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 Wolf
Range
Gray/Timber
Wolf
(Canis lupus)
Physical Description
Powerful teeth, bushy tails and round pupils distinguish wolves
from other species of the Canidae family. The gray wolf usually
has red-yellow or yellow-gray fur with black patches on its sides
and back, and white on its abdomen and chest. In some instances,
some gray wolves are black or brown, and those in the far north
can even be pure white. The gray wolf has longer fur then the red
wolf. They average 5 to 5.5 feet in length, including the tail.
Average Weight Range
Mature gray wolves range from 70 to over 175 pounds.
Reproduction
Wolves become sexually mature when they are about three years old.
Only the alpha pair breed once a year. There is an intricate
courtship during which the male pursues the female. Courtship
sometimes begins months before the female is in heat. A lifetime
bond is formed at this time. Male wolves have a fertile period,
which approximately matches the females’ estrus periods (10 days
on the average), and are not fertile outside that time. They mate
between January and April so that the pups are developed before
the beginning of the next winter and may even be strong enough to
participate in hunting. The gestation period for wolves is nine
weeks. The litter size is one to 11 pups. Pups weigh about a pound
at birth and are unable to see or hear. They derive warmth by
staying close to their mother. Pups spend the first few weeks of
their lives in the den, and a substantial part of this time is
spent eating and sleeping. Their eyes open after the first two
weeks and they begin to hear, walk and eat solid food when they
are three weeks old. They are introduced to the other members of
the pack when they are a month old, and they also leave the den at
this point. Once the pups are nine weeks old, the pack leaves the
den area for a site where the pups can safely play when older
members of the pack are busy hunting. Other members of the pack
look after them (feeding, protecting and playing) until they are
at least a year old and capable of hunting.
Food Usage/Selection
Wolves subsist mainly on meat but also use other food sources.
They kill large animals like moose, muskoxen or deer when hunting
in a pack. Wolves hunting alone often target smaller animals like
fish, muskrats, rabbits and beavers. In the absence of live prey,
wolves also feed on carrion.
Range
The gray wolf has five subspecies and is found in the northern
Rocky Mountains (Alaska, Canada and into Idaho and Montana), the
western Great Lakes region (Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin) and
the northeastern United States. Wolf hunting is allowed in Alaska
and Canada.
Habitat
Wolves are commonly found on prairies, forestlands and mountainous
terrain.
Common Hunting Methods
Wolf hunting can be done by using the spot and stalk technique,
baiting and trapping. Rifles are normally used during wolf hunts.
Tree stands can also be used in pre-baited areas. Wolves can be
baited with wild game like moose or meat scraps. The middle of
December is the best time for wolf hunting as snow makes it easier
to follow their movement while monitoring bait sites.
Hunting Challenges/Values
Wolves in the wild are shy around humans. Wolves are often hunted
for trophies. The fur of wolves is also tanned and sold.
Interesting Tidbits
Wolves are social animals that live in family-like units called
packs.
Of all their calls, howling is the only one that works well over
long distances.
The way the tail is held is a very important part of a wolf’s body
language; submission, dominance, aggression or fear can be
detected from the position of a wolf’s tail.
Wolves eat grass as a purgative and other vegetable matter like
nuts or berries.
Wolf pups introduced to humans instead of wolves when one month
old will bond to people at this time.
Wolves need an average of three to 10 pounds of meat each day.
Wolves can travel distances from 10 to 30 miles in search of food
by trotting along at five miles per hour. They can run short
distances at 25 to 35 miles per hour when chasing prey.
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