Taking one for the herd

January 31, 2013 by Dave Olson

Well, it is well past the deer hunting season, and winter is here in full force. So far it has not been overly bad but we have had a seasonal amount of snow and some colder than normal temperatures. It really is from here on that winter conditions can take their toll on deer numbers. We always keep an eye out for any signs of deer in distress, and where they seem to be yarded for the duration of winter. In this area we have big forests that white tail can withstand some pretty bad weather, and this is the first time in three years we ars actually seeing a more normal winter.

Wolves are some times in the area, and tend to harrass deer during the winter months. In the spring through fall, they seem to prefer the ranchers cattle, or as we refer to them, "slow elk".  The wolf in the picture was taken out of the scene this winter along with a few others, much to the appreciation of said ranchers. This big male was over 110 lbs. and stood almost 4 feet high on all four legs. The pack that he was with is probably going to miss him, but they will be the only ones. They do have there place, but not in with man and farming. There is millions of acres of uninhabited area north of here and that is their home.