Are wolf tracks a good sign or a bad sign?

[Gun Dog]

While out hunting we came across areas with a lot of wolf tracks in the snow. Does this mean:

1. there's lots of wolves because there's lots of game?

2. there's no game because there's lots of wolves?

I can argue it either way. We didn't see any wolf kills but the deer tracks and wolf tracks seemed to go together. OTOH we didn't see much of either of them.

[knighthunter]

Depends if your hunting for deer or wolves?

[Rich_D]

Depends if your hunting for deer or wolves?

My exact thought before even opening the thread.

[Gun Dog]

Hunting deer.

[vanillagator]

one wolf pack eats around 160 deer a year. The math.... destruction. No thinning of the pack.... no deer in the long run. Spot a wolf in your sights save a deer!

[Sofa King]

one wolf pack eats around 160 deer a year. The math.... destruction. No thinning of the pack.... no deer in the long run. Spot a wolf in your sights save a deer!

got proof of that?
total guessing I'm imagining.
what about if they kill several moose, elk, and various other animals?
still 160 deer a year?

[dana]

dually,
It is all about the calorie intake versus calorie burn. How much food does it take to keep 1 dog alive giving the energy it burns. They don't get a lot of calories gained from a squirrel verus calories burned catching the squirrel. They instead go for the bigger calorie intake in the larger biomass. So yes, they do kill a heck of a lot of deer to feed that calorie burning engine.

[dana]

To answer the OP's question, if you are hunting deer and wolves are hunting the same deer, expect the hunting to be very very tuff. We are only out there for a brief time, wolves are at this game 24/7 365. For the hunted critters to stay alive they must hide very well.

[HarryToolips]

Problem is thems wolves are hard to hunt

[Jelvis]

dana you said 24/7 365 days a year, you forgot the Leap year has 366 days
jpresslee

[hunter1993ap]

kinda like hunting deer when there is a cat present. the deer are very spooky and weary. wolves have similar effects with elk as well. hard hunting.

[Jelvis]

hunter1993 I see that tree in your avatar was gnawed by a beaver.
Nice photo, must have been moose hunting at the time eh by a beaver pond?
Jel ..

[hunter1993ap]

hunter1993 I see that tree in your avatar was gnawed by a beaver.
Nice photo, must have been moose hunting at the time eh by a beaver pond?
Jel ..

no that's a mulie rub, just spooked a big buck out of his bed and came across that. it was a year old but shows there were good deer year after year in the area. keep in mind when the wolves are around the animals know. they are very vocal. hunting machines, not good for an area.

[adriaticum]

got proof of that?
total guessing I'm imagining.
what about if they kill several moose, elk, and various other animals?
still 160 deer a year?

A wolf eats between 5 and 15 lb of meat a day.
So let's say 10.
10 pounds x 5 wolves = 50 pounds of meat per day
1 deer = 150 pounds
That's 1 deer every 3 days.

Year has 365 days divided by 3 days = 120
So 1 year 5 wolves eat 120 deer.

10 wolves eat 240 deer per year.

If the pickings are easy, they will eat that much,
If they are not, they might eat a bit less.

[Jelvis]

What about a leep year? 366 days an extra one

[adriaticum]

What about a leep year? 366 days an extra one

Don't count that, they fast on Christmas day, remember?!

[Jelvis]

I think they eat turkey for Christmas for a change.

[REMINGTON JIM]

hunter1993 I see that tree in your avatar was gnawed by a beaver.
Nice photo, must have been moose hunting at the time eh by a beaver pond?
Jel ..


LMAO ! :-D JEL your so funny ! RJ

[adriaticum]

I think they eat turkey for Christmas for a change.

Cougars eat turkeys, wolves can't jump that high.

[chilcotin hillbilly]

You guys are forgetting the killing wolves do just for fun, many time you will find multiple dead deer in an area and only one gets eaten on. I have seen this quite a few time. This becomes more common during deep snow years. Back in 96 there was a big snow in this country, my neighbour found 21 dead deer over a 1/2 mile stretch. All killed the same day, all by wolves.

[Jelvis]

It's not good but it's nature, the wolf might think a dead deer ain't going anywhere
Always come back and eat the frozen meat if they had too. Mother nature teaches each species it's Mission Statement, I ain't going for the pack, I like deer hunting too much for that.
I just don't like poison cuz of the damage to other animals and birds.
Planes and heli I could support but it's expensive. Too much --
Mother Nature is the cruel one, she makes all things to survive on their own and with others under the same conditions at the time and place.

[adriaticum]

What ever happened to the old group hunts when the whole village gets together grab their guns and go after wolves for a day? :mrgreen:
I guess the village got a little big.
I only ever heard those stories from my grandfather.

[markomoose]

Yes hunted north thompson region 2 weeks ago.Saw 2 dozen wolf tracks,Only saw 10 deer in 6 full days.04/05 saw 20+ deer a day.We all as hunters have to target predaters at times to balance predater to prey!

[markomoose]

Eventually they (the predators) run out of food and starve?I don-t buy that argumentThose *******s cover mega ground in one night!