Wolves attack dog near Duluth

[Coach Chris]

Wolves attack dog near Observation Road in Duluth

Paul Moore often runs his chocolate Labrador retriever off leash when he's training the dog to look for sheds -- deer antlers on the ground. So there was nothing unusual when the owner and eager dog left Moore's parked truck off Observation Road ...

www.duluthnewstribune.com

 

[Old man bob]

I would shoot a wolf in any situation. Fu,, the goverment. People need to get that attitude. Wolves are taking over and Hunters are turning into pussies to the left.................BOB!

 

[TerraPrey]

They will usually avoid humans and leave the area when they see, hear, or smell people close by. If you see a wolf or any other animal and are concerned about your safety, make sure it knows you are nearby by talking or yelling to alert it to your presence. If you are carrying a firearm, you can fire a warning shot into the ground.
But once they smell a dog I think they see it as competition and a reason for a fight.

 

[NoWiser]

Get back on your meds Old Man. This has nothing to do with “the left.” A wolf attacked a dog, the owner defended it as anyone would do. Happens often in northern Minnesota.

 

[BrentD]

Get back on your meds Old Man. This has nothing to do with “the left.” A wolf attacked a dog, the owner defended it as anyone would do. Happens often in northern Minnesota.

Well not exactly often. For the 15 yrs I lived there with wolves, I never had such an encounter or even heard of one happening.j It's pretty damn rare.

 

[NoWiser]

I’ve had them circle my Brittany spaniel on a couple occasions while grouse hunting where I had to fire some warning shots. Seems I hear once or twice a year about them attacking a dog. Most don’t make the news. Regardless, it has nothing to do with “the left” which was my main point.

 

[Little Big Man MT Chris]

What a Wild outdoors encounter, in hindsight laying on the dog , with 2 wolves all fired up , seems dangerous to me , don’t know I would want to be off my feet in a fight like that , but I also realize, sometimes things happen so fast we don’t have clear thought process, which he mentioned in his retelling the story , glad we don’t have wolves in my corner of NW Oregon , but I’m guessing they will eventually they migrate this way as they continue to breed and expand their range, I’ve read this spring of a confirmed wolf kill on lambs and some sheep in southern Oregon this year , which is just a few 100 miles south of me , this is also the 1st I’ve herd personally of a wolf being on the west side of the state

 

[Twolftg]

Well not exactly often. For the 15 yrs I lived there with wolves, I never had such an encounter or even heard of one happening.j It's pretty damn rare.

I dont belive they are that rare, happens to geouse hunters quite a bit. I just dont think its reported. Too be honest it doesnt seem like new or all that suprising.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

Quite a few bear hounds have been killed in Idaho. Sheep dogs also. Earlier this spring in a valley 12 miles from me a wolf was shot while attacking a dog. It was ruled a justified kill.

 

[BrentD]

I dont belive they are that rare, happens to geouse hunters quite a bit. I just dont think its reported. Too be honest it doesnt seem like new or all that suprising.

As a grouse hunter at the time, never happened to me and my golden and later a springer. Never happened when we were hunting squirrels or just out and about in the swamps and woods. Never happened to anyone else that lived along the gravel road that ended at our place, and they and hunted and hiked and let their dogs roam. Never happened to family friends with their two chessies who did the same for years and years. Never happened to any of the kids I worked with up there either. We did comment about the bears that would wander about the place and occasionally break in. We always talked about the moose that showed up in the drive way, but we never talked about wolves attacking our dogs, because it was too common to bother?

I suspect it would just about always be reported and certainly mentioned by neighbors, friends, coworkers and others. So if you think it is just every day stuff that doesn't get reported, on what objective data do you base that opinion?

 

[tzone]

They will usually avoid humans and leave the area when they see, hear, or smell people close by. If you see a wolf or any other animal and are concerned about your safety, make sure it knows you are nearby by talking or yelling to alert it to your presence. If you are carrying a firearm, you can fire a warning shot into the ground.
But once they smell a dog I think they see it as competition and a reason for a fight.

