How many wolves can be in a pack?

[Red Bullets]

A friend sent me this photo and information about the pack dynamics. Thought I would share because most people don't realize just how big a wolf pack can be. Did you know there could be 25 wolves in a pack?


"A wolf pack: the first 3 are the old or sick, they give the pace to the entire pack. If it was the other way round, they would be left behind, losing contact with the pack. In case of an ambush they would be sacrificed. Then come 5 strong ones, the front line. In the center are the rest of the pack members, then the 5 strongest following. Last is alone, the alpha. He controls everything from the rear. In that position he can see everything, decide the direction. He sees all of the pack. The pack moves according to the elders pace and help each other, watch each other."

[jaylow?]

I seen a large pack a few years back on the edge of a new mine right at the tree line. We counted 13 and not sure if more were in the trees or not. Herds have to be taking a big hit with a pack like that roaming.

[Nova316]

Look up super packs, I remember watching a documentary on these wolves a while ago where they were in the NWT but only ~50

But apparently in Russia they got to 400 which is nuts

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...n-village.html

[SLH]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

"A wolf pack: the first 3 are the old or sick, they give the pace to the entire pack. If it was the other way round, they would be left behind, losing contact with the pack. In case of an ambush they would be sacrificed. Then come 5 strong ones, the front line. In the center are the rest of the pack members, then the 5 strongest following. Last is alone, the alpha. He controls everything from the rear. In that position he can see everything, decide the direction. He sees all of the pack. The pack moves according to the elders pace and help each other, watch each other."

This made me laugh!

I hear esrd is releasing cougars again as well.

[hal53]

Originally Posted by SLH

This made me laugh!

I hear esrd is releasing cougars again as well.

Yup, the lady could write for Disney movies.....

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

A friend sent me this photo and information about the pack dynamics. Thought I would share because most people don't realize just how big a wolf pack can be. Did you know there could be 25 wolves in a pack?


"A wolf pack: the first 3 are the old or sick, they give the pace to the entire pack. If it was the other way round, they would be left behind, losing contact with the pack. In case of an ambush they would be sacrificed. Then come 5 strong ones, the front line. In the center are the rest of the pack members, then the 5 strongest following. Last is alone, the alpha. He controls everything from the rear. In that position he can see everything, decide the direction. He sees all of the pack. The pack moves according to the elders pace and help each other, watch each other."

Cool story but doesn't appear to be the truthful one. Here's a more accurate description of the picture: (It's from the Planet Earth documentary)

25-strong pack of timber wolves hunting bison in northern Alberta

...the wolf pack is led by the alpha FEMALE. Travelling single-file through the deep snow to save energy, the packs in the Wood Buffalo National Park are the only wolves in the world that specialise in hunting bison ten times their size.

[Bergerboy]

Seems strange for an apex predator to be worried about "ambush". Making the old and sick break trail in deep snow does not seem to be a kind approach either....

[hehalta]

This photo has been making the rounds on the interweb for a few years. It has been labeled as being in Yellowstone, Siberia or Wood Buffalo Park, take your pick. Not sure if all those wolves were present for the photoshop er' photo op if you know what I mean.http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/image...scared0018.gif

[airbornedeerhunter]

That's been on the facebook circuit for a while. It's nonsense.

[CanuckShooter]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

A friend sent me this photo and information about the pack dynamics. Thought I would share because most people don't realize just how big a wolf pack can be. Did you know there could be 25 wolves in a pack?


"A wolf pack: the first 3 are the old or sick, they give the pace to the entire pack. If it was the other way round, they would be left behind, losing contact with the pack. In case of an ambush they would be sacrificed. Then come 5 strong ones, the front line. In the center are the rest of the pack members, then the 5 strongest following. Last is alone, the alpha. He controls everything from the rear. In that position he can see everything, decide the direction. He sees all of the pack. The pack moves according to the elders pace and help each other, watch each other."

