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Gray Wolves Rebound, To Neighbors' Unease
W.S. Journal ^ | MAY 29, 2010 | By JOE BARRETT

Posted on 05/31/2010 10:11:30 AM PDT by STONEWALLS

"HARRISON, Wis. — David Schoone, a farmer in this lush region of northern Wisconsin, says a lone gray wolf sneaked up on his school-age daughter three years ago as she bounced on a trampoline in his backyard.

More recently, Mr. Schoone was chased into his pickup truck by a wolf, and his cousin's wife had to run from two wolves that descended on her from opposite sides of a shed. This month, he lost two young steer to wolves.

"We gotta watch all the time," said Mr. Schoone, 43 years old, who carries a loaded rifle when he works in his fields or goes for a walk, even though he can only legally shoot a wolf in the act of attacking a human. "They don't show any fear of us."

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: North Carolina; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: nature; wolves
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..several years ago a North Carolina hunter from my area took his Plott hounds to Wisconsin to run bear...two were killed by wolves...that stunned me because Plotts are really tough SOBs...they will not only bay a bear, but will attack and pull tufts of his hair out too...that said, I can't imagine the ferocity of a gray wolf...I wouldn't want to meet one in the woods unarmed.
1 posted on 05/31/2010 10:11:30 AM PDT by STONEWALLS
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To: STONEWALLS

They make great “shovel ready” projects. The new code of the old west.


2 posted on 05/31/2010 10:16:36 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer ("A Republic, If You Can Keep It" - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: STONEWALLS

...one more thing...as the deer population has exploded across the country, is it any wonder that mountain lions, coyotes and wolves are prospering?


3 posted on 05/31/2010 10:16:59 AM PDT by STONEWALLS
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To: STONEWALLS

I wouldn't want to meet one in the woods unarmed.

Ditto that. Talk about a no-win scenario ...


4 posted on 05/31/2010 10:18:57 AM PDT by so_real ( "The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.")
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To: STONEWALLS

That’s not the worst of it....in Wisconsin we are having increasing populations of cougars that are in close proximity to humans, and lots of ignorant tree hugger whackos that think 200 pound apex predators are harmless and that we should give them belly rubs.


5 posted on 05/31/2010 10:19:17 AM PDT by dtrpscout (A bad dog is better than most good people.)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

I kind of hope you are talking about the progressives and tree huggers who reintroduced them. Maybe the wolves can learn to be like super coyotes and keep the rest of the herd healthy. Like America, they have chosen to let a predator thrive among them.


6 posted on 05/31/2010 10:19:36 AM PDT by Steamburg (The contents of your wallet is the only language Politicians understand.)
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To: STONEWALLS

Eco-nut idiots! there was a reason that our ancestors worked so hard to get rid of wolves, they are one of the more dangerous animals around. Now we not only repopulate areas that were once safe but we make it a crime to kill them. I guess SSS is the only way to deal with this kind of idiot policy.


7 posted on 05/31/2010 10:20:13 AM PDT by trapped_in_LA
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To: so_real

Climb a tree is about it...


8 posted on 05/31/2010 10:20:51 AM PDT by DB
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To: SJackson

Upper Midwest/outdoors/rural list ping!


9 posted on 05/31/2010 10:22:38 AM PDT by Ronaldus Magnus
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To: STONEWALLS

The spaces are wide, the ground easy to work consequently the grey wolves should not be much of a problem to someone that recognizes the problem.


10 posted on 05/31/2010 10:22:41 AM PDT by Citizen Tom Paine
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To: STONEWALLS

Another enviro nazi mistake...We need wolves because??


11 posted on 05/31/2010 10:26:41 AM PDT by Sacajaweau (What)
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To: STONEWALLS

Smoke a pack a day!


12 posted on 05/31/2010 10:28:27 AM PDT by MileHi ( "It's coming down to patriots vs the politicians." - ovrtaxt)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

I think I’ll make a fotochop of a guy with a rifle in one hand, a shovel in the other and a gag over his mouth.


13 posted on 05/31/2010 10:30:19 AM PDT by magslinger ("If I have money, I buy fishing gear. If I have money left over, I buy beer." - Hank Thoreau)
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To: STONEWALLS

There’s a reason the settlers hunted creatures like wolves, cougars, and grizzly to near extinction - a reason that liberals whose knowledge of these animals is gleaned from Disney movies don’t understand.