I’m not sure where you got that information...but it’s wrong. I’ve seen dozens of wolves in MN and WI. Only 2 of them was afraid of me.

 

[tzone]

I do know 2 people that have had wolves after their dog. One was killed. One was not. The dog that was killed was killed on a frozen lake while ice fishing near the caribou trail in northern MN. It was a black lab.

The other is a family friend I’ve known for 30 years and one of my outdoor mentors. He was grouse hunting and the wolves, 2, we scared off by a shot. The guy was on a logging road about 10 miles north of Duluth in a popular grouse hunting area

 

[Panda Bear]

We find that the Grey Wolf does attempt to avoid humans and any attacks on humans are pretty rare. I am sure if a dog was wandering around in the mountains alone they would be susceptible to a wolf pack, in the same way, caribou, moose, and hares are, but if they are with a human it would be unusual to have a wolf attack either a dog or human. However, the Arctic wolf's are very bold and will run along side sled dogs and humans. Getting them away is not always easy as they always run in packs. They will attack a dog if hungry but rarely a human. An Arctic pack of wolves can easily take down muskox when hungry.

 

[westbranch]

As a grouse hunter at the time, never happened to me and my golden and later a springer. Never happened when we were hunting squirrels or just out and about in the swamps and woods. Never happened to anyone else that lived along the gravel road that ended at our place, and they and hunted and hiked and let their dogs roam. Never happened to family friends with their two chessies who did the same for years and years. Never happened to any of the kids I worked with up there either. We did comment about the bears that would wander about the place and occasionally break in. We always talked about the moose that showed up in the drive way, but we never talked about wolves attacking our dogs, because it was too common to bother?

I suspect it would just about always be reported and certainly mentioned by neighbors, friends, coworkers and others. So if you think it is just every day stuff that doesn't get reported, on what objective data do you base that opinion?

What time period was this? I grew up west of Duluth on a small dairy farm and moved out of MN in 2017. Wolves were in our area since the late 70s, but problems didn't start until early 90s. Lots of wolf problems/encountered don't get reported, and quite a few of the ones that do get reported don't get recorded by the MN DNR. Has to be official. Sherrif in Kittson county started tracking things on their own, not the best data but sounds just as good as the MN DNRs to me. But I lost a lot of respect for the state level management of the MN DNR after being involved in the deer management goal setting in 2014 so may be a bit biased.
https://www.grandforksherald.com/sp...county-sheriffs-office-video-sheds-light-wolf
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2018/01/03/wolf-kills-kittson-county

There are plenty of articles on what does get reported. Every spring there are multiple dogs attacked/killed very close or within Duluth city limits. I think it was 2014 that had even more attacks after the harsh winter and deer population was much lower. Would expect a similar issue for 2019 due to the harsh winter. It looks like Wisconsin tracks the numbers more than MN does.
https://www.twincities.com/2016/02/10/dog-killed-in-suspected-wolf-attack-in-duluth/
https://www.twincities.com/2015/04/28/wolves-killing-dogs-in-greater-numbers-in-northern-minnesota/ - 6 dogs killed in 5 weeks
https://northernwilds.com/points-north-in-grand-marais-dog-killing-wolf-isnt-welcome/ - one of several dogs killed in late august in grand marais area
(Wisconsin) https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/4301625-record-number-hunting-dogs-killed-wolves-2016
2018 listing WI - https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/wolf/dogdeps.html


