Huggable Howlers?

[loiblb]

I have yet to see one in the wild. Look like they could be a real hand full in a pack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=OQj3BIEl-dU

 

[Fox Mike]

WOW! That is one HUGE animal.

 

[cadillo]

I had no idea that wolves were that big. Those things could kill a man with little effort if so inclined.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

My neighbor had a cross in Alaska and they had to jump through a LOT of hoops to keep them and they were totally isolated from the rest of the yard so they didn't get out and people couldn't get to them. There have been a lot of incidents where they turned on their owners or someone visiting. Nice looking as they are I don't think I would trust them. They will always be a wild animal.

 

[Colonialgirl]

WOW !! either that was a really short guy OR that was ONE BIG Animal !!

 

[Jeepnik]

Right just let the Bambites see that and they'll want them in every state. I'd like to see that guy with a true born in the wild wolf try that. I think the wolves on the video if they were wild would have a fine snack with all those folks just standing around.

 

[longspurr]

Wild crosses. Listening to folks that have done the breeding, they say that the WILD is still there until about the F3-F4 cross. (3 or 4 times crossed to domestic). They are unpredictable – not really domestic until then.

Yep them are some big boys! They say size counts in the far north land, better to keep body heat.

I do suggest that we send tree huggers to help raise and feed them. If the big boys like people snacks – that just reduces the feed bill. The bad thing is (according to a zoo vet) is if you feed them meat – they expect meat, and are much harder to handle.
Feeding them grain products helps keep them docile. I think this also works with people.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

I had no idea that wolves were that big. Those things could kill a man with little effort if so inclined.

Yep a Northern Grey Wolf can get pretty big like 6' from nose to tail. Not a Texas Coyote for sure.
I agree they should not be pets. They still have the wild in them.

Fact: The heaviest wolves can approach 200lbs.

Wolves increase exponentially in size the further they are from the equator. Wolves of the tropics are often no larger than medium sized dogs, but those of the far north (Alaska, Canada, and Russia) can be in excess of 120lbs. The largest wolf ever killed in North America was taken in Alaska in 1939 and tipped the scales at 175lbs. In the former Ukraine SSR, a still more massive wolf was killed that weighed 190lbs. There are unsubstantiated reports of 200lb+ specimens, presumably alpha males in areas that boast a steady food supply.

 

[exavid]

Shot a few in the early '60s or to be more precise my gunner did it with my 12ga. single barrel Stevens break action. There was a bounty on them in the areas around the Noatak River and nearby where Eskimos (now Inuits) herded reindeer. We hunted the from the air, which isn't as easy as some think. It was a bit odd you could get a permit for two then once you'd bountied out those you could get another permit. Bountys were $50 IIRC and green hides could bring in as much as $100 depending on condition and the number of holes the double ought made. I didn't go on more than three hunts getting a grand total of four animals. It was kind of interesting flying trying to get your gunner into position to shoot out the right side of the Supercub. Kind of tricky for the gunner to hit a wolf and not the propeller, landing gear, ski, wing strut, fuel tank or wing spar. I had a good gunner but always worried if a sudden jink on my part would cause him to hit something important. Arctic wolf hides had the most value because they had the best fur. Belly fur makes a great parka ruff especially when the inner part is made of Wolverine fur which resists icing up. There was a lady in the village (Kotzebue) who did great skin sewing who made me a beautiful ruff to replace the pathetic one on my Bauer parka. I don't think any in our area that were as big as the ones in the picture but they were plenty big enough to take down caribou, reindeer and moose.

 

[wunbe]

I also have heard that rabbis shots do not work on wolf crosses. The police department where my son works once offered wolf cross profile pictures to kpet on squad cars and any loose dog fitting the patten was to be taken out on sight.

wunbe

 

[BearBio]

If you mean "rabies" shots, that's a fallacy. Or are you saying Jewish people can't kill wolf-crosses?

Many crashes involving wildlife biologists involve the gunner missing an animal and turning towards the pilot, shooting him with a dart. Standard practice is that one member of the party is an EMT and carries pre-loaded antidote syringes. My instructor stuck himself in the leg and had only seconds to administer the antidote (he was "tranking" rhinos in Africa for a game department). M-99 (Etorphine) or Carfentenil will induce unconsciousness in about 6 seconds in primates (including man). There are VERY strict Federal regulations concerning tranquilizers and darting animals.

Part of my final exam in Animal Behavior in grad school was recognizing facial expressions on wolves from photos.

 

[whichwatch]

I had no idea that wolves were that big. Those things could kill a man with little effort if so inclined.

No way, you gotta be kidding.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

exavid ,
I sold my Super Cruiser to a guy in Montana in 1969. I later read in the NTSB report where it had crashed and killed the two onboard. They were hunting wolves at the time. Don't know what really happened. It was a great plane that I had rebuilt.

 

[gramps]

Exavid, if you were in the Kotz area, those Eskimo were Inupiat. The Inuit are farther South, and some are inland. My son had a 3/4 wolf cross that was very food aggressive . When he got married and had an instant family with children age 5 and under, the dog went to another home!
gramps

 

[Fox Mike]

My neighbor had a cross in Alaska and they had to jump through a LOT of hoops to keep them and they were totally isolated from the rest of the yard so they didn't get out and people couldn't get to them. There have been a lot of incidents where they turned on their owners or someone visiting. Nice looking as they are I don't think I would trust them. They will always be a wild animal.

I heard, and I believe it was a program on the Animal Channel, that it takes FOUR generations of being in domestication to become totally domesticated.