This is topic strange creatures at bear bait in forum Predator forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.
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Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on May 06, 2004, 11:12 AM:
Just got back from Idaho and had a great trip. My friend that went along got a great bear, but I didn't get one this time. There were several bears coming and all the sudden they stopped. We thought it was something we were doing, but after careful review of some trail camera pics we may have figured it out. Anybody know what these are? 
[ May 06, 2004, 11:14 AM: Message edited by: Cal Taylor ]
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on May 06, 2004, 11:59 AM:
Good to hear your trip went well.
I hope I see a double exposure on the first pic? If not, did they bring greetings from their planet?
Good hunting. LB
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on May 06, 2004, 12:29 PM:
Leonard, I don't guess I see what you are talking about? The bright spot is because the camera was looking into the sun. Is that what you are seeing?
Posted by Greenside (Member # 10) on May 06, 2004, 12:33 PM:
Must be that two headed canine that Danny keeps talking about.
Dennis
Posted by Weedwacker (Member # 329) on May 06, 2004, 12:53 PM:
Who let the dogs out!!!?
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on May 06, 2004, 05:45 PM:
I'll bite.
"Woof, Woof, Woof, Woof, Woof"!!!!!!!
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on May 06, 2004, 06:39 PM:
I'm leaning towards the dog theory also, or a hybrid, but if so they are feral. This spot is pretty remote.
Posted by onecoyote (Member # 129) on May 06, 2004, 07:23 PM:
Maybe wolf pups?
Posted by Weedwacker (Member # 329) on May 06, 2004, 09:10 PM:
It looks like a third dog with dark short hair (domestic) has his muzzle down at the base of the drum in that first pic. Uless that's a big log that was there or something. It's not in the second pic whatever it is.
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on May 07, 2004, 10:29 AM:
Sure looks like feral dogs to me.
Posted by Rich Higgins (Member # 3) on May 08, 2004, 01:41 PM:
It appears to be a photo of three wolf-like creatures that was taken in a remote area of Idaho in which wolf sightings have been reported.
Seems like a "best guess" is lurking in there somewhere. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Very cool pics, Cal.
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on May 08, 2004, 04:53 PM:
I can't say what they are for sure, but feral dogs aren't a problem in the back country in this part of Idaho. In fact, I've never heard of anyone running across feral dogs in the Idaho back country that I am familiar with. Not saying it can't happen but wolves would be much more common in most parts of the north central Idaho mountains.
If you don't mind me asking Cal, approximately what part of Idaho did you take these pics? If towns or people are reasonably close by I could lean towards the "feral dog" thing. If you wanted Cal I be glad to ask a couple of guys I know who work for the IDF&G if they have heard of any dog problems in the back country depending on what part of Idaho its in.
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on May 08, 2004, 05:47 PM:
Lonny and all, I'm not talking remote like middle of the wilderness remote, but far enough from town that you wouldn't expect dogs. If that helps? Also Lonnie you may know the country, we were on the Coeur d' Alene Indian *********** . It's between Lonny and Coeur d' Alene. Also the St. Joe Natl. Forest. Don't know if that helps or not. I hate to cry "wolf", simply because I don't know anything about them.
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on May 08, 2004, 05:48 PM:
Thats weird, I tried to type *********** and it didn't work. But if it don't work again, I'll just type "the place where indians live".
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on May 08, 2004, 06:34 PM:
Cal, In my first response I almost wrote, "If a guy were hunting an area near where Indians live then it could well be stray dogs that are half wild. The local Rez always has plenty of stray running around. From the area your talking about I might be more inclined to think they are dogs.
You never know though, because wolves are quickly moving into any suitable habitat. The northern panhandle of the state doesn't seem have have as many reports of wolves as the central part of the state.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on May 08, 2004, 06:45 PM:
Sorry about that, Cal. I had to take defensive measures a while back because some blabbermouth kept refering to certain places the editorial staff, here, did not, and does not wish to be discussed. Censorship, I guess? I have a list of four words not allowed, maybe five? You stumbled into one of them. My apoligies.
But, back to the question. First of all, I do think the first picture clicked twice while that sitting animal was moving it's head downward.
White it could be just about any of the previous guesses, and unfortunately, for identification purposes, if it's feral, it looks wolf-like? A lot of dogs have general conformation similiar to wolves, or coyotes, for that matter.
But, without touching on the specifics, I believe that on some of those places where indians live, they frequently have groups of dogs, (packs) that wander hither and yon, but return to their home on a regular basis. So, when discussing those places where indians live, I believe you will see more (apparent) feral dogs than on "non-re$" land....at least out west.
