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  #1  
Old 11-08-2010, 11:30 AM
jacobin jacobin is offline
 
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Default Do these look like wolves??

Hey everybody,

Just wanted some opinions on this, and sorry the picture quality isn't that good, but are these wolves or dogs?

The area is about 2 hrs straight west of Edmonton in crown land, no farms around for ~30km. In 3 years of having the cameras out we have never seen anything that looked close to this, just coyotes.

Thanks for every ones input.
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File Type: jpg Wolves-2.jpg (187.8 KB, 885 views)
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  #2  
Old 11-08-2010, 11:32 AM
timsesink timsesink is offline
 
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wolves, 100%. They're all over the place now. I spotted one just the other side of Tofield last year.
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  #3  
Old 11-08-2010, 11:32 AM
sheepguide sheepguide is offline
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Yep I would say wolves.
SG
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  #4  
Old 11-08-2010, 11:38 AM
foothills26 foothills26 is offline
 
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Yup wolves. Are you close to the Edson area? I live around there and see a fair number of wolves.
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  #5  
Old 11-08-2010, 11:39 AM
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They sure do look like wolves.
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  #6  
Old 11-08-2010, 11:40 AM
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100% Wolves.......

They are everywhere now, and in large numbers.

I've be preaching this gospel for a few years now, there must be a change in Wolf management in Alberta, or we will not have sufficient ungulate numbers for people to hunt, leading to a decrease in hunters...... guess what that will lead to?

The Alberta government has an unofficial management plan to deal with the wolf population. It is to have hunters overharvest deer and moose in areas with wolves, to hopefully starve the canines into a lower density. It is part of the Caribou Management Plan.

We need to stand up and get loud. We need effective wolf management! Government culls, bounties, and open up wolf trapping to all interested parties.
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  #7  
Old 11-08-2010, 11:52 AM
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Absolutley they are
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  #8  
Old 11-08-2010, 12:03 PM
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Never saw a coyote that looked like that so my vote is wolf.
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  #9  
Old 11-08-2010, 12:16 PM
jacobin jacobin is offline
 
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Thanks for the confirmation everyone. I figured they were wolves but not having seen any on camera in the area I thought a 2nd or 4th opinion would be good to have.

The area is actually out by Cynthia in 337. Looks like I have something else to hunt in the area other than deer.

Will post pics if either of them become unlucky enough to get between the cross-hairs.


thanks again
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  #10  
Old 11-08-2010, 12:21 PM
pickrel pat pickrel pat is offline
 
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wolf
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  #11  
Old 11-08-2010, 12:29 PM
SugarCreek SugarCreek is offline
 
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Absolutely......nice color difference between the two........Marco
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  #12  
Old 11-08-2010, 12:50 PM
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My money is on wolves.
There are lots of wolves in the area your camera is in.
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  #13  
Old 11-08-2010, 12:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by walking buffalo View Post
100% Wolves.......

They are everywhere now, and in large numbers.

I've be preaching this gospel for a few years now, there must be a change in Wolf management in Alberta, or we will not have sufficient ungulate numbers for people to hunt, leading to a decrease in hunters...... guess what that will lead to?

The Alberta government has an unofficial management plan to deal with the wolf population. It is to have hunters overharvest deer and moose in areas with wolves, to hopefully starve the canines into a lower density. It is part of the Caribou Management Plan.

We need to stand up and get loud. We need effective wolf management! Government culls, bounties, and open up wolf trapping to all interested parties.
Interesting thoughts, especially the "unofficial" program to starve them by hunting overharvesting deer and moose - I was always under the assumption it was simply because there are too many deer in some areas.

Even when there were not a lot of deer in this area, there were wolves.
Cat
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  #14  
Old 11-08-2010, 01:21 PM
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Default Agree with Buffalo

Not nearly enough grizzly bears and wolves in Alberta according to the studies.
I think a rifle would take out both in the same amount of time it takes to snap the picture.
Rob
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  #15  
Old 11-08-2010, 02:04 PM
High_N_Wide High_N_Wide is offline
 
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Spend lots of time in that area Jacob and there are alot of wolf tracks. I assume there are alot of wolves makin them!

Lots of cougars too.

Have fun and keep your eyes open. Maybe you will get lucky and poke one.
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  #16  
Old 11-08-2010, 03:05 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by catnthehat View Post
Interesting thoughts, especially the "unofficial" program to starve them by hunting overharvesting deer and moose - I was always under the assumption it was simply because there are too many deer in some areas.

