# Wolves and bird dogs in the U.P.



## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

T Baker said:


> My buddy’s wife has been telling him horror stories about wolves killing bird dogs. I know about hounds (bear dogs and beagles) having incidents with the wolves but is there anything to worry about with the bird dogs which generally stay within 300 yards and wear bells. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!


Horror stories about wolves killing bird dogs in the UP? I don't know of any confirmed incidents in the past few decades, and my understanding is the vast majority are hounds running bear or rabbits or domestic dogs (I can only imagine unattended or lost). There's enough stories about hounds getting hurt or killed that if I ran hounds I wouldn't take them to the UP.

Been bird hunting the UP for at least one weekend for the past two years. Came across a few tracks and sign, immediately put my dog on a lead and left that cover just out of an abundance of caution. If I even get a funny feeling in an area, I'm out of there. The Yoop is the real deal bush in many areas. My dog is a fairly close working pointing lab though. If my dog ranged much farther than 100 yards I don't think I would take him to the UP. Just not worth it to me. 

I have heard rumors of wolves becoming less and less afraid of humans up there, which concerns me. 

Another can of worms for you all is the fact that there are supposedly now packs in the northern LP.


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

You just never know in wolf county. Best bet is to play it safe and keep your dog's close, but even that might not be enough in the right situation. My neighbors dog was attacked and killed while it was chained up in his yard.


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## Birdhnr (Nov 16, 2009)

I did a lot of research on that a couple years back and I found the bird-dog/wolf conflicts were non existent. (I did go up in 2017 and not a problem. Lots of wolf tracks though). A lot of bird-dog killings was hearsay and urban legend. Never could find anyone who actually had an issue with bird dogs. The only wolf/dog conflicts were with hounds (Rabbit & Bear) with one domestic dog issue on the Keweenaw. Even contacted Tom Huggler the writer who has an annual bird camp in the UP since forever. He said not one problem in all his years.

DNR has a great wolf/dog conflict website that shows location, type of dog and when there were contacts. (https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79135_79218_79619-287524--,00.html). You can also get a hold of the Wolf Biologist in Newberry (If she's still there). She was a great help. (Cristy Sataar).

They seem to only have problems with hounds around early fall, prior to October when pups are getting around. They believe the hound howling has a lot to do with it where they feel threatened. In addition those dogs range quite far from the hunter. They say wolves know you're there. When I asked about the bell acting like a dinner bell, the biologist said they think it may act the opposite. They are associating the bell with humans and believe they stay away.

But the web site shows most of the conflicts in the middle of the UP. And it is by pack. Some packs repeatedly attack and some don't.

Check out the web site. I haven't looked at it in depth since 2017 but it looks like they keep it updated.

I'm planning on returning this year.

Later and good luck


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Birdhnr said:


> I did a lot of research on that a couple years back and I found the bird-dog/wolf conflicts were non existent. (I did go up in 2017 and not a problem. Lots of wolf tracks though). A lot of bird-dog killings was hearsay and urban legend. Never could find anyone who actually had an issue with bird dogs. The only wolf/dog conflicts were with hounds (Rabbit & Bear) with one domestic dog issue on the Keweenaw. Even contacted Tom Huggler the writer who has an annual bird camp in the UP since forever. He said not one problem in all his years.
> 
> DNR has a great wolf/dog conflict website that shows location, type of dog and when there were contacts. (https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79135_79218_79619-287524--,00.html). You can also get a hold of the Wolf Biologist in Newberry (If she's still there). She was a great help. (Cristy Sataar).
> 
> ...


I dont have a fear of wolves with my dog and I am heading to the UP atleast one weekend thisnyear...... But if you click on the interactive map the areas list attacks by hound dog, domestic dog and hunting dogs. I saw alot of hound dog attacks, one domestic and 3 hunting dogs. It doesnt specify what a hunting dog is but I think it is safe to say not a hound.


