Threewisemen
New member
I'm really excited! I just had to share!
MN WOLF TAG!!!!
- Thread starter Threewisemen
- Start date
I'm really excited! I just had to share!
Ihateyotes
New member
Congratulations and good luck!
Threewisemen
New member
After a really short Minnesota season I ended up not tagging a wolf. The closest I got was at one point I had a wolf within 30 feet of me I came to find, but it was after it was dark out when I was walking out of the woods.
I had a great time hunting, but am fairly disappointed. I'm not disappointed because I didn't get a wolf, I'm disappointed because I wanted the experience to be out there hunting wolf late December with full snow camo and no one else around. Muzzleloader deer season lasts until tomorrow 12/15 and the last wolf zone closed today; After being excited to hunt wolves for 3 months I really feel cheated by the dnr to have an 11 day season in my area (NW area). Pulling an early season permit would have gotten me more hunting time. The mn dnr requires blaze orange until the end of muzzleloader season so all wolf hunters were required to use blaze orange all season which limited us to pop-up blinds mostly. On top of that the woods were busy with activity with the mild weather and deer season still happening.
I was looking forward to doing most of my hunting after deer season closed, but hunted 4/5 first days anyways. Right around that time everyone figured out that this party was going to end really soon, so I stayed tough hunting for at least 2-3 hours everyday until my area closed on day 11. There were a lot of hunts I really wanted to do and didn't get the opportunity like hunting Ely and an area around near Red Lake where we knew the wolf were hurting the moose. If I had wanted to hunt the NE (Ely) area I should have been out there first weekend, because by the time the second weekend rolled around that area had already closed.
I was amazed at how fast the season closed and crunched some numbers because I was curious:
In 2012 the late season lasted 41 days with an average of 6.48 wolf/day. It had a success rate (the average success rate of any given hunter on any given day the wolf season was open) of 0.270%.
In 2013 the late season lasted 29 with an average of 5.13 wolf/day. It had a success rate of 0.395%
In 2014 the late season lasted 14 days (11 days or less in the majority of the state) with an average of 10.57 wolf/day. It had a success rate of .705% (sofar, a couple more wolf will probably be taken today).
The dnr claims the wolf population has went down 8% from 2012-2014. The hunter success rate has went up (at least) 261%. If you figure that hunter success rate is directly correlated to wolf population (it's not, but just for numbers sake lets say it's somewhat relevant) and lets say the dnr's wolf count in 2012 of 2898 wolves statewide is somewhat accurate then according to this year's harvest rate the statewide population for wolves should be close to 7564. The dnr estimates it at 2423 and sets their harvest limited based on that number.
It's not surprising to see why the wolf season closed in 11 days or why the moose are on the brink of regional extinction; all while the dnr sits back and studies it rather than coming up with a real management plan for wolf. The NE zone is predominantly the area where the remaining moose in the state exist. 75 wolves were allowed to be taken in that zone this year with all likely numbers pointing to the fact that there's at least 1500 wolf in that part of the state alone. That's not a management plan; that doesn't even give the remaining moose a fighting chance.
The irony here is that the dnr did a comprehensive moose study on their decline and came back with what they said were ambiguous results where global warming was probably the culprit (pretty funny, huh?). The actual numbers were a little less than ambiguous though Moose Mortality Numbers taken from dnr report. About a month ago a U of M researcher came out with another paper with a far more definitive interpretation of the numbers Star Tribune article about U of M researcher Dave Mech.
It's going to be a sad day in the not so distant future when moose are going to be regionally extinct in Minnesota due to the DNR pandering to fanatic groups like HOWLING for Wolves rather than using effective management techniques to protect all the animals we currently have here.
I had a great time hunting, but am fairly disappointed. I'm not disappointed because I didn't get a wolf, I'm disappointed because I wanted the experience to be out there hunting wolf late December with full snow camo and no one else around. Muzzleloader deer season lasts until tomorrow 12/15 and the last wolf zone closed today; After being excited to hunt wolves for 3 months I really feel cheated by the dnr to have an 11 day season in my area (NW area). Pulling an early season permit would have gotten me more hunting time. The mn dnr requires blaze orange until the end of muzzleloader season so all wolf hunters were required to use blaze orange all season which limited us to pop-up blinds mostly. On top of that the woods were busy with activity with the mild weather and deer season still happening.