Even when there were not a lot of deer in this area, there were wolves.
Cat
This link is the first I saw of the theory being implemanted in Alberta, 1999-2000. Tha Alberta Caribou Commission has re-recommended that non- caribou ungulate numbers be reduced through hunting in an attempt to reduce wolf numbers to protect caribou.

http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/facul...a_Needs_04.pdf

Quote:
27. ►Density dependence in moose populations
Optimal harvest policies for ungulate populations require information on density
dependence in vital rates of survival and reproduction. Although harvesting
models for moose have been developed in Scandinavia (Saether et al. 2001)
comparable work in systems with wolf predation needs additional attention.
Albeit controversial (Eberhardt 2000) evidence exists that wolf (Canis lupus)
predation on moose is density dependent (Messier and Joly 2000), and hunter
harvest regulations often reinforce density-dependent mortality. Density of
moose in Canada negatively influences growth, reproductive rates, and calf
recruitment (Ferguson et al. 2000). Increasing amounts of open habitats
associated with industrial development are likely to require more careful attention
to harvest management (Ferguson et al. 2000). Recent efforts to reduce moose
populations using liberal harvest quotas in areas occupied by woodland caribou
(Rangifer tarandus) present opportunities to document density-dependent
responses by moose in Alberta.
Such data would be useful to validate harvest
models (see item ranked #34 below). May want to include Terry Osko’s PhD
here.

Now I love this quote from one of our biologists regarding lethal wolf control.

Can't kill the wolves because of "public opinion", so let's kill the deer, elk, and moose.....

Quote:
Reduced wolf numbers could result in increased caribou recruitment, however it might not increase adult survival (Hayes et al. in press). Further, wolves could attain prereduction levels within five years (Hayes and Harestad 2000), leading once again to a potential caribou decline. Also, such a reduction has the potential to greatly increase moose numbers (Hayes et al. in press), which is contrary to what some suggest would benefit caribou (Bergerud 1988, Seip 1992), and would likely increase deer and elk numbers as well. Finally, there are the obvious social reasons not to conduct a wolf control – the majority of the public simply does not endorse lethally removing one species for the benefit of another.
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  #17  
Old 11-08-2010, 03:10 PM
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Would it not put more pressure on the Caribou if other populations are lowered? Wolf numbers wont go down till there isnt enough feed and they start to starve. The lower numbers of elk moose and deer in my eyes will just turn more of the current wolf population to eating Caribou.
Or is there a step im missing somewhere?
SG
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  #18  
Old 11-08-2010, 03:11 PM
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Yup definately look like wolves
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  #19  
Old 11-08-2010, 03:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sheepguide View Post
Would it not put more pressure on the Caribou if other populations are lowered? Wolf numbers wont go down till there isnt enough feed and they start to starve. The lower numbers of elk moose and deer in my eyes will just turn more of the current wolf population to eating Caribou.
Or is there a step im missing somewhere?
SG
I was thinking the exact same thing. That strategy doesn't make sense to me.
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  #20  
Old 11-08-2010, 04:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sheepguide View Post
Would it not put more pressure on the Caribou if other populations are lowered? Wolf numbers wont go down till there isnt enough feed and they start to starve. The lower numbers of elk moose and deer in my eyes will just turn more of the current wolf population to eating Caribou.
Or is there a step im missing somewhere?
SG
I think somebody is missing a step, or a bolt. And I don't think it is you.

This "theory", originating in Europe, is to my knowledge still a theory. Unproven as to the real world results.

We are part of the experiment.

In areas of B.C. , where this same theory was tested, the biologists ended up having a helicopter wolf kill last winter because the starving wolves were decimating the few remaining caribou in the area.

The Alberta Caribou Commission ACC, has concluded that it is not feasible to restrict or re-design oil/gas and forestry impacts on the landscape in sufficient ways to help the caribou, so the decision has been made to have hunters reduce the deer and moose in an attempt to help reduce wolf densities.

http://www.albertacariboucommittee.c...n-05_06_08.pdf

Quote:
Synthesis of Recommendations:

1. Reduce wolf densities. Which the government won't do except in emergancy situations due to percieved potential public disapproval

2. Reduce primary prey densities. This becomes the #1 solution to help the caribou.

3. Verify the extent of early seral vegetation response to anthropogenic disturbance.

4. Address the options of application of effort (focus equally on all herds or not)?

5. Review the surface tenure planning process for industrial activities.

6. Caribou concerns should be addressed at the beginning of land use planning, not at the end.

7. Recommend effective mitigation techniques, based on guidelines identified in the mitigation audit through an industry led workshop.

