Re: What price would b worth being able 2 run in wolf countr
Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 9:08 am
I must thank u guys for the feedback and info, In these posts i've learned some things I hadn't previously known. Always good to learn more.
It sounds like there are some significant differences in the hunting in the wisconsin,minnesota area and here in the remote country of the mountain west. The most obvious i would say would be that u can hunt often and only lose one dog in5- 10yrs. There are many places here i would bet if u hunted once you would stand a good chance at losing some or all of your dogs! Definitely not worth the hassle of a guard dog with those stats. The other difference is probably the size of the country. The big areas where wolves are bad are so remote the chances of seeing other hounds are probably much more remote than back east. I agree though, that would be very bad if one of these (now imaginary) guard dogs tore into someone elses hounds.
I do understand that wolves come in many different sizes, I was not stating that an anatolian shepherd could handle canis lupus occidentalis that we now have here, just that kangals are well known to kill wolves in their home land. If i thought they could handle the wolves we currently have here, there would be no need to cross or develop a new dog at all?
With these introduced wolves originating from such a high latitude they are certainly bigger (as Bergmanns rule would state), but not as big as many people think or are told. Truth is that after the 2010 hunt the average adult male was just under 100lbs, and the average female size was 79lbs
Every account i have heard of hounds being attacked only involved a couple wolves doing the damage. I know occasionally really big packs occur, however in the mtn west the average pack size is 7.8 animals. Also when different wolf packs fight over territory it is almost never that every wolf joins in.
I like the idea of breeding a bigger meaner pack hound to hunt in wolf country. It just sounds even more difficult than the already difficult guard dog idea!
I wish I had the Time/ambition/resources to currently tackle such an undertaking. I'll admit it would be a longshot, but with the right breeding & armour I think it has some possibillity.If done right it would make a big difference. I would buy one!
It sounds like there are some significant differences in the hunting in the wisconsin,minnesota area and here in the remote country of the mountain west. The most obvious i would say would be that u can hunt often and only lose one dog in5- 10yrs. There are many places here i would bet if u hunted once you would stand a good chance at losing some or all of your dogs! Definitely not worth the hassle of a guard dog with those stats. The other difference is probably the size of the country. The big areas where wolves are bad are so remote the chances of seeing other hounds are probably much more remote than back east. I agree though, that would be very bad if one of these (now imaginary) guard dogs tore into someone elses hounds.
I do understand that wolves come in many different sizes, I was not stating that an anatolian shepherd could handle canis lupus occidentalis that we now have here, just that kangals are well known to kill wolves in their home land. If i thought they could handle the wolves we currently have here, there would be no need to cross or develop a new dog at all?
With these introduced wolves originating from such a high latitude they are certainly bigger (as Bergmanns rule would state), but not as big as many people think or are told. Truth is that after the 2010 hunt the average adult male was just under 100lbs, and the average female size was 79lbs
Every account i have heard of hounds being attacked only involved a couple wolves doing the damage. I know occasionally really big packs occur, however in the mtn west the average pack size is 7.8 animals. Also when different wolf packs fight over territory it is almost never that every wolf joins in.
I like the idea of breeding a bigger meaner pack hound to hunt in wolf country. It just sounds even more difficult than the already difficult guard dog idea!
I wish I had the Time/ambition/resources to currently tackle such an undertaking. I'll admit it would be a longshot, but with the right breeding & armour I think it has some possibillity.If done right it would make a big difference. I would buy one!