[Vision2020] Wolves

[Art Deco]

This note may not be necessary, but:

Whenever menaced or watched by a nonhuman predator, do not run!*  When a possible prey runs from a predator, then it becomes actual prey in the eyes of the predator.  If attacked, except by a grizzly bear, make your size larger (not unlike a house cat when attacked) and fight back.  With grizzlies, some times they charge, then veer off at the last second and keep on moving.  If they attack, the best chance for survival is to curl up and play dead.

Yes, wolves, cougars, bears, etc do on rare occasions attack and kill humans, but not as often as some breeds of domestic dogs and certainly not nearly as often as other humans.  Bovine bulls also attack and kill humans.  When their young are threatened, their food supply in lean times are threatened, when tormented, or when in the rut, even cervine beasts can attack and occasionally kill -- the most common examples are persons attacked by elk or moose mothers with young, male elk or moose in the rut,  moose in the winter protecting a food supply, and elk/moose just tormented/chased by a snowmobile or ATV.  (In the latter case, I always root for the elk/moose.)

Alertness and intelligent behavior can reduce the probability of being attacked by a predator or a non-predator protecting something.

W.

*Even a lumbering black bear can outrun the fastest horse over short distances.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Kai Eiselein 
To: vision2020 at moscow.com 
Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 10:32 PM
Subject: [Vision2020] Wolves


Wolves can and do attack humans on occasion.
Last July a woman was attacked at a campground in Alaska.
In 2000, also in Alaska a 9-year-old boy was attacked, that same year a 23 year old male was attacked in BC.
I have a copy of a photo of a dog that was killed and eaten by wolves in Clearwater County. Its pretty grisly. 
There has been at least one verified case of wolves killing livestock near Kendrick, my brother in law was the farmer affected.
There have been reports of wolf sightings near Troy, Deary and Bovill. I hope to one day be able to get out to one of the areas to get photographic evidence. (Yeah, I've got a really big lens that should do the trick)
I saw what appeared to be a wolf early one morning between Kendrick and Troy about 4 years ago. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to grab my camera fast enough to document it.
Wolves ARE dangerous animals and attacks ARE rare. I don't believe they are any more or less dangerous than bears or cougars/pumas/mountain lions.
With that said, they ARE very intelligent pack hunters. I fear that if they remain protected they will lose their fear of humans and if that happens.... well, we've seen the results of that with bears and cougars.
Therefore, I believe that managed hunting would help keep them fearful of humans, thus reducing the chances of human/wolf encounters.
I'm sure a number of V2020ers have been nipped by a dog. It smarts a bit. Now imagine having  those teeth sink into your flesh and rip it apart. Its not pretty and it hurts like hell. 
I've been bitten four times bad enough to require stitches/hospitlization. (Left upper arm, my right wrist, my upper lip, the right side of my jaw and the worst one of all, I had my left ear nearly bitten off.) No, I'm not afraid of dogs. 
I'd be willing to show the scars, just ask if you see me.
I can only imagine what it what it would be like to be torn into by a wolf and I'd rather no one, especially a child, find out.
To answer Tom Ivie's question: Yes coyotes will mate with dogs. One of my parents' shepherd bitches escaped her kennel while in heat and gave birth to a litter of coyote/shepherd pups. We kept one puppy that I really liked because he was all grey (Hence the name Grey One). He was tame, and very protective of me. But he was not, by any means, domesticated, his wildness was very much evident. He never tried to bite anyone, but his hackles would raise and he would give a low snarl if anyone got too close to him.



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