Minnesota: Hunters for Hunters

[Spike_Horn_Shooter]

I have a serious question for you guys in wolf county: why not put up a 4-8’ fence around your property borders?

I love deer hunting, and if the decision is between no deer on my 2-3k/acre deer hunting property or a 10-30k fence, I’m saving up for the fence or building it myself.

Might be worth it to start a fence coop, where everyone pitches in and helps build or financially contributes to fencing around each other’s property.

How high can a wolf jump?
What’s the cost on a 4-8’ high tensile fence? I know the once’s I built in the past were expensive but it’s not like 100s of thousands of dollars? Is that feasible in your location - soils, wetlands, terrain etc?

What are your options:
Fence - Expensive
Shoot wolves - Felony (???)
Lobby DNR - Waste of time
Move -

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Unbelievable.

I have a serious question for you guys in wolf county: why not put up a 4-8’ fence around your property borders?

I love deer hunting, and if the decision is between no deer on my 2-3k/acre deer hunting property or a 10-30k fence, I’m saving up for the fence or building it myself.

Might be worth it to start a fence coop, where everyone pitches in and helps build or financially contributes to fencing around each other’s property.

How high can a wolf jump?
What’s the cost on a 4-8’ high tensile fence? I know the once’s I built in the past were expensive but it’s not like 100s of thousands of dollars? Is that feasible in your location - soils, wetlands, terrain etc?

What are your options:
Fence - Expensive
Shoot wolves - Felony (???)
Lobby DNR - Waste of time
Move -

I actually said the same thing a few post above yours. I don’t think an 8 foot fence is very ethical, but a 4 foot should absolutely do the trick on allowing deer in but wolves out.

 

[Spike_Horn_Shooter]

Unbelievable.

I actually said the same thing a few post above yours. I don’t think an 8 foot fence is very ethical, but a 4 foot should absolutely do the trick on allowing deer in but wolves out.

Sorry, didn’t see that.

I mean what other options to these guys have? I read a study/podcast where these guys down south were fencing in 5-10 acre areas, and it became a hotspot for does with fawns, because the coyotes could not get in. M Basically the does dropped their fawns in the protective area and went out and fed, and came back and nursed. When the fawn was old enough the doe and fawn would start leaving the fenced in area.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Sorry, didn’t see that.

I mean what other options to these guys have? I read a study/podcast where these guys down south were fencing in 5-10 acre areas, and it became a hotspot for does with fawns, because the coyotes could not get in. M Basically the does dropped their fawns in the protective area and went out and fed, and came back and nursed. When the fawn was old enough the doe and fawn would start leaving the fenced in area.

Oh all good wasn’t implying anything other than we think alike on this. If you owned 40 or 100 or 200 acres in Wolf country, I would think a 4 foot woven wire fence around your perimeter would be the best investment you could think of.

 

[homerj]

We had a female Golden Retriever that could get out of a kennel with 6' panels. I'm pretty sure a wolf would laugh at a 4' fence

 

[jsasker007]

Getting a season to control the wolves would be the best solution but good luck getting the DNR on board. Maybe if we all beg for more wolves the DNR would get rid of them quickly? Reverse psychology? Or get the tribes/natives to request less wolves would get it done almost overnight.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

We had a female Golden Retriever that could get out of a kennel with 6' panels. I'm pretty sure a wolf would laugh at a 4' fence

Funny you mentioned a golden retriever since I was going to post a similar story. We have a golden retriever that can climb a ladder to get into my kid's swing set. Any fence that allows deer to cross will also likely allow wolves in.

I think a 8' fence would work to keep deer in, but hunting penned deer isn't something that would interest most. I'll admit that would still be more appealing than having a deer hunting property with only wolves and no deer.

 

[homerj]

I'm not sure if people know how big wolves really are. I'd guess a big male wolf is larger than the vast majority of southern deer.

 

[BuckSutherland]

Too bad the logger didn't have a gun with him.

 

[jsasker007]

I've been taking my .380 with me when I take my dogs out lately. Better to have and not need it.......

