Wolf track?

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GatorFarmer

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Sheridan, Wyoming
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I neglected to set something down for scale. This is from two or three days ago, very near my house. An online search seems to confirm my initial thought that I found wolf tracks. This was by the creek bank, in the mud, at the end of the road. Perhaps a hundred yards from my front door. Size was large, as in make a fist and it would about cover it.

Anyone have a stash of 158gr lswchp in .38 special they can dip into?
 
Set up a game camera and some dog food. Then we could have nice and close pics.:D
 
Yeah Gator, set-up a trail camera, some dog food or roadkill and a Large Connibear or snare on the trail to it. There's some pictures I'd LOVE to see.
 
That looks like a samara about 7 o'clock position in your photo. That's a maple seed. Comparing size that looks to be a medium to large dog or a large coyote.

Give us an estimate from side to side in inches, maybe? Depth? What was the mud like? Looks fairly dense. An adult wolf will be 4" by 4"==but snow, mud, etc will cause an imprint to be larger.

With wolves, the 4 toes pads will be all the same size. With dogs, two will be larger. The tracks of wolves will be in a straight line and very parallel. A dog "trail" will be more "drunken" looking.

As with guns, if there's no picture, it didn't happen. Might try a game camera?
 
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Just over four by four. The multi tool shown is exactly four inches. Sunk into rocky soil approximately three quarters inch, rocky soil. Today, with colder temps, my track was about half an inch in. Does not seem distorted and elongated since previous picture.

Area found, three prints total, is on the left, along a bit of bare earth between the road and thick brush that begins where it slopes down to creek.
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Can't set a snare there and unfortunately I do not have a game cam. I have seen elk, deer, and rabbits literally in the yard, this is down a bit.
 
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Boy, seems to meet most of the criteria. But that is NOT where you would find a wolf. We had one observed within city limits but it was in an area that was mostly "hobby" farms and was feeding on a dead elk (road kill). Wolves are pretty secretive (I've only ever seen two in the wild=one was 600 yards away, decoying us away from her pups).

Canines (dogs, wolves, coyotes, etc) all interbreed so much that no one is ever really sure w/o genetics. While I was in grad school, one of the profs brought back a skull from Spain. Our taxonomist worked on it for a month and came up with a "90% chance it was a wolf"==that was based on 298 measurements out of 350 total!

I would say "no" but that is based solely on where the picture was taken. I would say "Jury is still out" I would give it an "official" rating of "Possible", if I was called out to identify it.
 
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You could put up one of those height scales you see on convenience store door frames on a 2x4 and put a few goodies beside it. Do wolfs like Cheetos?
 
There has been elk and deer that have wandered quite literally into the yard. Trails through the growth by the creek show where they go down to it to drink. I suppose the predators are just following their prey.

On the other side of the creek is a trail for people to walk their dogs, ride bikes, etc. It runs directly into a park where children play.

At my wife's urging, I reported the wolf's apparent presence. The local animal control number rang to the city police desk. They said that animal control was only for domesticated animals, but that a report would go out to city officers to be on the lookout. The police then then transferred me to fish and game, who seemed to take the matter seriously owing to the proximity of houses and the scenic trail.

I just happened to take a walk and always keep an eye out for interesting looking rocks, thus saw the tracks.

A forum member is being kind enough to send me some better .38 special ammunition. I suppose that I had best put up a WTT ad later and see if my 1860 Colt Army (3d gen) can become a .357 or .44. Though I stress that I am not out looking for the wolf or wolves, but am merely concerned that they are in so close and having small children find it prudent to make special effort to go about armed.
 
GatorFarmer said:
There has been elk and deer that have wandered quite literally into the yard. Trails through the growth by the creek show where they go down to it to drink. I suppose the predators are just following their prey.

On the other side of the creek is a trail for people to walk their dogs, ride bikes, etc. It runs directly into a park where children play.

At my wife's urging, I reported the wolf's apparent presence. The local animal control number rang to the city police desk. They said that animal control was only for domesticated animals, but that a report would go out to city officers to be on the lookout. The police then then transferred me to fish and game, who seemed to take the matter seriously owing to the proximity of houses and the scenic trail.

I just happened to take a walk and always keep an eye out for interesting looking rocks, thus saw the tracks.

A forum member is being kind enough to send me some better .38 special ammunition. I suppose that I had best put up a WTT ad later and see if my 1860 Colt Army (3d gen) can become a .357 or .44. Though I stress that I am not out looking for the wolf or wolves, but am merely concerned that they are in so close and having small children find it prudent to make special effort to go about armed.
Click to expand...

