Wilderness Trapping and Living


No Profanity *** No Flaming *** No Advertising *** No Anti Trappers *** No Politics
No Non-Target Catches *** No Links to Anti-trapping Sites *** No Avoiding Profanity Filter


Home~Trap Talk~ADC Forum~Trap Shed~Wilderness Trapping~International Trappers~Fur Handling

Auction Forum~Trapper Tips~Links~Gallery~Basic Sets~Convention Calendar~Chat~ Trap Collecting Forum

Trapper's Humor~Strictly Trapping~Fur Buyers Directory~Mugshots~Fur Sale Directory~Wildcrafting

Trapper's Tales~Words From The Past~Legends~Archives~Kids Forum~Lure Formulators Forum


~Dobbins' Catalog~

ATS
(Please support Ted's Fur Shed, our sponsor for the Wilderness Page)


Alaska Trappers Association

Print Thread
Hop To
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
Wolf size (fixed picture) #6399543
12/15/18 01:39 PM
12/15/18 01:39 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,154
Alaska and Washington State
W
waggler Offline OP
trapper
waggler  Offline OP
trapper
W

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,154
Alaska and Washington State
I don't know much about wolves, I'm trying to figure out if this is a big one. SE Alaska is not known for having big wolves. I snared this one a few days ago. After dragging it a short distance I'd swear it's as big or bigger than some of the blacktails I've shot. Had no way to weight it, so I measured the carcass from the tip of the nose to base of the tail after skinning; measured 50 inches. That corresponds with the largest taxidermy form I could find at vandykes taxidermy supply.
Any ideas what it may have weighed?
Fur color and quality as expected is not great.

[img:gal:65175c153a3c73e38]https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/userg[align:left][/align]als/2018/12/full-6517-431587-dscf2249_1544847190256_001.jpg[/img]

Hmm, i see I don't know how to post pictures from my phone, I tried to use the same procedure as I use on my PC. Any suggestions?[Linked Image]

Last edited by waggler; 12/15/18 02:51 PM.

"My life is better than your vacation"
Re: Wolf size [Re: waggler] #6399549
12/15/18 01:51 PM
12/15/18 01:51 PM
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,441
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Sharon Offline
"American Honey"
Sharon  Offline
"American Honey"

Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,441
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
The link in your post didn't allow me to see anything there, or I would have gladly posted it for you...

Re: Wolf size [Re: waggler] #6399582
12/15/18 02:34 PM
12/15/18 02:34 PM
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,365
Billings, MT
Wolfwoman Offline
trapper
Wolfwoman  Offline
trapper

Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,365
Billings, MT
I have a coyote hanging on my wall that's 53" nose to tail.

Re: Wolf size [Re: Wolfwoman] #6399590
12/15/18 02:53 PM
12/15/18 02:53 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,154
Alaska and Washington State
W
waggler Offline OP
trapper
waggler  Offline OP
trapper
W

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,154
Alaska and Washington State
^^^^^^^
The 50 inches I measured is the skinned out carcass measurement, not the skin length.


"My life is better than your vacation"
Re: Wolf size [Re: waggler] #6399604
12/15/18 03:27 PM
12/15/18 03:27 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,129
McGrath, AK
W
white17 Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
white17  Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
W

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,129
McGrath, AK
Gulo might have the best estimate on that Mark. Did you open the cavity ??


Mean As Nails
Re: Wolf size [Re: waggler] #6399613
12/15/18 03:45 PM
12/15/18 03:45 PM
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 765
Anchorage, Alaska
broncoformudv Offline
trapper
broncoformudv  Offline
trapper

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 765
Anchorage, Alaska
I cant help you with the measurements but its a nice looking wolf.

Re: Wolf size [Re: white17] #6399629
12/15/18 04:13 PM
12/15/18 04:13 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,154
Alaska and Washington State
W
waggler Offline OP
trapper
waggler  Offline OP
trapper
W

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,154
Alaska and Washington State
Originally Posted by white17
Gulo might have the best estimate on that Mark. Did you open the cavity ??

Regretfully I didn't look at the stomach contents, I meant to, but it's feeding the crabs right now. The only things I can imagine it eats in the area I caught are beaver and goats. I snared it along the trail they run along the River Bank looking for beaver. We lost a beaver in a conibear to a wolf just a week or so ago about 500 yards down stream from where I caught this.


