Wolf Season ??

[lungdeflator]

Since the quota is 400, there is the potential for the season to end early. Do you think there is a good chance to get 400 wolves down early?

Is there baiting allowed before the season starts? like baiting for bears?

[lichen fox]

There is a "total" quota of 200 for the early season that coinsides with the deer hunting seasons...any of the unfilled quota will be added to the quota for the late hunting and trapping seasons...

As for baiting this is what it says in the wolf regs that are available online at the dnr website...

Bait - Bait is allowed for the purposes of attracting a wolf to take by legal firearms, bow and arrow, or trapping. Note: The use of bait for wolf hunting or trapping is legal this year within applicable laws. However, the deposit of carcasses not associated with legal baiting or on public lands, or on private lands without the consent of the owner, constitutes litter. Also the Minnesota Board of Animal Health requires that carcasses from domestic animals must be disposed of as soon as possible after death, usually within 48 to 72 hours, by burial, composting, or incineration. The disposal or placement of livestock carcasses on public land constitutes litter. Use of live bait may constitute cruelty to animals.

[HunterLee]

I highly doubt that the quota will be hit. I know there are tons of wolves, but most people won't have the drive or patience to find one. I also bet a fair amount of coyotes will get smoked thinking they got a wolf.

Trapping may be the only way for any amount to be gotten.

I didn't draw so hoping for a late season hunting.

[DinnerPail]

+1 agree with HunterLee

[bowhunternw]

I also agree that the qouta likely will not be filled. There are quite a few around judging by the amount of tracks seen. They really seem to like to run the roads at night in their areas. Typically will see at least 1 per year and as much on 8 on the best year. You are going to have to bait or maybe they will respond to a call. Trapping would be the most effective way to get one, I would imagine.

Never got drawn though, maybe next year. Good luck to those that got a tag.

[lichen fox]

The station I work for did an interview with the DNR's NW Regional Director this morning...and she said that it will be very interesting to see how the harvest goes, as the DNR had consulted with a Wolf Expert from the Alaska DNR and "he" estimates that in the inaguaral season that MN will be lucky if 50 to 75 Wolves are harvested TOTAL!! Consider in Alaska...they only sell about 50,000 hunting & trapping license combined...they can shoot up to 5 wolves per season and for trappers there is no limit...and thier average annual harvest is only about 500!! We will have only 6,000 licensed hunters and trappers out there....we will have a much smaller area for them to cover, but 6,000 hunters in what 100 milion acres? He could be right...She said the DNR is hoping for much better results especially in the western areas as wolves have become quite a problem with livestock and pet depredation...She also told me that in Itasca County that they had documentedd 6 dogs that were killed by wolves in one week!! The Alaska Wolf expert also said that the majority of the harvest will be made by only the most skilled hunters and trappers....Come on folks...lets show Alaska how to hunt wolves!!

[HunterLee]

Still beyond me that they don't open it up to everybody in some of the fridge areas. The last two nights they have been going nuts near me while bear baiting and I am within 45min of the red river. Why limit the hunting in areas where they claim they have none.

For you non believers.

A coyote from exact spot for reference.

[Musky Buck]

HunterLee assuming is never the answer like I assumed it was statewide, but you're saying parts of the state are off limits ? Going to research that now and pray Ottertail county is good to go friends/relatives literally have hundreds and hundreds of trailcam pics of wolves, all colors and all sizes.

[Musky Buck]

Yep OT is good to go thankfully. Have seen them in Northern Todd also so that's good, think the wolf figured out that transition zone between forest/ag is a gold mine for easy deer eating, less cover/ easier meal.

[HunterLee]

I didn't mean it in that way. I believe during deer season some parts are off limits, but I met more along the lines as why limit the wolf hunting in areas that are non traditional wolf grounds like the No Quota bear. They could of easily gave unlimited tags for areas that they don't want/think they have them. They could keep the quotas but leave it open outside those areas so people could at least hunt. They don't limit deer hunting so why limit wolves?

[Musky Buck]

Right on gotcha, yeah that makes sense for sure.

[lichen fox]

I agree...and that was exactly one of the comments I entered in the public input when it was up....I can understand not doing it the "first" season...they are just trying to get an idea of hunter/trapper success percentages...but in the future, I would hope that they have a "no-quota" wolf area like bears..

[Jameson]

...They don't limit deer hunting so why limit wolves?

doe lottery.

[lungdeflator]

Lichen-- that is very interesting information from Alaska. Hopefully we can fill the quota!

[HunterLee]

They don't limit deer hunting, they allow as many bucks as hunters to be shot. Yes they limit doe hunting, but not deer.

[mrklean]

There going mobile saw a box truck driving around with the stop the hunt all over it

[Musky Buck]

lol, here's to 3 flat tires for em, buckin the wind getting 3 miles to the gallon, and road killing a wolf.

[Bear55]

Lichen-- that is very interesting information from Alaska. Hopefully we can fill the quota!

Yep very interesting info, I have a feeling it will be some tough hunting. Been hunting in prime wolf country for 25+ years and I have never seen a wolf from the stand, plenty from the road. It won't be an easy task to tag one.

[lichen fox]

If anyone is interested...the DNR has all the legal documents that Howling for Wolves has filed and thier initial responses posted on the DNR website

[DRH1175]

I agree that the quota will most likely not be met. Seeing Wolves when deer hunting. Vs Seeing a Wolf when you have a Wolf tag will be different beast. Anyone who has ever predator hunted know how hard it is. Coyote hunting hunting is hard. Wolf hunting will be about 100 times harder. Wolves are very elusive animals. They are smart, have incredible noses and do most hunting at night. I think we may all be surprised as how few really get tagged legally. Even if baiting is legal. I bet most bait sights will be hit at night.

[JayinMN]

Those are both coyotes. Probably the same one. The only difference is the position of your camera.

Still beyond me that they don't open it up to everybody in some of the fridge areas. The last two nights they have been going nuts near me while bear baiting and I am within 45min of the red river. Why limit the hunting in areas where they claim they have none.

For you non believers.

A coyote from exact spot for reference.

[HunterLee]

The camera was never moved, it sat for over a week on the same pole. The top one is the wolf.

Tough to believe you can't tell the difference, and there is also the black spot the coyote is standing on and the wolf is beyond that.

[matchset]

the camera doesn't move...but the Infrared flash is lesser in the wolf picture, giving you that optical illusion. as batteries get used up, you can notice a difference in night time quality pics in some cameras.

[Bear55]

Look at the legs people, that top one is all wolf. It might be a younger wolf and it looks a little hungry but its all wolf. Not seeing any camera conspiracy theories here.

[psepuncher]

I agree HL,

looking at the black spot in the frame.

The yote is right about on it and the wolf is well beyond it.

IMO ...bringing the wolf in as close as the yote, you'd see a

big dramatic difference in their height etc.