Looking for some expert/experienced opinion on whether these are coyotes or wolves.

Wolves

Yes those are wolves.

Big dogs

No question; wolves.

Agree,wolves,looks like a few pups(YOY)
A family group.

Question for you guys that know a thing or two. What is this thing.

Please keep us updated on this one.
8D

Do y'all trap wolves or shoot them? I know they're are regulations per state. I'm just very curious. BEAUTIFUL.

The gentleman here are probably just as capable of identifying but I'll submit this anyway

Adult wolves have a blocky head,wide muzzle. long thick front legs narrow deep chest,drag their feet in snow and much bigger than a coyote.

Young wolves and large coyotes can be more difficult to distinguish,especially the larger eastern coyote compard to the smaller deer eating great lakes group of wolves.In fact those two have hybridized where their ranges overlap.

defiantly wolves never seen a black coyote

Seen a few, not too far south of where that pic was taken, if it is Adams County, like his handle.

But not that may in the same group.

I haven't either.

But not that may in the same group.[/quote]

Cross breed?

Cross breed?[/quote]

Possible. There's quite a range of colors in eastern coyotes. Grey, tawny, red, black. Some look very much like dogs some times.

But I won't call them "wolf-anything crosses", way too much at stake to lump coyotes in with wolves.

If we could judge their size it would be obvious.

I'm not an expert on wolves. The head shape/narrow snout looks to me more like a coyote. The "tail up" posture, though, is supposedly more of a wolf trait. I've heard of black coyotes but I've never seen that many together at once.

Many color phases in wolf packs,1000% wolves in the pictures most are pups,this time of year those are in 45 to 55lbs range,most of our Great Lake wolves are 70 to 85lbs range,about 2,3 will be 100 lbs out of 200 wolves.They look like they would weigh more,most that weigh 95 to 105 lbs normally have a FULL belly deer,fawn or calves.

The color phases we see in these particular photos, though, are known to exist in coyotes.

Listen to the people here who have to deal with them. If Gulo, Boco, and the northern MN boys tell you their thoughts, take it to the bank. No need for internet experts here, we are blessed to have actual experts who live and breathe the trapping life. That is this site’s greatest gift.

My thoughts too.