The following sequence of trail camera photos depicts a scenario which is, no doubt, a daily occurrence in our deer woods, however, it’s the first time I ever captured it on film.
With the recent increase in predators across eastern Ontario and western QC, our white-tailed deer surely need eyes in the back of their head just to stay one step ahead.
When I arrived at our deer camp in the Laurentians a couple of weeks back, I had my work cut out for me reviewing images on the three trail cams I had in place since Labour Day. I was like a child on Christmas morning scrolling through all the images, it was great!
One camera in particular – my ‘invisible’ Bushnell Black LED Trophy Cam – featured a virtual cornucopia of activity from the past two months, at a popular creek crossing. The images including that of a cow moose, bucks, does and fawns, one 300 pound + black bear, and this bold looking bugger below.
Hey, who says timber wolves don’t exist this far south. My camp is only 2 hours north and although I did see a common eastern coyote (brush wolf) during the deer season, I also captured some tell-tail images of this large timber wolf.
I took some measurements in the area where he passed through; and I estimated this wolf to be minimum 90 pounds and probably closer to 100 pounds. It was basically the size of a full grown German Sheppard.
Pay close attention to the ‘time stamp’ in each photograph.
(A doe puts up ‘the flag’ and hightails it down the trail)
(Her tail can still be seen bounding through the trees)
(Doe bounds out of sight on the right side of the photo – time 5:52 & 34 seconds)
(A large white/black timber wolf suddenly appears on the deer’s trail – less than 1.5 minutes later)
(Wolf tears down the same trail in hot pursuit; now 2 minutes behind)
(Wolf just before it disappeared from sight)
(Both deer and wolf disappear out of sight)
Footnote:
The same doe did reappear on camera 2 days later without so much as a hair out of place.
I suppose in this particular battle the deer came out on top, but what about next time?
Outdoorsguy
Jeff,
My first comment (pun intended) is that I am in awe of this series of pictures… It belongs in a magazine or even an outdoors publication such as National Geographic. Thanks for sharing … I did see some wolves while hunting deer in Almonte and they were not the great timber wolves…pretty sure they were either coyotes or as you called them brush wolf. I wonder if the timber wolf has crossed onto the Ontario Side? We hunted the Renfrew area last week and the numbers are definatly down from last year. Allthough we did not see any wolves we, could certainly hear them howling at night. ( this for the last 3 years). In my opinion, the MNR has to (should) reduce the number of doe tags for 58 and 59 until the polulation of deer increases back to what it was a few years back… sure miss those days of having at least 1 deer per two hunter hanging on the pole…..this year, we were 1deer for 8 hunters. I got 7 lbs of venison! …Had the chops and they were FANTASTIC!
Again thanks for those great pictures… I will make sure to let our hunt group see them…
Tks Alain, although I don’t think they’re quite up to National Geographic.
I agree totally, lets declare war on these yotes and wolves..I used to be sort of indifferent of them before but not anymore! I understand how the ‘eco-system’ works and have seen enough evidence to show that predator numbers – in most regions – are much too high!
Thanks for dropping in and glad you enjoyed that deer meet. I, on the other hand, must eat what little bit of last years is still around.
Outdoorsguy
Great series of photos.
Did you hunt that spot?
Yes Rick, it is very close to our camp…never saw that big wolf though.
Outdoorsguy
The gang (8) here filled their only doe tag on Monday morning, saw approximately 20 more does (could be dupicates) in front of the dogs over the week, but no hard tops with them. There is evidence they are here of course but for some reason they weren’t getting picked up by the dogs. They will hit the bush again later this week I am sure. The group also had coyotes running all over the place and managed to ‘harvest’ 5 of them. Coincidently none of the group saw fawns with any of the does in the chases all week so read what you want into that but suffice it to say it wasn’t a hard winter and there is soy bean and corn out the ying yang so the deer are well fed. This is the same group and the same area that in the past 13 hunters took 12 bucks and one doe with the average hook weight at the butcher being 150 lbs. Two extremes here of course but there are definately fewer deer around here, and Coyotes are definately keeping the fawns at a minimum.
Johan, we had similar observations in our deer woods back home…did see a couple of fawns on camera but none in the flesh. Numbers in western QC, however, seem to be much higher for some reason..I was in Montebello for a few days and we saw lotts of deer.