"My life is better than your vacation"
Re: Wolf size [Re: waggler] #6399632
12/15/18 04:19 PM
12/15/18 04:19 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 446
Southeast, AK
R
rosscoak Offline
trapper
rosscoak  Offline
trapper
R

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 446
Southeast, AK
Thats a nice one for SE AK and appears to be on the larger size...Without a scale its purely speculation on weight..A Juneau local guy caught a large one last year that he said was 150#. I dont doubt it was a large one but I doubt it was 150#. From what i have seen,mature adults in SEAK weigh in around 85-100#. Dean Wilson talked about wolf weight and size in the book, Alaska trappers Handbook.

Re: Wolf size [Re: waggler] #6399636
12/15/18 04:29 PM
12/15/18 04:29 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,154
Alaska and Washington State
W
waggler Offline OP
trapper
waggler  Offline OP
trapper
W

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,154
Alaska and Washington State
This was caught on the mainland If that makes any difference. Generally 100 pounds is a pretty large for most of the island wolves around here.


"My life is better than your vacation"
Re: Wolf size [Re: waggler] #6399638
12/15/18 04:30 PM
12/15/18 04:30 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,129
McGrath, AK
W
white17 Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
white17  Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
W

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,129
McGrath, AK
I think Gulo said the largest he has weighed was 135....and I believe that ADF&G has weighed one that was an honest 145. Largest I have weighed was 106.

I'll bet that guy was your beaver bandit. By the looks of him in the picture he may have had a full gut. Be sure you wear glove s if you open one. Seems to me that ADFG even tells their people to wear masks or don't open them. .


Mean As Nails
Re: Wolf size [Re: waggler] #6399648
12/15/18 04:44 PM
12/15/18 04:44 PM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,421
Yukon
Y
yukon254 Offline
trapper
yukon254  Offline
trapper
Y

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,421
Yukon
That one sure looks like it has a full belly, and it would be an average size wolf here. Heaviest I've ever weighed was 130, but caught a couple that may have went heavier, but they all had full bellies too.


do unto others as you would have them do unto you

www.grizzlycreeklodge.com
Re: Wolf size [Re: white17] #6399696
12/15/18 05:55 PM
12/15/18 05:55 PM
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 420
west virginia
H
hillbillyjake Offline
trapper
hillbillyjake  Offline
trapper
H

Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 420
west virginia
Originally Posted by white17
I . Be sure you wear glove s if you open one. Seems to me that ADFG even tells their people to wear masks or don't open them. .


What's the reason for this, white?

Re: Wolf size [Re: waggler] #6399700
12/15/18 06:05 PM
12/15/18 06:05 PM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,046
Homer, Alaska
S
Spek Jones Offline
"FATHER"
Spek Jones  Offline
"FATHER"
S

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,046
Homer, Alaska
I have never been able to guess ones weight, but one thing I can say, when you pick one up to load them in the sled they always seem heavier than what they actually weigh on the scales.
Biggest one I have seen here was one my brother caught a few years ago and it weighed 128lbs on the scales.

I'd have to agree with rosscoak, 150 lbs seems a little farfetched.

Nice wolf Waggler, congratulations. Looks like you have been having to trap in a rain coat too, smile

Re: Wolf size [Re: waggler] #6399704
12/15/18 06:15 PM
12/15/18 06:15 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,271
james bay frontierOnt.
B
Boco Offline
trapper
Boco  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,271
james bay frontierOnt.
From the pic I would guess 70-80 lb.


Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Re: Wolf size [Re: waggler] #6399719
12/15/18 06:42 PM
12/15/18 06:42 PM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,666
Idaho, Lemhi County
G
Gulo Offline
"On The Other Hand"
Gulo  Offline
"On The Other Hand"
G

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,666
Idaho, Lemhi County
Mark, and others...

From hundreds of necropsies on wolves, a 50 inch (nose to tip of tail) is generally in the neighborhood of about 84 pounds live weight (for interior Alaska wolves). That varies tremendously depending on many factors, such as 1) food in the stomach and intestines, 2) age class (pups are nearly the same length as older adults, but mass increases with age to at least 4 years old) 3) time of year (summer wolves about 8% lighter weight than winter wolves), 4) sex (males usually slightly heavier than females, 5) method of skinning (of course, clean-skinned carcass weighs more than rough-skinned), Etc.