Looks a little on the small side to be wolf, but sure could be; especially concidering what Lonny had to say about the local situation? Do wolves have a habit of checking bear baits? I don't know, but it seems more like the activities of dogs, if you were to ask me?
Good hunting. LB
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on May 08, 2004, 08:26 PM:
Leonard, I do know that those are two different "dogs" in that picture. Plus the dark on with his head in the barrel, for a total of three animals. I have more pictures. Two different days worth that they came in to the bait.
[ May 08, 2004, 08:28 PM: Message edited by: Cal Taylor ]
Posted by Weedwacker (Member # 329) on May 08, 2004, 09:48 PM:
Do you have a better pic of the dark dog that's sniffing the drum. That thing looks like it might have short hair like a doberman or German shorthair type breed. Makes me wonder what the head looks like. A pair of floppy ears would settle the mystery quick. Of course if one had floppy ears you probably would know they were not wolves already. That is, unless you wuz just Quizzin us for S&G's.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on May 08, 2004, 09:56 PM:
Strange things happen on Indian Reservations. One less word to worry about.
Posted by Rob (Member # 75) on May 08, 2004, 10:43 PM:
There is a pack of wolves in that part of Idaho called the Snow Peak Pack...They live in the Clearwater/St.Joe River divide country...Due to lack of radio collars on this pack there status has been unknown since 1999.
[ May 09, 2004, 06:17 AM: Message edited by: Rob ]
Posted by Curt2u (Member # 74) on May 09, 2004, 09:28 AM:
I was going to ask if you were near a rez when "feral dog"s came up. Our ranch is close to a rez. Only place we have feral dog problems is in that vicinity.
One year, several years back, I shot one coyote in with the livestock. That coyote was not really doing anything wrong except being near the livestock.
That same year I shot eleven feral/stray dogs that were caught in the act running sheep. I'm assuming they were from the rez because we spoke with every neighbor each instance and none were missing dogs.
These dogs would run in groups of 2-4 and would chase the sheep till exhausted while chewing their hind ends and running them off the edge of embankments. They would leave that one maimed and move to another and repeat the process. At least a coyote would pick one, kill it, then eat it.
Needless to say, I have much more mercy on coyotes out in the pasture than dogs. LOL
Take care, Curt
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on May 09, 2004, 12:03 PM:
Squatters, damn hippie squatters...
Both Curt and Cal's spots might have close neighbors of a "temporary nature", that aren't going to announce their residence.
Krusty 
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on May 09, 2004, 05:29 PM:
Guys, I can assure you that there were no floppy ears or other characteristics or there would be no confusion. My friend out there is taking his copies to the G&F biologist to see what they have to say, but I've never been to trusting of most G&F employees anyway. Here's a pic of the dark one I thnk. 
[ May 09, 2004, 05:36 PM: Message edited by: Cal Taylor ]
Posted by Rob (Member # 75) on May 10, 2004, 05:11 AM:
I'm no expert but it looks like a wolf to me.
Posted by Weedwacker (Member # 329) on May 10, 2004, 08:22 AM:
I ran a google image search and browsed through a bunch of wolf pics. The main thing is the black muzzle. I can't find any without a light lower muzzle. The face starts dark and gets lighter as you go down as on almost all natural predators. Even most of the black wolves have a light lower muzzle. There's also something vauguely wrong about the shape of the head. Maybe the short muzzle? I don't know it's still a close call.
Posted by Jay Nistetter (Member # 140) on May 10, 2004, 12:41 PM:
Looks like young fuzzball wolves to me.
Posted by Steve Craig (Member # 12) on May 10, 2004, 06:14 PM:
Young wolves that have a bear bait stained muzzel from stickimg their noses into the barrel one too many times. My best guess anyway.
Steve
Posted by tonlocus (Member # 254) on May 10, 2004, 07:49 PM:
They look like a couple of Norwegian Elkhounds to me.
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on May 10, 2004, 08:15 PM:
Wolves do have short muzzles.
The critters look like a funky hybrid of Akida and Chow to me!
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on May 10, 2004, 08:20 PM:
Two of them look very much like they have Akita blood in them.
Posted by Wiley E (Member # 108) on May 11, 2004, 11:01 AM:
They look like typical reservation muts to me. I would go with the Norweigen Elkhound cross, cross, cross, cross considering.
Curt2U is right on the money. The world would be a better place if these ferals were shot on site when roaming too far from home. I worked for a guy that turned yearlings into a pasture near a settlement on the rez and the dogs ran them about every day. They came out weighing less than they went in. Almost like roping steers.
Some people don't feed them very well so these mutts wander in search of food.
~SH~
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