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## LushLife (Mar 3, 2008)

WI has very up-to-date data here https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/wolf/dogdeps.html - 16 attacks on dogs in the past two months, some counties bordering UP


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## Bonz 54 (Apr 17, 2005)

I'm sorry Guys, I don't care if it's the last Gray Wolf on the planet, if it attacks my dog (also known as a member of my family) if given the chance, I will kill it first. PERIOD, end of discussion. FRANK


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## wirehair (Oct 16, 2007)

Logging trucks, ATV's, Pick-ups, make me more nervous than Wolves. I was up there all last week running dogs. Honestly did not think of wolves. There are a lot of bad things that can happen when you turn a dog loose. But we and they love it and there is risk in everything.


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## 9mm Hi-Power (Jan 16, 2010)

T Baker said:


> I’m making my first trip ever to the U.P. near Manistique in October for grouse and woodcock.


I was up in the U.P. for a long four day Labor Day weekend and have never seen so much wolf sign and wolf howling. I always kept my GSP Taser within 25 yards of me and stayed on the two tracks. Crossing there bridge coming down the toll booth attendant told me figures were down for the Labor-Day Bridge Walk out of fear of wolf attacks. I usually stop at a smoked-fish place in Moran but missed out this year as they have started opening late and closing early so the help can get home before the wolves start to prowl.

As an aside on the way up I left a favored lunch break spot where the Muskegon River brushes up against the Dead Stream Swamp. I was driving out on more than a two-track but less than a road when a bear popped out of the south side and stopped in the middle of the "road" and stared at me. Wow ! A beautiful animal, about 170 pound, and glistening in the sun like it had been painted in black enamel. I coasted towards it but it quickly ambled off into the swamp.

I then pushed the safety back on and re-holstered my 13 round Browning Hi-Power as agitated bears have been known to crash through windshields and maul vehicle drivers.


OK - I confess. The middle part of this post is true but the first and last obviously aren't. Just go to the U.P. and have a good time. You are more likely to be lost and never seen again up there then your bird dog is to have wolf encounter. Having said that the U.P. is truly a big, as in a really big, place. Personally I wouldn't hunt it without some sort of dog/hunter combo GPS - e.g. Garmin, a beeper on the dog and a good compass and knowing how to read a compass. I was once "lost" up there on a rainy late afternoon and all of a sudden nothing seems to make much sense as to direction etc. - not a fun time. Hope this helps.

9mm Hi-Power


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## Tilden Hunter (Jun 14, 2018)

wirehair said:


> Logging trucks, ATV's, Pick-ups, make me more nervous than Wolves. I was up there all last week running dogs. Honestly did not think of wolves. There are a lot of bad things that can happen when you turn a dog loose. But we and they love it and there is risk in everything.


Wolves can be a localized problem, but are overblown. I've encountered wolf tracks twice. The first time was in Marquette Co. in 1999. The second was in Delta Co. about 2008 or so. That year only there were plenty of tracks. The wolves managed to get a turkey, but they didn't slow down the deer hunting any.


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## bornwise (Jan 17, 2016)

I ran into a pack of wolves grouse hunting in Ontario a few years ago. They chased my Gordon until they saw me. They watched me for a few seconds then moved off. I turned the beeper collar on to beeper every 30 seconds and didn't see another wolf in 4 days of hunting


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## sourdough44 (Mar 2, 2008)

Normally with a close-in flushing type dog it’s not a big problem. With pointers ranging out 200+yards, I’d be more concerned. It can kinda depend on the area, cover, & distance from activity & roads.

My dog stays fairly close, so worries are low. I’m also near heavy wolf activity, but keep my guard up. Even when wolves don’t run as fast as coyotes, they still don’t want to hear voices & hang around people. Much of the time words are spoken while upland bird hunting, enough to alert canines in the area.

I know at least one guy who had his lab chased back to him by a wolf, the dog never got a scratch.