The quote is BS....for sure. I have heard of packs of 40 in northern BC....don't know if you would see that many in one group in Alberta.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by CanuckShooter

The quote is BS....for sure. I have heard of packs of 40 in northern BC....don't know if you would see that many in one group in Alberta.

That pack of 25 WAS in Alberta. Or did you mean a pack of 40?

*edit*....Well since the mods seemed my clear explanation of the above photo was somehow offensive and removed it...let me explain again.

The photo in the OP HAS been around for years, (2011 to be exact) and has been inaccurately attributed to many different areas of the globe. Montana, Russia, etc etc. And questions abound that it was photoshopped.

It is not photoshopped, it is a screen shot of a video of a pack of 25 wolves in Wood Buffalo National Park, filmed by the BBC Production crew of the docomentary "Frozen Planet". It is not led by 3 older, infirmed wolves, it is led by the Alpha Female. It appears in episode 5, here

The story starts at the :49 minute mark. The specific pack of 25 you see in the picture is seen at the :51 minute mark.

Hope this clears things up.

[Tundra Monkey]

There was an article in the paper up here about a shortage of moose around Fort Good Hope. It mentioned a pack that was 75 strong being the problem. That's the biggest I've heard of.

On a smaller note.....we cleaned a pack of 16 up one day we caught out on Great Slave. I think my hands are still a little frozen.......way too much skinning at -30 that day!!!!!!!

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Nova316

Look up super packs, I remember watching a documentary on these wolves a while ago where they were in the NWT but only ~50

But apparently in Russia they got to 400 which is nuts

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...n-village.html

Take a lot of meat to keep them fed .





Grizz

[CanuckShooter]

Originally Posted by Clgy_Dave2.0

That pack of 25 WAS in Alberta. Or did you mean a pack of 40?

I said I've heard of packs of 40 in BC....so 25 isn't the biggest ever. :-)

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by CanuckShooter

I said I've heard of packs of 40 in BC....so 25 isn't the biggest ever. :-)

Yup, gotcha. Wasn't sure what you meant. Thanks.

[KBF]

Originally Posted by SLH

This made me laugh!

I hear esrd is releasing cougars again as well.

You don't think the old and sick breaking trail wouldn't work?

That is quite the explanation there

[Sad Sack]

Originally Posted by Tundra Monkey

There was an article in the paper up here about a shortage of moose around Fort Good Hope. It mentioned a pack that was 75 strong being the problem. That's the biggest I've heard of.

On a smaller note.....we cleaned a pack of 16 up one day we caught out on Great Slave. I think my hands are still a little frozen.......way too much skinning at -30 that day!!!!!!!

Hmmm....must have your technique perfected!

[guywiththemule]

What ??? I thought the old and sick always broke trail !

[Sad Sack]

Originally Posted by Tundra Monkey

Not really, big lake and they aren't as fast as our sleds. 20 minutes of mayhem is about it. Truth be told I was hungover and late......dude that I was meeting was there on time and killed 15....I only killed 1

The next few hours sucked for sure!!!!

I couldn't stand looking at a pile of 16 wolves to skin even if I wasn't hungover.

[JD848]

I seen 3 packs on a lake about 2 miles apart 10 in first 8 the second 11or 12 in the third.my friend told me they were in front of his camp and one pack off17, where we saw this was 3 years ago,i ran into large pack last fall I seen only 8 but they were all around howelling,purchased my tag to go on a 3 day trip after xmas 400 bucks for a wolf tag non resident in ontario,but I will be hunting the pack I saw last fall,i drove into there just after the storm we had a week ago ,seen some sign ,I shot 7 in the last ten years only 3 miles apart.
I also seen about ten 5 years ago and they had taken down large bull and a cow but the place had tracks for two miles square,i was amazed at the size off the bull,might have got hurt in the rut.

I got a couple whole beaver from my trapper friend and i drill a hole in ice and leave 1/4 of the beaver sticking out,then I take a good size beaver plus a deer hide a drag him in large circle back to my beaver in the ice on my snow machine,i got a helper this year ,I 'm still in bad shape from a car accident.1 still hunt for these guys,i walk in 800 yrds to my blind.

