but a coyote will kill a fox in a heartbeat if given a chance

fur prices are soaring..expect fox an coyotes to be hit hard this winter..if theres any snow trappers left

rare art an very few trappers are good in snow..been thinkin i should dig out the old 4's an give em hell..run a line up the north shore..do some ice fishing an run it back

heck of a way to get some good fighin in up there