 

[Spike_Horn_Shooter]

Northern MN fencing effort may help rancher and wolves

If the fencing works, Wes Johnson’s cattle ranch could become a showcase example of how seemingly polarized interests can coexist.

www.twincities.com

From the article: “4’ fencing seems to deter most wolves. 4’ and 6’ is being used on the guy’s ranch in MN.

Guy has 1600 acres - cost was 100k - initial cost was 300k for a contacted to do this. Simple math says if a guy has 160 acres he’s looking at 10k, to build it himself up 2 or 3 landowners of 100-300 acres would significantly decrease cost by not fencing their shared boundaries.

I’d have to think that if your the only guy in the neighborhood shooting / seeing any sort of deer that the ROI on this is positive.

 

[Maddog66]

I love deer hunting and managing my land for deer and other wildlife.

Me and my wife spent more for that land than our house….and now I have to build a fence around it because liberal assholes in Madison can’t understand wildlife management?

Not gonna happen.

Pew-pew-pew

 

[Wind Gypsy]

My 4’ tree cages became 1’ tree cages last winter due to snow.

I believe that a 4' fence would be a wolf deterrent, for a little while, when there isn't snow over half the height of it deep (when adult deer are most vulnerable). I think the whitetail population is hurting bad enough in much of northern MN that the wolves are getting hungry. If a guy had a chunk of land with a healthy herd of whitetails inside a 4' fence and outside that fence was void of whitetail, it would not take long at all for that deterrent to quit deterring wolves IMO. Let's say it did deter wolves and a bunch of people fence their properties. What does that mean for whitetails anywhere that isn't fenced? Seems like a feel good idea for people who don't want wolves getting killed. "those whiners should just put a 4' fence up if they don't want their pets/deer getting eaten by wolves"..

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Are there are a lot of deer/auto collisions up north? I assume not very many anymore since the lack of deer. Did there used to be a lot of auto collisions? We used to have a taxidermist in northern WI and I recall one year he stated he and his wife had already hit ten that year. The wolves are doing what they were put there to do. The powers that be give us snipers and you guys get wolves. I wouldn't expect any changes.

Used to be you had to be on your Ps and Qs any time driving at dawn/dust because the deer filed out of the woods to eat that tasty DOT seed blend on all the road shoulders. Not so much anymore.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

My 4’ tree cages became 1’ tree cages last winter due to snow.

I believe that a 4' fence would be a wolf deterrent, for a little while, when there isn't snow over half the height of it deep (when adult deer are most vulnerable). I think the whitetail population is hurting bad enough in much of northern MN that the wolves are getting hungry. If a guy had a chunk of land with a healthy herd of whitetails inside a 4' fence and outside that fence was void of whitetail, it would not take long at all for that deterrent to quit deterring wolves IMO. Let's say it did deter wolves and a bunch of people fence their properties. What does that mean for whitetails anywhere that isn't fenced? Seems like a feel good idea for people who don't want wolves getting killed.

I see it more as trying to take matters into your own hands. I’m all for shooting every wolf a person sees. The problem with that is it’s a risk but it’s also a longshot one person going rogue is gonna make much of a difference. i also seeing as making your property as attractive as possible, like planting food and improving timber.

 

[homerj]

$10K buys a lot of beef steaks

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

$10K buys a lot of beef steaks

The cost of a farm and hunting gear would feed a family for a lifetime so if we are weighing costs none of it makes sense

 

[homerj]

If I had deer hunting property in wolf country, I'd sell it instead of throwing more money down the rat hole. What's sad is that the issue could be resolved relatively easily

 

[Foggy47]

Here in OZ the coyotes hop on top of 8 foot concrete walls and sit there.....looking for pets to eat. They find little Fluffy.....grab it.....and hop over the wall again to eat Fluffy. Anything a coyote can do a wolf can do better. I dont believe we are having this conversation. lol
(They do offer a roller which attaches to the top of the wired wrought iron fences which will prevent many coyotes from getting over a wire fence....but not all.)

 

[jsasker007]

How about digging? Do coyotes or wolves dig under things? My husky can dig under a fence in a few minutes.