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## Tonybob (Mar 16, 2014)

I’ve been hunting the yoop for the past 8 years with my cousin and his buddy. They have hunted it every year for the last 20 years. We’ve hunted from Bruce crossing all the way to the east Coast, and not once have we encountered a wolf. While camping in our tent we did here a couple howl which scared the crap out of me. (No comparison to coyotes howling). Yes we’ve seen tracks and droppings and as previously mentioned , we pack up and move down the road. There’s no place like the UP, plenty of land to hunt and very wild. Don’t let wolves stop you from a great adventure. Just Make sure you have a GPS tracking collar. I had to hunt for my dog last year due to not having a GPS collar. And yes, wolves eating my dog weighed heavily on my mind. On a side note, I will say that I seem to have better flush rates and success in the lower peninsula for some reason. Maybe I spend more time hunting and less time driving in the lower. Get north and wander the yoop.


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## U.P.Grouse Chaser (Dec 27, 2018)

So far i have been lucky. I've run my Gsp for a little more than a year now ,prior to that I've run Golden Retrievers for 12 years all in the yoop. Knock on Wood I haven't had any issues with wolves. The Goldens were close working . The Gsp covers a little more ground and isn't always in sight. I am little more concerned with that but I 've been running a beeper collar on her. I primarily hunt Dickinson, Iron ,Southern Baraga and Southern Marquette Counties. I've seen a 1 wolf,while sitting in the deer blind, it came about 20 minutes behind a doe and fawn. It was following their tracks. I've also seen a couple while driving us-141 near Amasa Mi. That's been my experience with wolves so far. I have had a couple of brushes with coyotes . The coyotes so far have run off. Skunks and porcupines are another story.


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## augustus0603 (Oct 24, 2005)

I've been running there the last 5+ years with 0 incidents. Seen plenty of sign but have never heard of any of my friends that run up there having an issue either. They're in the lower too and have yet to hear of anyone having an issue down here as well. I read an article in Outdoor Life about 15 years ago where a guy lost his GSP in minutes in Wisconsin. There were pictures in the article that made me sick. That's always in the back of my mind but I think when you let things like that worry you, you lose your joy for the sport. I always have an amazing time when I'm in the UP so I really value that experience and am not going to let the presence of wolves worry me. There's probably just as much probability of your dog getting hit by a car or atv than a wolf attack on a bird dog.

Hounds are another story though.


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## Worm Dunker (Sep 11, 2000)

A friend of mine told me his buddy had a wolf kill his Brittany it's been years ago. It was wearing a bell


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## Brien maeder (Mar 12, 2013)

augustus0603 said:


> I've been running there the last 5+ years with 0 incidents. Seen plenty of sign but have never heard of any of my friends that run up there having an issue either. They're in the lower too and have yet to hear of anyone having an issue down here as well. I read an article in Outdoor Life about 15 years ago where a guy lost his GSP in minutes in Wisconsin. There were pictures in the article that made me sick. That's always in the back of my mind but I think when you let things like that worry you, you lose your joy for the sport. I always have an amazing time when I'm in the UP so I really value that experience and am not going to let the presence of wolves worry me. There's probably just as much probability of your dog getting hit by a car or atv than a wolf attack on a bird dog.
> 
> Hounds are another story though.


I worry more about porkies those damn things get my buddies gsp every year


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## NbyNW (Jun 30, 2012)

Brien maeder said:


> I worry more about porkies those damn things get my buddies gsp every year


A German dog go after a porcupine? Never would have guessed! /s


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Birdhnr said:


> When I asked about the bell acting like a dinner bell, the biologist said they think it may act the opposite. They are associating the bell with humans and believe they stay away.


That's my understanding as well, except I have heard as of recently, with no hunting wolves now, that the wolves are getting bolder around humans. In any event, when hunting pressured birds in the LP I will close my truck doors quietly and sometimes even take my dog's bell off... but in the UP, I am not bashful when slamming my truck doors. I want any nearby wolves to know I'm there, and I've never noticed it spooks off grouse like it does in the LP, where in some haunts my footsteps from 50 yards away kicks up the same group every time. 



9mm Hi-Power said:


> Crossing there bridge coming down the toll booth attendant told me figures were down for the Labor-Day Bridge Walk out of fear of wolf attacks.