Assuming legality, won't hurt. Be sure to keep us informed. PM me your city/address and I'll check with our wolf specialist and the database.
 
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Fresh today, since last nights snowfall. I had noticed the neighbors dog was skittish and hiding instead of barking at me. These were pretty much right outside the yard, the fence that can be seen is the yard. These are 4x3 or so. Mrs. Wolf? Baby Wolf?

Game warden left his card but said not much he can do.

I found hairs this time too. Dark gray black sort.
 
I suggest a vigilante committee formed--set up watches and buy a .50 caiber sniper rifle---this is a good excuse, you know you want one and the Misses can't say no to an emergency.
Meet at the local joint beforehand soas everbody could get in the proper frame of mind.
This is serious stuff and it should be handled by serious folks.

OTHERWISE, a game cam would be fun.
Blessings
 
I have an 870 clone loaded with double ought buck. Only problem is that toting around everywhere, and particularly waiting for the school bus with it, might be problematic....
 
tracks

Hi to all Just an observation If you are seeing several different size tracks then you have a pack in the hood which changes the threat level One set [size] of tracks may mean that you have a lone one that will move out of the area But a pack will work the area till the food sources are depleted I would spread the word for everyone to keep their small animals [read kids and pets] inside or supervised at all times [preferred armed] Try contacting the local news paper and radio stations for a public service announcement to let the population know of the potential threat. Do some searches on coyote attacks if you want to inform your self as to the threat Even in the Cleveland Ohio area a TV anchor lady walking her dog in the park had her dog attacked and the coyote was persistent even after she had picked it up. The coyote pack out by me will move thru the area every couple of weeks and vacuum up the rabbits, cats, injured deer and road kills Stands the hair up on the back of my neck as non left on the top Best
 
No point in bringing up Sasha Siemel ,I guess. You can't walk around with a jaguar spear in public, either...

Seriously, that Colt .44 might do a wolf a real mischief, if it shoots accurately. But I think the incoming better .38 ammo will suffice, with good marksmanship and knowledge of wolf anatomy. My brother put a big Doberman down briefly with a Model 60 S&W and the lead HP load. But he shot down into a shoulder as the dog attacked. Had he put the bullet into a body shot, I think it'd have penetrated enough for a more permanent result. He connected with just one of the five shots fired. He now has a CZ-75B.

I watched a program on wolves recently. They move fast.

Good luck. Based on the toes, I agree that this MAY be a wolf. And there seems to be some evidence of a pack. Dogs, coyotes, or wolves, these are probably dangerous.
 
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I am waiting on arguing for the .50 caliber, and forming the night watch, until I find Sasquatch prints nearby. Solemn nod.

The fat bunny rabbit that I had my eye on -they taste like chicken - is notably absent as of late. So were the squirrels that ate my garbage and a fat orange cat I also suspected might taste like chicken...

I have a Taurus PT92, a shiny one, that lets me use up a pile of M9 mags I had accumulated. A bit of file or Dremel work and they are fine in the Taurus. I shot up my supply of the expensive LE grade Hornady 135 grain 9mm I had, leaving me with only 2000 or so FMJ rounds for a rainy day. I once knew a guy who fought off an attack by a feral dog pack with a Star Model B 9mm, but I thought the heavier bullets of a .38 Special would be better suited.

Whether the Colt, or my '58 Remington copy, in .44 would work better still is an interesting point, touched upon in a past thread on the efficiency of cap and ball revolvers. I do have a good supply of Hornady round balls, powder, caps, and a Lee mold for conicals. Though I do lack other casting supplies.

The intermittent bad weather, cold, as well as the greater size and bulk (comparitively) of the percussion revolvers would seem to rule them out. Though I am reasonably sure that 1860 Colt Army Revolvers did drop wolves in years past.

After the reintroduction of wolves, and controversy over plans to cull their numbers in Wyoming, they are currently present in some numbers and enjoy protected status. They seem to be intruding into urban areas...well what passes for urban in Wyoming. I am not actively searching for my friendly neighborhood wolves.

Though if anyone wants to spare an old trail cam to aid in documenting them, I will.

Coming in so close to occupied dwellings, these creatures seem to have little fear of man.

Edit to add, found more tracks, haven't put the pics up on Photobucket yet Sun is melting them, but found tracks that were no there last night on both sides of the creek.
 
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I'd keep the 38 handy when you're out and about.The typical wolf weighs about 100 lbs,so it should work...as long as you do your part..all day long [emoji1]
 
If you were further east I'd say you have a coywolf, coyote wolf hybrid but in WY My bet is on a wolf, um no sorry a very large german shepherd dog. ;-)
 
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