I was looking forward to doing most of my hunting after deer season closed, but hunted 4/5 first days anyways. Right around that time everyone figured out that this party was going to end really soon, so I stayed tough hunting for at least 2-3 hours everyday until my area closed on day 11. There were a lot of hunts I really wanted to do and didn't get the opportunity like hunting Ely and an area around near Red Lake where we knew the wolf were hurting the moose. If I had wanted to hunt the NE (Ely) area I should have been out there first weekend, because by the time the second weekend rolled around that area had already closed.
I was amazed at how fast the season closed and crunched some numbers because I was curious:
In 2012 the late season lasted 41 days with an average of 6.48 wolf/day. It had a success rate (the average success rate of any given hunter on any given day the wolf season was open) of 0.270%.
In 2013 the late season lasted 29 with an average of 5.13 wolf/day. It had a success rate of 0.395%
In 2014 the late season lasted 14 days (11 days or less in the majority of the state) with an average of 10.57 wolf/day. It had a success rate of .705% (sofar, a couple more wolf will probably be taken today).
The dnr claims the wolf population has went down 8% from 2012-2014. The hunter success rate has went up (at least) 261%. If you figure that hunter success rate is directly correlated to wolf population (it's not, but just for numbers sake lets say it's somewhat relevant) and lets say the dnr's wolf count in 2012 of 2898 wolves statewide is somewhat accurate then according to this year's harvest rate the statewide population for wolves should be close to 7564. The dnr estimates it at 2423 and sets their harvest limited based on that number.
It's not surprising to see why the wolf season closed in 11 days or why the moose are on the brink of regional extinction; all while the dnr sits back and studies it rather than coming up with a real management plan for wolf. The NE zone is predominantly the area where the remaining moose in the state exist. 75 wolves were allowed to be taken in that zone this year with all likely numbers pointing to the fact that there's at least 1500 wolf in that part of the state alone. That's not a management plan; that doesn't even give the remaining moose a fighting chance.
The irony here is that the dnr did a comprehensive moose study on their decline and came back with what they said were ambiguous results where global warming was probably the culprit (pretty funny, huh?). The actual numbers were a little less than ambiguous though Moose Mortality Numbers taken from dnr report. About a month ago a U of M researcher came out with another paper with a far more definitive interpretation of the numbers Star Tribune article about U of M researcher Dave Mech.
It's going to be a sad day in the not so distant future when moose are going to be regionally extinct in Minnesota due to the DNR pandering to fanatic groups like HOWLING for Wolves rather than using effective management techniques to protect all the animals we currently have here.
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FINNISHem
New member
My same thoughts exactly! Hunted the late season the first weekend and was planning to get out hard after muzzleloader season...my mistake. Was going to hit one of our east central spots this weekend but no chance now. Lesson learned. Even the process of the DNR coming up with a wolf count sounds fishy......
leejm
New member
So you guys get drawn for a tag but the season days fluctuate based on the number being killed??
I'll never understand the liberals love of all things wolf, but could care less about if it impacts anything else. We get to deal with the ridicolous hybrid dog otherwise known as the Mexican grey wolf. Biggest load of crap ever!
I'll never understand the liberals love of all things wolf, but could care less about if it impacts anything else. We get to deal with the ridicolous hybrid dog otherwise known as the Mexican grey wolf. Biggest load of crap ever!
Theshedhunter
Active member
Our moose disappeared so gradually it was years before we noticed there were none left in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Moose tags are all gone too. But we got plenty of wolf to eat when we're starving to death.
Yeah is sucked big time. We went out in 20mph winds the last night due to it closing, my cousin could hear them howling and coming, but i couldn't and i was only 200yds up wind. I ended up getting up and heading to the truck with 10 min of legal light left leaving him hanging and hoping one would poke its head out.
Trappers are getting over 90% of them. Why not up the quota alot and divide hunters and trappers to give us hunters a chance. Or better yet open the season a couple weeks later on top of that. We had the same trouble with deer hunters. Have access to lots of land, but not until muzzleloader is done. It also feels really stupid sitting in orange calling. Mn tries to smash everything in a one month time period and puts everyone out in the woods at the same time, why not spead it out some.