[KGB]

Originally Posted by SLH

This made me laugh!

I hear esrd is releasing cougars again as well.

They forgot to mention one more - Maugli.... I think he was the actual leader of the pack.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by JD 848

I seen 3 packs on a lake about 2 miles apart 10 in first 8 the second 11or 12 in the third.my friend told me they were in front of his camp and one pack off17, where we saw this was 3 years ago,i ran into large pack last fall I seen only 8 but they were all around howelling,purchased my tag to go on a 3 day trip after xmas 400 bucks for a wolf tag non resident in ontario,but I will be hunting the pack I saw last fall,i drove into there just after the storm we had a week ago ,seen some sign ,I shot 7 in the last ten years only 3 miles apart.
I also seen about ten 5 years ago and they had taken down large bull and a cow but the place had tracks for two miles square,i was amazed at the size off the bull,might have got hurt in the rut.

I got a couple whole beaver from my trapper friend and i drill a hole in ice and leave 1/4 of the beaver sticking out,then I take a good size beaver plus a deer hide a drag him in large circle back to my beaver in the ice on my snow machine,i got a helper this year ,I 'm still in bad shape from a car accident.1 still hunt for these guys,i walk in 800 yrds to my blind.

Punctuation helps.

[JD848]

Since your such on the ball and I know my writing is far from good,i wrote this while I was very ****ed off.

Takes a lot of brains to run down 16 wolves with sled's in 20 minutes by tundra monkey,good enough for you Davey boy.

My hand writing may not be so hot but my ethics and manners are on cue, don't you worry about that part.

[Nordegg2]

Would be a great site to see from a airplane and a shotgun.

[woods_walker]

In the late 90s I was out with my dad in wmu 328 and we came across a pack of at least 30 wolves at the far end of a cutblock and they were calling to at least half a dozen more wolves. It was pretty impressive to see but they were definitely a ways off. Up north of Wabasca it wasn't uncommon to see packs of a dozen or so from the air when flying.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Two trappers a few years back in McBride saw a pack of around 40 then second brother saw about 80 on lake but were probably just two packs sizing each other up. They also noted these large packs start killing for fun and would kill a dozen or more deer and just leave them in the snow.

[creeky]

Originally Posted by Clgy_Dave2.0

That pack of 25 WAS in Alberta. Or did you mean a pack of 40?

*edit*....Well since the mods seemed my clear explanation of the above photo was somehow offensive and removed it...let me explain again.

The photo in the OP HAS been around for years, (2011 to be exact) and has been inaccurately attributed to many different areas of the globe. Montana, Russia, etc etc. And questions abound that it was photoshopped.

It is not photoshopped, it is a screen shot of a video of a pack of 25 wolves in Wood Buffalo National Park, filmed by the BBC Production crew of the docomentary "Frozen Planet". It is not led by 3 older, infirmed wolves, it is led by the Alpha Female. It appears in episode 5, here

The story starts at the :49 minute mark. The specific pack of 25 you see in the picture is seen at the :51 minute mark.

Hope this clears things up.

that is one of the most amazing pieces of raw wilderness footage i've ever seen-filmed by BC cinematographer Jeff Turner right here in northern Alberta

if this footage wasn't available, no one would believe the size of these wolf packs, level of collaboration, the harsh reality….

[Davey Boy]

Originally Posted by JD 848

Since your such on the ball and I know my writing is far from good,i wrote this while I was very ****ed off.

Takes a lot of brains to run down 16 wolves with sled's in 20 minutes by tundra monkey,good enough for you Davey boy.

My hand writing may not be so hot but my ethics and manners are on cue, don't you worry about that part.

Why are you dissin me? I never even commented on anything in this thread till now.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by Davey Boy

Why are you dissin me? I never even commented on anything in this thread till now.

I think he's tryin' to dis' me? Although I'm still not quite understanding him.