Easy fix for wolf problems (janobonano)

I heard about the Python issue. That is VERY bad. I am a snake lover but I could never ever keep anything that ate more than a full grown rat size prey item.

I also heard they were trying to train up some hounds to scent them out for killing. I hope they know they will lose some Beagles doing that and are very careful about that aspect. Maybe Bloodhounds would be better, tho I understand they'd be more expensive to procure, keep, and train...

 i think they only just started encouraging hunters, or anyone, to kill the snakes on sight.((i read a news article somewhere about anyway)) and they have been a problem for about ten years or more? well i didnt hear about them - heard rumors- until ten years ago. but FL has a plethora of introduced species, besides pigs and yotes and pythons we have monitors, geckos(i have those on my porch!) giant anoles, giant pouched rats, and thanks to ted turner a few black leopards.. and probably a few monkeys among other things we havent seen yet.

and i agree, LGDs could be iffy... i was thinking the same thing RW said about the european wolf vs grey wolf.... maybe a LGD and a couple of donkeys?

i still say being vigilant and keeping a rifle is the best bet along with reinforcing fences. 

rwbeagles

The wolves where Pyrs were developed were more like jackals or coyotes in size...no where near the size of a full grown Timber wolf. The breeds above also have a dog fighting history right up to now (vs their own breed whcih are about the size of Timbers) so they could probably handle the wolves a lot better...as much as that is distasteful to say.

 Not sure on the size thing but I also know they were used for bears. I agree that today's Pyrs, at least most of them might not be the best suited for the job though. Anatolians are doing a good job in Africa preventing Cheetahs from being killed for hunting farmer's livestock.

I saw a cat fending off a bear on some video or another LOL. Unless they have cubs bears (black bears at least) are all about the least amt of effort possible...Karelian's scare them off and they are what...40lbs?  Now Bears IMO are a bigger threat to PEOPLE simply because we've all seen what can happen when they lose their fear...and they seem to do so, quickly. But wolves seem a bit less ready to lay down and hang out with people or near their actual homes...and prefer stealth whenever possible I think?

 not a bear expert but bears, like you said, like least amount of effort, black bears arent always timid. one tried to break into my dad's camper while his friend was in it lol though i think they kinda scared each other off..... Mr Bear didnt know anyone was home lol

but i dont think there is much that BIG bears fear. i was watching a doc. the other day about wolves making a kill and a big brown bear just strolled right up and plopped down. the wolves didnt even try to protect it. and the wolves outnumbered the bear 8 to 1...  i was a little surprised to be honest that the wolves just scattered and watched from a distance, didnt even try to take a nip at him lol

yes both Grizzly and Polar are different animals than a Black. But thankfully they are slightly less common in the lower 48 and around the more populated areas...whew!

 the grizzly is #1 reason why i hesitate to move to Montana.... not jobs or schools, or the fact that it gets insanely cold there..... its the thought of getting eaten while walking to the mail box...

DumDog

its the thought of getting eaten while walking to the mail box...

Fo' Sho'!!! lol.

Being loaded for Bear when one retrieves the mail or walks the dog is rather a scary notion!

janobonano

The wolves are getting to be a huge problem around here, killing livestock and pets.

I remember years ago (60's) there was a similar problem in the area I grew up in. The residents in the area were for the most part hunters, trappers and anglers. One would expect such individuals to have an above average understanding and appreciation for the 'balance of nature' and the consequences of human interference. Apparently not! The area had been all but depleted of it's deer population by over hunting. The shortage of their (wolves) natural food source resulted in an increase in livestock attacks. In their wisdom (sarcasm) the local gov't issued a bounty on the wolves. I remember seeing photos in the newspapers of rows of hanging wolf carcasses behind smiling hunters with their guns slung over their shoulders. Very sad. Well it did not take long until it became extremely rare to see even a sign that wolves still existed in the area. It did not take much longer for an explosion in the deer population which proceeded to decimate the farmers crops.

Nature has a way of balancing out wildlife population so they don't become a problem. I think someone should be looking into why the wolves are now attacking the livestock and try to remedy that situation.  JMHO

 Don't underestimate the Black Bear.  I think it actually kills more people than browns, but of course there are more Blacks and they are more apt to run into people.  Usually the run, but every once in a while, they see the human as prey and have been seen stalking a camper.  If you can't get into protection and don't have a gun, you will be lunch.  Its not a matter of bear hunger apparently, but for some reason they go into hunt mode.  They can out run you, up hill, down hill and can climb faster than a human.  I watched one in the boundary waters of MN and they are quick.

DougB

Its not a matter of bear hunger apparently, but for some reason they go into hunt mode. 

That'd be the scent of fear. If you smell like food then you are food..basically, no predator hungry or not would resist the lure of the hunt given such fragrant easy prey. Law of the jungle and true for about every predator out there, legless, 2 legged or 4, on land or in water. Walk as you want to be seen in nature...like a predator...or, like prey! Any good Bushman knows that I'd wager!

 And of course, you don't have to outrun the bear.  Just the person you are with.

 Denise, too right!! even as a kid(reading too many Jack London stories) i knew about the balance of nature and what a famine can do to the wildlife. there is a delicate ebb and flow to it... it might be that the deer were hunted too hard(by both predators) this past year, or there could be a disease in them. its easy to ignore that but the wild life conservation officers and the few "REAL" hunters left are the ones who will know for sure.

While out with my dad at his hunting property my husband said he didnt think Black bears were all that aggressive but dad pretty much said the same thing... "as a rule they're not but if one runs into you alone here you might as well just say your prayers" 

another time dad and i were tracking a wounded deer(not ours, but we saw where someone had apparently shot two at one time... thats all we could figure because the blood trail split in two different directions) we followed one trail until we saw bear tracks following the same trail. we called off the search and left. 

denise m

Nature has a way of balancing out wildlife population so they don't become a problem. I think someone should be looking into why the wolves are now attacking the livestock and try to remedy that situation.  JMHO

That's exactly another reason why people around here are groaning about the DNR. This year's deer hunting numbers were way down. Many hunters have cameras by their stands (some have feed/bait piles) and a lot of them said they saw more bears and wolves than deer.

 that's gonna suck.... sounds like maybe they need to let up on the hunting for a while... that would be a death sentence to the people down here if that ever happened....

i always heard Wisconsin had insane deer herds. my brother in law lives up there and hates deer with a passion. one jumped in front of his car at night. he and his wife were both knocked unconscious. thankfully they had just dropped off their 1 yr old son at his grandparents.