# Cohutta Wolves?



## danl (May 21, 2007)

A few weeks back I was Turkey hunting in the Cohutta wma and about gobble time I heard what I would have thought to be wolves howling, I know you are probably gonna say they were coyotes and it could have been. I have heard my share of coyote howling and this was deffinately different, a deeper and coarser howl. I thought I would post this to see if there had been any Red Wolf stockings in this area. thanks Danny


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## COYOTE X (May 21, 2007)

They were "introduced" to N.C. (Cades Cove) to lower the deer population several years ago. (There is debate on the Red Wolf originations. a) A true species.  b) A cross breed of two species.)  The true range of travel is unknown. COYOTE X


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## 60Grit (May 21, 2007)

*You could have heard correctly...*

*http://www.animalinfo.org/species/carnivor/canirufu.htm#Population*

*Threats and Reasons for Decline:*

Reasons for its decline included hunting, poisoning and trapping (because it was perceived as a threat to livestock, and possibly to people), habitat disruption, and competition and hybridization with the coyote.
Hybridization with coyotes, which became well established in northeastern North Carolina during the 1990s, is the primary threat to the current wild species' existence <CITE>(IUCN 2004)</CITE>.


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## firebiker (May 21, 2007)

*I bet you it was wolves
I posted earlier this year about seeing what I thought had to be a wolf.
I have been hunting a long time and have seen plenty of coyotes and killed some too.
but last year while camping up in the Smoky Mtn's (near Cades cove) me and my wife were sitting up late at night by the campfire when all of a sudden I see what I thought was a huge dog ( the size of a full grown healthy german sheppard) walk almost into our camp.
it was way bigger than a yote.
he or she froze when it saw us, then I stood and it bolted.
I know now that had to have been a wolf.*


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## danl (May 22, 2007)

Balvarik, I have never heard a wolf in the wild, so I can,t say for sure. I guess what I was basing it on was wolves heard on wildlife documentary,s. I have however heard plenty of Coyotes howling and yipping early and late in the day and these sounded different than any I have ever heard. Like I said if I was to describe what I heard against what it sounded like I would say wolf. Most likely though it was a Coyote or Coyote cross with dog or wolf. Either way they sure make a Turkey shut up and need to be taken out. This was my first year hunting Cohutta and from what I seen there ere way too many coyotes, hogs, owls and horses. Cant wait till  Squirrel season gonna help rid it of some tenderloin! thanks Danny


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## jcarter (May 22, 2007)

i had the same experience this year on cohutta except that i also had what i thought was a dog barking up above me as i was working a bird. i was cussing the dog when it came down the lead. we spotted each other at about the same time. it came in behind me and i had my head turned looking back behind me. it stood there barking for a few more seconds. ive never heard a coyote bark like a dog, though they very well may. this thing weighed around 60-80 pounds id say. as it was barking another was howling up higher on the mountain. i thought it to be a coyodog. whatever it was it had been eating really well.


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## keg7707 (May 22, 2007)

The offical's said they cought up all the red wolves they released in Cade's cove.They said they had tracking collar's on them so they could track them and catch them back up if a problem arose and it did.They said the red wolves did not stay in Cades cove,they all migrated down to the settlement.You can take this for what it's worth I talked to a park ranger up there and he told me this info.


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## Nga. (May 22, 2007)

I seen a pair in Cades cove about 3 or 4 yr ago about 75#'s each neither of which had a tracking collar according to my spotting scope . I was told by an offical the reason our yotes are larger than typical is the presence of Red wolf DNA in them. Just hear say but possible.


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## firebiker (May 22, 2007)

keg7707 said:


> The offical's said they cought up all the red wolves they released in Cade's cove.They said they had tracking collar's on them so they could track them and catch them back up if a problem arose and it did.They said the red wolves did not stay in Cades cove,they all migrated down to the settlement.You can take this for what it's worth I talked to a park ranger up there and he told me this info.



They thought that they did
what I seen was no yote and it definatly was no domestic dog


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## GAJoe (May 22, 2007)

jcarter,
That's what us coyote hunters call "gettin' busted". Coyotes will bark like a dog at a hunter. Wolves may also. There have been many large "coyotes" killed in red's territory. I read an article that said that some DNA tests have proven that red's will breed a female coyote if she's in season. This produces a large size (from the wolf), bold and adaptable (from the coyote) predator called a coywolf. They would be a cattle farmers nightmare. I wouldn't doubt it being a red or a coywolf.
GAJoe


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## DS7418 (May 24, 2007)

take a look at the "yotee" i killed on Cohutta,, it is on this forum topic under "Murray Co Yotee..."  That was a big un.. Larger than any common yotee i ever seen..


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## GAJoe (May 24, 2007)

How many lbs? I got a 45lb male and 40 lb female near Toccoa.
GAJoe


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## DS7418 (May 25, 2007)

male,, near 50 i would guess


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## EnglishRedNeck (May 25, 2007)

I was up in the appalachian foothills last year in February with my buddy that worked with me (Wildcat creek tract of DF).

We were heading back along a creek to the truck (we had gone a good ways back into the hills)..

Lo and behold the biggest Coyote I have ever seen! About the size of a very large Husky or Malamute and Reddish and greyish in color. On the opposite bank just watching us.

He stood still and watched us for along time from across the stream and then casually ambled off ahead as if looking for a place to cross over to us.

I swore at the time that we had seen a wolf as it definitely was not a dog. We had several (20 at least) seconds to study him.

I am convinced it was a red wolf. 
__________________


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## DS7418 (May 25, 2007)

Just remember,, there are no wolfs,, no brown panthers,, and, no rattle-snakes big enough to break your leg up on Cohutta WMA,, so hunt in peace....LOL...


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## Killdee (May 25, 2007)

Werewolf most likely,Id stay away if I were you.


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## GAJoe (May 25, 2007)

Here's my 45lb'er. He had a lot of red to him.





GAJoe


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