8. Conduct a cost‐benefit analysis of scenarios considered.

9. Develop a herd‐based and integrated adaptive management plan including sustainable funding levels to guide west central caribou recovery.

10. Expand a monitoring program which contains indicators at each level of planning; strategic, tactical and operational.

11. Initiate high density planting of coniferous trees and aggressive vegetation control of browse
species on necessary ecosites that exhibit a moderate to high forage species response conducive to moose elk and deer.

12. Engage First Nation communities on a regular basis to advise them of the WCCLP, updated them on results and ask for their advice.

13. In the event of a MPB outbreak, leave a large % of the unsalvaged forest as is and initiate an aggressive silviculture program to fast track a new forest in those areas that are the least intact.

14. Manage for large patches of intact coniferous forests > 80 years over time.

15. Initiate all management changes simultaneously as per the Alberta Governments Land Use Framework.

16. Apply methods that reduce the projected industrial footprint.

17. Land Use decisions must be truly integrated more so than the approach currently practiced.

18. The most benefit and therefore the most effort should be directed to strategic planning followed by tactical rather than operational.
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  #21  
Old 11-08-2010, 05:00 PM
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forsure wolves.
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  #22  
Old 11-08-2010, 05:13 PM
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walking buffalo; That is the most amazing example of government incompetence I have ever seen. Simply incredible!! I am speechless!!
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  #23  
Old 11-08-2010, 05:56 PM
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My wife called me this morning at work after being rudely awakened by my two huskies going crazy outside. She went and looked out our shop window, and was quite surprised to see a two wolves less than 40 ft from our shop - a white & a black one. She banged on the bay door of the shop, and they bolted. I told her if they come back to "unload" on them until her clip is empty. Very surprised that they are so brave to be right outside a well lit shop.
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  #24  
Old 11-08-2010, 05:56 PM
albertadeer albertadeer is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sheepguide View Post
Would it not put more pressure on the Caribou if other populations are lowered? Wolf numbers wont go down till there isnt enough feed and they start to starve. The lower numbers of elk moose and deer in my eyes will just turn more of the current wolf population to eating Caribou.
Or is there a step im missing somewhere?
SG
The "theory" behind this is that the population of caribou is to healthy and low in numbers to support such high numbers of wolves....


just kill the freaking wolves from a helicopter already......or hey! we can kill horses with poison and stake the dead body's to the ground in the winter "like they did in the 20's or 30's "
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  #25  
Old 11-08-2010, 06:02 PM
pickrel pat pickrel pat is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sheepguide View Post
Would it not put more pressure on the Caribou if other populations are lowered? Wolf numbers wont go down till there isnt enough feed and they start to starve. The lower numbers of elk moose and deer in my eyes will just turn more of the current wolf population to eating Caribou.
Or is there a step im missing somewhere?
SG
good point!
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  #26  
Old 11-08-2010, 06:03 PM
albertadeer albertadeer is offline
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I was camping north or Peace river on the DMI haul road for work in small holiday trailers last week. EVERY night for 7 days we had a full pack of what sounded like 6-9 wolves going crazy howling for hours sometimes as close as 20yards! only got brief glimpses of them in the moonlight or with a flashlight when one knocked over are BBQ 4 feet from the trailer, he growled at me when i opened the trailer door Nothing is better then the sound of a pack of wolves howling around you while you sit at the fire.
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  #27  
Old 11-08-2010, 06:16 PM
Hornaholic Hornaholic is offline
 
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Default Wolves??? No???

100% they are not wolves!! They are for sure dingo's!!!! Watch your babies!!!
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  #28  
Old 11-08-2010, 06:17 PM
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Yep, them are big bad wolves for sure! Very cool picture BTW!
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  #29  
Old 11-08-2010, 06:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by albertadeer View Post
we can kill horses with poison and stake the dead body's to the ground in the winter "like they did in the 20's or 30's "
They tried that when the rabies plaque hit in 1954. It didn't work so well.
But it is possible to wipe out a pack with strychnine. Problem is the consequences are right out of a horror movie.

Dad was one of the people the government hired to set out strychnine bait.
From what he told me, any option is better the poisoning.
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Old 11-08-2010, 07:04 PM
albertadeer albertadeer is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KegRiver View Post
They tried that when the rabies plaque hit in 1954. It didn't work so well.
But it is possible to wipe out a pack with strychnine. Problem is the consequences are right out of a horror movie.

Dad was one of the people the government hired to set out strychnine bait.
From what he told me, any option is better the poisoning.
ha, yup thats what i was talking about. They did it heavily around the nordegg area.
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