1992 was the first year we had USFW trappers on our farm for cattle killed by wolves. And the trappers were back pretty much annually through 2009 when the dairy cows were sold. Even with annual pressure on the wolves they were not scared of the farm where the people were. Cows were killed within a couple 100 yards of farm buildings and the woods was 3/4 mile to 1 mile away. Good luck buying a replacement cow with the state compensation. Beef farmers in that area rarely reported calf kills because there was usually no evidence left. Since 2010 my brother has rented out the pasture to a cow/calf operation and they lose 5-10% of calves each year and bones are rarely found. Sometimes a piece of tail or hoof is left. DNR or USFW will take a look and say it was probably wolves, but not enough evidence. We had wolves come right through the farm yard midday a couple times. This was after 15+ years of wolves being killed by federal trappers, and local farmers that would shoot at them when possible. With the exception of the BWCA and some of the large national forest areas it seems to me that wolves are pretty much habituated to people in a lot of Northern MN. More deer, rabbits, livestock and fluffy pets to eat where there are people.

 

[Europe]

I would shoot a wolf in any situation. Fu,, the goverment. People need to get that attitude. Wolves are taking over and Hunters are turning into pussies to the left.................BOB!

ouch--with all due respect sir, that is a bit extreme.

P.B. thank you, interesting

Dirtclod--Bobbydean, others from Ar and NM----I think Lobo is making a comeback in our states--slow but a comeback. As a farmers daughter I can certainly appreciate the loss of cattle when that is your living. And from what I hear your compensation from the Feds, is not what it should be. That being said, I am not for wiping them out . In places where there are a lot of wolves, like Alaska and Canada , we did not see many and if we did they were usually at a distance. We were never threatened by one ( or a pack )

I believe they would under the right sicrmstances attack a dog, but in the large scheme of things, I dont hear of it often. Even fewer attacks on people are recorded. I have been bitten by so called house pets, but never a wolf. I love listening to them ( wolfs ) however. Give me a campfire, an adult beverage and a wolf howling in the distance and I'm in

 

[Twolftg]

As a grouse hunter at the time, never happened to me and my golden and later a springer. Never happened when we were hunting squirrels or just out and about in the swamps and woods. Never happened to anyone else that lived along the gravel road that ended at our place, and they and hunted and hiked and let their dogs roam. Never happened to family friends with their two chessies who did the same for years and years. Never happened to any of the kids I worked with up there either. We did comment about the bears that would wander about the place and occasionally break in. We always talked about the moose that showed up in the drive way, but we never talked about wolves attacking our dogs, because it was too common to bother?

I suspect it would just about always be reported and certainly mentioned by neighbors, friends, coworkers and others. So if you think it is just every day stuff that doesn't get reported, on what objective data do you base that opinion?

Well I can base it on the people I have talked to and know and witnessed as well as you. Maybe you lived and hunted in a lower density wolf area than I am used to spending time in. Cant say off hand I can think of 4 different instances in the last two years just taking in reliable sources. I am far from a wolf hater and would say I appreciate them far more than the average hunter, but it's a product or being in an environment with a predatory species.

 

[bobbydean]

Europe,

I think the Mexican wolf reintroduction into the Gila is one of the tragic mistakes of game management. Thank God, it is not the Lobo of the northern states. Mexican wolf is smaller and still deadly. Still will play havoc on the elk and deer.

Just my opinion, I think the Mexican wolf does more damage to cattle.

They are here now and I have no legal solution.

 

[Sytes]

...the owner defended it as anyone would do. Happens often in northern Minnesota.

How far would you go to save your dog?

The DNR also says that is illegal to kill wolves while defending pets. Only government agents are legally authorized to kill wolves that attack, threaten or kill pets or livestock.

 

[Sytes]

The more wolves that enter the scene... The more human interaction.

Nov 2017:

A 38-year-old man hunting alone for elk in Oregon found himself fearing for his life when three wolves he originally believed to be coyotes surrounded him.

Troopers from each agency responded and investigated the incident, determining the hunter was 27 yards from where the wolf had been when he shot. The Union County District Attorney’s Office concluded the hunter acted in self-defense so the hunter was not charged.

 

[BuzzH]

Some folks should stick to pavement and malls...