People afraid of wolves when walking the bridge? Heck, maybe we'll get that hunting season on them soon after all!


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

There are many things to worry about when in the U.P. woods. Just this week a woman was killed by a bear along the Ontario/Minnesota boarder. Her dog got into with the bear and she went to investigate. I have walked up on bears while bird hunting several times and I also had a run in with a super aggressive bear by my camp too. Porcupines and skunks can also be a major problem. Skunk numbers were super high last year in my area as were porkies due to coyote numbers being so low I was told. Traps are another hazard to be away of. Even a sharp stick can injure a dog badly. I once had thousands in vet bills from a stick, which nearly killed my dog. Besides wolves, these are all good reasons to keep your dogs in sight at all times in the U.P. I hunt a lot more than most on here in the U.P. hunting almost every non-miserable day all through fall and even some miserable ones too. Last year was the first time in many years that I did not have a sighting of a wolf, although I did hear them and see lots of sign. I've seen too many to count, but have only had one scary encounter with one that followed me. My wife also had two follow her in from a deer hunt too. In both cases they had to be shot at and in both cases they were reported to the DNR and in both cases they were never investigated or otherwise documented into public records too, so I have no confidence in what the DNR says on wolf-human/pet/livestock reporting what so ever.


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## fordman1 (Dec 12, 2015)

Brien maeder said:


> I worry more about porkies those damn things get my buddies gsp every year


Gsp like the taste.


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## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

Dave Medema said:


> I spend several weeks in the UP each fall and eventually find wolf sign here or there. A few years ago, We were cruising down a road and caught a glimpse of movement on the side. Turns out a trapper had a young wolf in a leg hold. We called the DNR so they could safely remove and possibly collar the wolf. DNR would take an hour or so to get their team down to us so we moved up the road a 1/2 mile and hunted. Never even thought of any risk to the dogs. There are enough wolves in the area that trying to avoid them is pointless. Yes, my setters run big, are mostly out of sight, and I still don't worry.
> 
> The story gets complicated after that but the wolf ended up being a 118 Lb young male.


 Most of the wolves up here average 70-80lbs according to Brian Roell, MDNR Wolf Biologist. That is a BIG wolf.

If you look at the wolf-dog conflicts map plots, in recent years, there have been next to zero attacks on upland dogs. Free ranging dogs absent human companions like beagles and bear dog dominate.


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## Dave Medema (Jan 18, 2005)

The wolf was killed and eventually obtained by the DNR which did all the measurements. We asked for any updates and that was the info they sent us. I was surprised at the weight too as I've seen substantially larger wolves in MN. Maybe it was a typo. I have no idea. I can only pass along the info that I received.


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## Lightfoot (Feb 18, 2018)

I saw a few sets of wolf tracks last winter in the EUP while coyote hunting and one set of tracks about 20 feet from my front door. This spring just after the trout opener I ran across a fresh deer kill while fishing a tiny little creek near my house. It could have been a bear or coyotes I suppose.

Living here sure beats the hell out of being in a town


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## Tilden Hunter (Jun 14, 2018)

Lightfoot said:


> I saw a few sets of wolf tracks last winter in the EUP while coyote hunting and one set of tracks about 20 feet from my front door. This spring just after the trout opener I ran across a fresh deer kill while fishing a tiny little creek near my house. It could have been a bear or coyotes I suppose.
> 
> Living here sure beats the hell out of being in a town


I liked your post, but I'm of two minds. I live in town because the idea of living in the woods isn't really possible, just because once you are living there it isn't the woods anymore. Once you start living in the woods there is now electricity, traffic, garbage pick up (maybe), constant people. You get the idea. It is no longer the woods. All that said I'm still happy for you.


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## Lightfoot (Feb 18, 2018)

LOLOL I'm 3 miles from town, my driveway is off the local highway, I have electricity but really rough it because I have to take my garbage to the dump  

The house I tried to talk my wife into buying when we first moved here was "in the woods", 1/2 mile driveway, off grid bliss....it was a beautiful but short sales pitch on my part that was quickly shot down


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