14 posted on 05/31/2010 10:40:22 AM PDT by Yet_Again
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To: STONEWALLS

So you have to actually wait until the human is attacked to shoot the wolf. The stupidity of liberals is infinite.


15 posted on 05/31/2010 10:41:01 AM PDT by culpeper (He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people,)
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To: STONEWALLS; CatDancer

I’m in SW Wi, and well S. of the Wi wolf locations. We have a Catahoula Leopard Dog, which has some similarities to the Plott Hound. Catahoula’s were bred for hunting bear and wild boar. They’re “headers” instead of “heelers.” Heelers go for the heels of the animals and chase. Headers go to the head of the animal— with wild boars, they’ll dash in at the head and aggravate the boar until it chases it back to the catch pen. If the boar loses interest, a header will go back to the animal, re-aggravate it all the way back to the catch pen.

We also have a heeler. So when they were younger they could really entertain themselves. The Catahoula running out front, and the border collie/ACD running chase. The perfect playmates, really. Both of them have big egos and so they also thought they were doing the perfect job! LOL!!!

The Catahoula is now 13 years 7 months old, which is amazing, given she’s also large for the breed, and may have some Dane in her. The Border collie will be 13 in June.

Right now my concerns are coyotes and black bear.

We haven’t had much in the way of black bear, but the last few years and especially the last few weeks have brought news of black bear sightings in the area. Even if a confrontation could be avoided, the Catahoula’s instinct would kick in and she would be right there in the bear’s face. She has heart, and in her younger years, I think she’d come out okay. But time takes it’s toll on us, and Zoe’s not exempt. I’m afraid if she decided to take on a bear, it would mean her end. And Tucker, the BC, would be right there in the midst of the fray.

The coyotes I haven’t been too worried about, but the packs have been growing, they are close and they are getting bolder. Two came down and took a couple of the neighbors’ ducks in mid-afternoon, with the neighbors yelling, running and waving arms at them. It was over and done before they could get to the shotgun.

The coyotes do run on our land, and I hate it when I’m walking our dogs at night and a distant, lone, spine-tingling howl escalates to the night sky.

I used to love that sound. But now, more often than not, it starts another pack off, and it turns out that pack is only 300 feet away (if that). Frequently it turns out they’ve maneuvered between you with the dogs and the house.

Back when I had our one remaining Dobe, Katie, we’d walk at night and the coyotes would sound off, and Katie would be cool as a cucumber. “Thank you Katie, for not revealing our location,” I would whisper to her with an added little pat on the shoulders.

Zoe and Tucker, on the other hand, feel compelled to tell the coyotes just what they think of them. If I were to translate it here, I would be banned... ;-)

Am hoping neither bears nor coyotes will become problems for us...


16 posted on 05/31/2010 10:52:54 AM PDT by green pastures (Cynicism-- it's not just for breakfast anymore...)
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To: STONEWALLS

They average about 80 to 120 pnds. So a pack of such will take down about anything around.

I work right amongst them in the woods. You get to looking around before you get off a machine.

Oh Yes...I pack a pistol where ever I go up here.


17 posted on 05/31/2010 10:58:23 AM PDT by crz
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To: STONEWALLS

PLOTTS - This breed makes a fine companion. Loyal and intelligent, the Plott Hound is quick to learn and quick to love and is good with children. Their personable natures are surely not evident on the trail. This large game hunter and scenthound has great courage. Determined, courageous and proud, it will play chicken with a 500-pound bear or a wildly, angry boar.

A little smaller perhaps than a gray wolf, but no freaking slouch. If wolves got these lads, as you correctly point out - look out !


18 posted on 05/31/2010 11:45:16 AM PDT by onona (dbada)
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To: onona

“A little smaller perhaps than a gray wolf, but no freaking slouch. If wolves got these lads, as you correctly point out - look out !”

AMEN...any hunter that has spent time chasing bear with Plott hounds has stories of their acts of courage...that’s why the two killed by wolves really shook people up...I don’t people who live around wolves for shooting them on sight.


19 posted on 05/31/2010 11:59:34 AM PDT by STONEWALLS
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To: STONEWALLS

...I don’t BLAME people who live around wolves for shooting them...


20 posted on 05/31/2010 12:00:38 PM PDT by STONEWALLS
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