I absolutely agree with Spek in that I'm still amazed at what a good scale tells me after I've packed the stinky thing around in the woods.

I'm agreeing with you, too, Roscoak, in that I've heard way too many stories about a supposed 150-pound wolf (that was actually 90). I've still never seen one weighed that went over 140. I'm sure one exists, but I've yet to see it, and I suspect I've weighed several hundred "big" wolves over the years.

By the way, Mark. Congratulations. Nice looking SE wolf.

Jack


Re: Wolf size [Re: Gulo] #6399767
12/15/18 07:22 PM
12/15/18 07:22 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,154
Alaska and Washington State
W
waggler Offline OP
trapper
waggler  Offline OP
trapper
W

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,154
Alaska and Washington State
Jack,

My measurement was to the base/root of the tail; not the "tip of the tail".
Im not attempting to make it bigger than it is, although I'd like it to be, I sure don't want to be guilty of saying I have a "50 pound coyote/coon/bobcat".

I have very little experience with Wolves, since they don't have much fur value in this area I generally don't set for them, but it's sort of considered my civic duty in this area to at least make an attempt as long as I'm out there trapping.

My only basis for thinking it might be on the large size is that the measurement I took is the largest form size that's available from one of the major Taxidermy Supply companies.

Thanks for the input.


"My life is better than your vacation"
Re: Wolf size [Re: waggler] #6399800
12/15/18 08:04 PM
12/15/18 08:04 PM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,666
Idaho, Lemhi County
G
Gulo Offline
"On The Other Hand"
Gulo  Offline
"On The Other Hand"
G

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,666
Idaho, Lemhi County
I mis-spoke (mis-wrote?) Mark. Sorry for the confusion. Apparently not enough coffee today, or maybe I didn't kick off toddie-time early enough. The column I was looking at in my data was total body length, not including tail. If the wolf was 50 inches from nose to tip of tail, it would have made it about a 13-pounder. So, for the data that I have gathered over the years, it still computes out to be about an 84-pounder (nose to base of tail, if the tape measure was formed around all the bends of the carcass ). This is just a (semi-)educated guess, because of the myriad factors I listed above. Wish I could be more precise. You've been guiding hunters and packing fish totes around for years, and can probably come closer to the actual live weight than I can. A big adult male wolf from Interior Alaska or even Idaho is about 1370mm (54"). I don't know much about the size of mannequins sold by the taxidermy shops.

Jack


Re: Wolf size [Re: waggler] #6399857
12/15/18 09:11 PM
12/15/18 09:11 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,514
juneau, alaska
A
alaska viking Offline
"Made it two years not being censored"
alaska viking  Offline
"Made it two years not being censored"
A

Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,514
juneau, alaska
Well, I caight a 50# wolverine(looked 50, carried like 50), that actually hit the didgital scale at 34.6. Empty tummy, and taxi had to add clay to the head shell for the rug.

Last edited by alaska viking; 12/15/18 09:12 PM.

Made it almost 3 years without censor!

Re: Wolf size [Re: waggler] #6399907
12/15/18 10:03 PM
12/15/18 10:03 PM
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 9
n. canada
6
6.5swede Offline
trapper
6.5swede  Offline
trapper
6

Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 9
n. canada
The comments of 150lb wolves caught my attention.

Last year I had one of mine weighed on a beam scale.
It registered 150, and had been frozen for a week.

I'll try find a pic for comparason.

Re: Wolf size [Re: hillbillyjake] #6399912
12/15/18 10:07 PM
12/15/18 10:07 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,129
McGrath, AK
W
white17 Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
white17  Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
W

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,129
McGrath, AK
Originally Posted by hillbillyjake
Originally Posted by white17
I . Be sure you wear glove s if you open one. Seems to me that ADFG even tells their people to wear masks or don't open them. .


What's the reason for this, white?



Most canines and several ungulates carry Echinococcus granulosus. This is a cyst that usually encapsulates hundreds of tapeworms in the larval stage.........if I remember correctly. The gloves are obviously to prevent contact and transfer to the person excavating the guts & lungs of a critter. I suspect the mask is just to prevent splashing or squirting fluids into your face.

I know a wolf hunter who nearly lost his hand from an infected finger.


Mean As Nails
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

Moderated by  akntrpr, Ol' Blister, otterman 

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.1