Different views out of MN

We had our first wolf on camera a few days ago. We also saw 6 piles of fresh wolf scat on the road by Boy River. Why on the road? It's beyond me. We're still not seeing any quantity to our area either. We have seen a few fawns though finally.
 
I often find wolf sign - my lab is a great indicator. She locks up and pees and the ground where wolves mark the spot.

No wolf tracks lately, but it seems to rain every third day in Onamia.

If you are serious about the rain, send some my way. All of the irrigators are running and my shoulders hurt from carrying water. the grass is browning out.

SD-I have found wolf tracks running the roads for 1/4, 1/2 mile or much more. I think they use them for travel just like we do. It all depends on the traffic on the road and the tribes do not usually harass them (might be a factor in your area). My end of 172 has more ag and the wolves are often removed by trappers or "others". You can keep them in your end of 172.
 
If you are serious about the rain, send some my way. All of the irrigators are running and my shoulders hurt from carrying water. the grass is browning out.

SD-I have found wolf tracks running the roads for 1/4, 1/2 mile or much more. I think they use them for travel just like we do. It all depends on the traffic on the road and the tribes do not usually harass them (might be a factor in your area). My end of 172 has more ag and the wolves are often removed by trappers or "others". You can keep them in your end of 172.
I don't want to keep them all to myself. I wish we could move some to the metro area where they can be closer to their protectors.
 
I don't want to keep them all to myself. I wish we could move some to the metro area where they can be closer to their protectors.

Maybe move all of them to the metro and keep the riff raff off the streets at night.:)
 
We had our first wolf on camera a few days ago. We also saw 6 piles of fresh wolf scat on the road by Boy River. Why on the road? It's beyond me. We're still not seeing any quantity to our area either. We have seen a few fawns though finally.
I've noticed the same thing in wolf country.....the wolves must mark their territory by pooping on the roads (coyotes do the same thing on my trails). Repeatably witnessed that habit while moose hunting up in the arrowhead. We frequently caught wolves in that act while driving our truck there over a two-week period and saw a number of scat piles while driving.
 
By chance did you speed up and try to run any of them over? That would be easy to explain to law enforcement at least. :)
 
By chance did you speed up and try to run any of them over? That would be easy to explain to law enforcement at least. :)

Foggy may be getting old enough he doesn't hang out the windows when he shoots any more. Prefers a vehicle at a dead stop before firing!
 
By chance did you speed up and try to run any of them over? That would be easy to explain to law enforcement at least. :)


My son in law and I were on 4-wheelers when a wolf jumps onto the trail ahead of me. I instinctively gave a short chase....but then backed off. My SIL, pulls around me and chased that dude for a mile or more......almost running him down before he veered off the trail. Not sure I'd back off if I saw another one....I've come to despise wolves.

What good do they do for me or my sport? Wolves or deer???......I choose deer.
 
I would be fine with wolves if they would keep the numbers low, but that seems impossible. Too many people are emotional about wolves and somehow the DNR's the Midwest are very hesitant to try to manage the populations at the original goal levels. They must use different math than I'm used to when they calculate the tag numbers ever year. If you want to talk to some people with strong views about wolves, go up to northern WI where they run bears with hounds and the wolves tear apart the hounds. I own land in Rusk County and as I've gotten to know some of locals up there, they tell some interesting "large coyote" stories. Free passes are not given up there and it seems to help control the wolf numbers on a local level.

For the life of me I can't understand why the DNR's in MN and WI don't see the income potential of $10 over the counter wolf stamps that allow hunters to bag one during the deer season. Have the season automatically end when a preset kill maximum is hit so the wolf population would not dip below the population goal and it's a win/win for everyone but the wolf lovers. The DNR's would make a million bucks selling over the counter stamps and the wolf population would still be above the set goals. But I guess that would make too much sense.
 
Great idea Ben! I'd buy one for sure.
 
The 1990 management plan had a goal of "350 wolves outside of Native American Reservations."

A new wolf plan is supposed to come out in 2015. My guess is the goal in the new plan will be higher. If I put n my conspiracy hat, the DNR is already managing towards the new number hence the lower wolf kill goal for next year.
 
It seems like there is an inverse relationship among quality of resource management and resource value. It's not only deer, but fish as well. Walleye drives the economy in parts of the state, yet walleye fishing at best goes in terrible swings in MN. Leech lake was allowed to collapse because a useless bird was allowed to breed and feed without a natural predator check on their population. Red lake was destroyed because of over harvest for sake of food and tradition. Now Mille Lacs is suffering the same fate and is still on the downward slope.
 
It seems like there is an inverse relationship among quality of resource management and resource value. It's not only deer, but fish as well. Walleye drives the economy in parts of the state, yet walleye fishing at best goes in terrible swings in MN. Leech lake was allowed to collapse because a useless bird was allowed to breed and feed without a natural predator check on their population. Red lake was destroyed because of over harvest for sake of food and tradition. Now Mille Lacs is suffering the same fate and is still on the downward slope.

Are these anomalies or a good observation?

Was BSing with the owner of the bait shop today, and he said Ventura was close to getting a system into place where DNR employees bonuses were based upon customer satisfaction. Anybody have any recollection?
 
DNR employees get bonuses?

The initiative did not pass. They would have received said bonus if they got good grades in their region.
 
^^^^ sounds like merit pay for teachers

was 'merit pay' a good program?
 
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