Baits and Lures

[Deadwolf]

What is go to bait and lure for wolves?

I'm sure you guys know. They are trying to get the timberwolves delisted here in Minn, Wisc, and Mich. If the government fails to do so. They are going to legislate it like they did in Idaho and Montana. Wildlife Services is saying if they are delisted,there will be a wolf trapping class next fall so a trapper can be certified as a State trapper.( would be trapping for the State of Minn) Down here in the US,a person can't find much info on wolf baits and lures.So i thought i would ask the people who have been trapping them for years. "the pros" I catch my fare share of wolves in my coyote sets, while trapping nuiance coyotes. The wolves are incedental catches,which have to be released. I use Carman lures and baits. I'm sure once they are delisted,every baitmaker is going to claim they have wolf bait and lure for sale.I just wonder what baits and lures everyone uses for them and if some of you trappers would give me any ideas. I want to get a leg up, so to speak on everyone else down here.

Thanks
Deadwolf



Would not be able to use bait piles. It would be like cold calling.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Deadwolf

What is go to bait and lure for wolves?
Thanks
Deadwolf



Would not be able to use bait piles. It would be like cold calling.

Without a bait pile, I would think it would pretty much be a spot and stalk situation. No scent lure will bring them in from miles away which is what a bait pile does, and what you need to hunt them in one location.
At least as far as I know.

Perhaps someone else has found a way to make scents work for them.

[sourdough doug]

Hi Deadwolf, With tongue in cheek, I would have to think that if you are having to release your "incidentals", you are not doing something right......

[KegRiver]

I was thinking along the lines of hunting them, because you talked about bait piles.

See it has been my experience that when trapping, setting a bait pile is not the best option. Bait piles are helpful, but for best catch one should set well away from the pile. A scent would simply not work in that situation.

So, instead, I and the trappers I know don't use scents when trapping wolves.
Instead we set game trails that we know the wolves use. Most of the time this is a hit and miss proposition because of the wolves habits.

As I'm sure you know, a Coyote will retrace it's route every few days. With a wolf it is more often weeks before they come through a specific area again and when they do, more often then not they use a different trail then last time.

There are places where terrain forces them to follow the same trail every time they come through. These are the places we set.
Generally you will find such places are along a stream or river, most often near or at a junction with another water course. Or where a road crosses a water course. If you have open country, river valleys may offer more such bottle necks then the bush country I trap.

Remember, Wolves like to stay in or close to cover, and, they will take the path of least resistance more often then not.

I found that they like to follow my skidoo trails, so after observing how they used my trail I realized that they would follow it right through a willow thicket. That gave me an idea. I found a small dense thicket close to where wolves like to travel. I took my skidoo and drove right through that thicket, then just as I exited the far side of the thicket I stopped. Still sitting on the skidoo I leaned back and place a snare in the opening I had created in the thicket. The next morning I had a wolf in that snare.
Luck for sure, but it proved one thing. Such a set would work, if the wolves were following that trail.

Since then I have used that set successfully several times.

[parfleche]

Deadwolf; Give Robert beer a call in Erskine Alberta, He is listed , have a chat with him on this.

[Deadwolf]

Originally Posted by sourdough doug

Hi Deadwolf, With tongue in cheek, I would have to think that if you are having to release your "incidentals", you are not doing something right......

It's not by choice.The wolves are protected by the Federal government. If a wolf kills your pet/cattle down here. The only legal recourse you have is to give the wolf a toothpick so it can pick whats left of your pet/cattle out from between its teeth. They will pay for the loss thou. They pay up to $750.00 for cattle and $0.00 for pets. Its very frustrating.

[Deadwolf]

Originally Posted by parfleche

Deadwolf; Give Robert beer a call in Erskine Alberta, He is listed , have a chat with him on this.

Thanks

[Deadwolf]

If they get delisted. The only way we are going to be able to trap them is if they kill a domestic aninal.There may not be a trapping season on the wolves for 5 yrs after the delisting. Example: A dog/cattle was killed by wolves. A certified State trapper (trapping for the State of Minnesota) would go over and set to catch the problem wolves. You would not be able to use bait piles because it would be like cold calling. A trapper would have to depend on sign as to where to set and baits and lures to get the wolf to work the set. Kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place. But thats all we have to work with for now.