Trappers are getting over 90% of them. Why not up the quota alot and divide hunters and trappers to give us hunters a chance. Or better yet open the season a couple weeks later on top of that. We had the same trouble with deer hunters. Have access to lots of land, but not until muzzleloader is done. It also feels really stupid sitting in orange calling. Mn tries to smash everything in a one month time period and puts everyone out in the woods at the same time, why not spead it out some.
Threewisemen
New member
Originally Posted By: leejmSo you guys get drawn for a tag but the season days fluctuate based on the number being killed??
yep, dnr closes down the season when the quota is met and this year it closed for the majority of the state in 11 days.
Originally Posted By: FINNISHemEven the process of the DNR coming up with a wolf count sounds fishy......
I don't think it's necessary fishy, but really inaccurate. Other states use similar methods; if you look at other states' wolf moralities vs what they estimate as total populations it's very obvious to see that it is a poor system to count the populations (In 2013 Idaho dnr's annual report shows 473 moralities, but claims a population of only 659). I think our wolf harvest would be adequate if the wolf population was in fact what the dnr estimates it to be. The problem is everyone who spends any amount of time in the woods knows the numbers are way off. I'd love to see them try and incorporate hunter success rate into their population estimates. Trapping technology and methods haven't changed much in 200 years; it's really hard to say the wolf population is declining when so many wolf are taken so quickly.
Originally Posted By: Gary 767Good write up. I completely agree with you about the MN management of the wolf population and the decline of the moose. fortunately i was lucky enough to get an early season surplus tag and fill it the day before the season closed in my zone.Thanks, and congrats on your wolf!
Originally Posted By: borkon20 wolves over the quota in the LAST DAY!!. Monday night the NW was 8 or 10 shy of the quota and we went 21 wolf over quota. So it was something around 30 wolf taken on the last day.
yep, dnr closes down the season when the quota is met and this year it closed for the majority of the state in 11 days.
Originally Posted By: FINNISHemEven the process of the DNR coming up with a wolf count sounds fishy......
I don't think it's necessary fishy, but really inaccurate. Other states use similar methods; if you look at other states' wolf moralities vs what they estimate as total populations it's very obvious to see that it is a poor system to count the populations (In 2013 Idaho dnr's annual report shows 473 moralities, but claims a population of only 659). I think our wolf harvest would be adequate if the wolf population was in fact what the dnr estimates it to be. The problem is everyone who spends any amount of time in the woods knows the numbers are way off. I'd love to see them try and incorporate hunter success rate into their population estimates. Trapping technology and methods haven't changed much in 200 years; it's really hard to say the wolf population is declining when so many wolf are taken so quickly.
Originally Posted By: Gary 767Good write up. I completely agree with you about the MN management of the wolf population and the decline of the moose. fortunately i was lucky enough to get an early season surplus tag and fill it the day before the season closed in my zone.Thanks, and congrats on your wolf!
Originally Posted By: borkon20 wolves over the quota in the LAST DAY!!. Monday night the NW was 8 or 10 shy of the quota and we went 21 wolf over quota. So it was something around 30 wolf taken on the last day.
Kollincoyote
New member
DNR
Department of Natural Retards
Department of Natural Retards
jasent
New member
Most of what every one is saying is exactly what's going on in Washington. We have no seasons and probably never will. But they say we have 52 wolves as of 2013, 13 confirmed packs. 2012 they said we had 51 wolves. Out of 13 confirmed breeding pairs and we only got one more wolf? The Washington wolf plan is absolutely ridicules! 15 successful breeding pairs distributed threw the entire state for 3 years before delisting. Or 18 successful breeding pairs evenly distributed in all three areas of the the state in one year. Successful breeding pairs = at least 2 pups surviving till Dec.
Wdfw hand in hand with DOW. 10 of these packs are in the NE corner. They are also trying to figure out why the tiny herd of woodland caribou are diminishing(also NE WA)
Wdfw hand in hand with DOW. 10 of these packs are in the NE corner. They are also trying to figure out why the tiny herd of woodland caribou are diminishing(also NE WA)
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