Wolves Making a Comeback?

[lakeforest]

I live in Illinois about twenty five miles north of Chicago and about twenty miles south of the Wisconsin border. Two years ago over the winter there were periodic reports of people seeing a large "cat" that began in the western part of Wisconsin. There was speculation it may be a mountain lion but no one had a photo of it and only those who had seen it really believed it was a lion. About two months after the original sightings, a 185 pound male mountain lion was shot and killed by police in downtown Chicago.

Zoo officials examined the animal and concluded it was wild and most likely came from the Black Hills of South Dakota, over a thousand miles away. So, I believe there are probably wolves in New Hampshire. Why not?

[jmen24]

The funny thing about mountain lions is you are actually a fairly lucky person to even see one. Having spent two weeks in the high hills of Colorado last October on an elk hunt, we had this conversation about what to do if we had an encounter with a lion. The outfitter who had been in that area for more than 15 years said that we would most likely not see a cat while we were hunting, and he was right. He stated that he had only seen two cats in the 15 years he was in that area. I will tell you that I personally crossed at least three different tracks each day, some fresh some not and no cat to be seen. This is in an area that these cats are everywhere. It is in there blood to be silent and to move undetected.

[SAMIAM]

Maybe a picture of the dead wolf would have been helpful.Also...a call to fish and game would have proven it once and for all.

[jmen24]

Here are some links to NH fish and game about wolves.

http://www.wildnh.com/Hunting/Huntin...ndout_NHFG.pdf

If F&G has a section in the current year trappers guide about avoiding these animals I would have to think that they think it is highly probable to have wolves in NH.

and another
http://www.wildnh.com/Wildlife/Wildl...ort_013004.htm

and one more (Go to page 32 of this PDF as it is a long one)
http://www.wildnh.com/Wildlife/Wildl..._A_Mammals.pdf

These articles have some great information regarding wolves in and around New Hampshire.

[swnoel]

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

Maybe a picture of the dead wolf would have been helpful.Also...a call to fish and game would have proven it once and for all.

Your joking!!! Unless of course you want to wear bracelets.

There was no intent to kill a wolf, this person thought it was a coyote, when he got close to the animal, he was stunned and brought it to me for identification.

If the state had been notified , undoubtably he would of been arrested, and his life would of changed forever.

It was suggested that he dispose of the animal and shut his mouth, which apparently he did.

The proving of any mystery animal, such as mountain lions, wolves, or even bigfoot could be disasterous to the logging industry, hunting, and trapping.

The decimation of the whitetail deer is presently occuring in northern Maine due to the accidental trapping of a couple of Canadian Lynxes.

Trapping for coyotes in deer yards is no longer allowed and coyotes are literally destroying the herd.

Incedently the Canadian Lynx is not an endangered species, Northern Maine is in it's southern range and from time to time, they do enter this area looking for it's favorite food, snowshoe hare.

[Keith]

I can see why people would confuse a coyote for a wolf, if you have not seen either before. They are large. Here is a pic of one from Tuftonboro. I am standing in the background, and am 5'9-225lbs.

[Grant]

That's a good-sized coyote. Most that I've seen down here in PA are slightly smaller...I think. We almost hit one on the Mass Pike a few years ago -- on a hot, sunny July mid-day. Weird.

[Rose]

Originally Posted by Keith

I can see why people would confuse a coyote for a wolf, if you have not seen either before. They are large. Here is a pic of one from Tuftonboro. I am standing in the background, and am 5'9-225lbs.

Wow, I was not expecting that coloring. Are they typically that color, or is there a variety?

[Grant]

Color variations in the Eastern Coyotes is often attributed to past interbreeding with Gray Wolves, and blonde, red and even black variations are reported. Most are that tawny/gray. The larger size of easterns is another trait believed to be a result of gray wolfe interbreeding.

[Irish mist]

Thanks for posting that picture Keith. This shows that the Eastern Coyote is indeed part wolf, and this is what I think most people are seeing in New England. A coywolf, or hybrid was found in Maine that had 89% wolf DNA.
________
JUSTIN BIEBER FAN

[swnoel]

I have seen that variation a number of times, most of us call it a blonde coyote, but that animals doesn't come close to looking like a Timber Wolf.

I could guess that the standard variation could confuse a lay person.

[jmen24]

Real nice, one of the females I got this year was the same color with more black on her face.

That may appear to be a large coyote, but it is nothing in size comparison to a wolf. My father is a taxidermist and the largest coyote he has done is still in the house and its weight was still under 60lbs. The female that I described above weighed in at 33lbs and stretched 3/4 of the length of the tailgate of my full size pickup. Measurements are not taken with the animal fully stretched out and you can make anything look and sound bigger be doing such, heck I am almost 8 1/2 feet tall with my arms stretched over my head.

The largest coyote on the pool board at the Smith River Trading post for the last two years is still under 60lbs.

Until you have the opportunity to see a full size wolf in comparison to a coyote you cannot say that is what people are seeing. Take a ride to any of the Cabelas stores closest to you they will have both within close proximity and you will notice that there is absolutely no way you are mistaking the two.

[swnoel]

Originally Posted by jmen24

Until you have the opportunity to see a full size wolf in comparison to a coyote you cannot say that is what people are seeing. Take a ride to any of the Cabelas stores closest to you they will have both within close proximity and you will notice that there is absolutely no way you are mistaking the two.

jmen

While you are indeed right, most people could tell the difference , but, there are plenty of those that couldn't, some can't tell the difference between a grey fox and a coyote.

I once had someone tell me they saw a badger along the road, of course it was a woodchuck, but they didn't know.

[Keith]

I would guess that one was around 45 lbs. It was young.

[EricP]

We lived on the edge of Bear Brook State Park years ago and at some point in '95-'96 my wife woke me up one night at about 1:30 and brought me to the window, right outside our window was a mountain lion. He wasn't there very long and no way did I have any time for a pic, even if I had thought to get one by the time I found the camera he would have been long gone. He was beautiful, large, beige in color and muscualr. Gigantic paws as well, he was not to be messed with for sure. I mentioned it at work on Monday (this happened over the weekend) to a coworker and he said he father had just read an article in the Sunday paper that mountain lions were making a come back in Bear Brook State Park.

[tis]

How beautiful. They look so pretty and innocent. Keith, do you have any news for us?

[Keith]

not to throw this thread off topic, we got a huge bill from our isp (upper 3 digits) for bandwidth usage, due to a security hole in their system, it was because of our site, and their backend etc- so we took the site offline. Its in a rebuild state, and will hopefully be backup sometime soon. Neither of us have had time to work on it.

back on topic, a friend saw a lynx yesterday on 171 in tboro.

[gravy boat]

Thought you'd be interested in an article in today's Citizen. Some good press for the forum as well! ;-)

GB

http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll...927/-1/CITIZEN