Iggs saw(& took) lots around his cottage also, so it really depends on the area I suppose.
Outdoorsguy
Awesome pictures Jeff. That is a once in a lifetime sequence you caught on film!!!
We did pretty good last week. 5 deer for 6 hunters, and seems the numbers are up in our neck of the woods. No monster bucks, but lots of fun and memories yet again.
Can’t wait until next year. Only 50.75 weeks until we can do it again…
sureshot-dave, it sound like you guys did very well all things considered..and I hear you with looking forward to next year already. For the next 11 months our gang will no doubt be chatting about how we could do things differently, where the big buck went..blah…blah, its the same every year and will surely continue for many years to come!
Hey, feel free to send pics in, and that goes for everyone..I’ll do my best to post them on the Bragging Board. Iggs has a big 10-point they got and the photo is waiting for me at home.
Outdoorsguy
There are a couple of new additions to the Bragging Board, if anyone is interested…
Outdoorsguy
and just how would I find that bragging board
got a link
Iggy, You just have to scroll back thru the older posts(right hand side) of page), or click on this link:
http://blogs.canoe.ca/outdoorsguy/hunting/big-game-hunters-bragging-board/
Outdoorsguy
okay, off topic, I am breaking down and buying a trophy cam and wanted to know if 4GB SD card is enough storage for most applications. I was thinking of getting two 4GBs and just swapping them out when I get to the field, which will be 20 minute walk from my house so I dont’ have to worry about not getting there often. Any and all input would be greatly appreciated.
OK Johan, first off which model Trophy Cam are you getting..as not all Trophy cams are made equal?
As far as memory storage go, I can tell you I’ve never used larger than a 2 GB card and that was more than ample. As I’ve probably mentioned, I had three of my trail cams out for over two months without a problem.
s
Johan, I hould add that memory requirement does tie-in with usage. I don’t often use vid mode and always set to low res. If you take a lot of vid footage and set to higher quality, you’ll certainly need more memory and a 4 MG card would be wise.
I actually stocked up on 2 GB cards when they went on sale recently..they were a no-name brand, but seem to work just fine in my Bushnells.
Outdoorsguy
well just checking in been home since monday for doctors appoinments. daughter missed 2 deer on sunday and monday morning . My luck has turned again, went to go hunting sat morning to find my scope is no longer filled with nitrogen, could not see thru it for almost 2 hours till it became climatized. I wait all year and keep good care of my stuff but it never fails the first day of the rifle season my scope goes for a crap,yes there is warentee but what good is that going to do when hunting season. i called them and they said even if i took it up there it would be a min of two weeks before i would get a new one…. mmmm put in freezer wait 5 min pull out if its fogged inside ITS NO GOOD give me a new one. but nope got to wait… anyway that is my rant for this week. good luck to all there is only a few days left… i will get back up for the last few days …..
OK Chessy, that is totally weird. Please tell me its not your Elite 3200 or 4200??
If so, I have never heard of them doing that..ever…very poor timing too as you noted.
I guess your daughter is feeling a bit down about her missed shots? I dont think there’s anywhere here who hasnt been there a time or two, or three.
Outdoorgsuy
lol yes jeff it is my elite 42000 4-16 x 50 mm … daughter not to upset as we have a nick name for her now till she gets married.. Miss Miss then i guess after married we will call her MRS. miss lol she is 17 and one of the guys …. she is waiting to get back up because some one missed a buck… and if it is who she thinks it is the ribbing she got is nothing to what she will dole out
as far as the trial cam go get your sell the a bushnell .. great in the battiery life.. we are testing one now that a guy bought with the black light one seems to be nice .. 12 aa batteries .. cards if you are going to leave for a long time get a 4 gig if you can check on camera once a week or even 2 weeks 2 gigs fine .. have fun they are nice to play with
Chessy, I have that same exact scope..never had trouble, but of course we know it can happen…drag that it had to be now though..maybe they’ll replace it with an awesome Elite 6500!
Outdoorsguy
dont care as long as i get a new one… the 4200 has been flawless… over 600 rounds out of the 270wsm… maybe thats all it can handle… the sad part is i shot 2 boxes before going up …..
600 rounds??? It must cost you a fortune in shells, unless you load your own?? Even then 600 rounds would be costly, wouldnt it?
Outdoorsguy
No Jeff it works out to about 13 bucks a box give or take a dollar…. what is a week off work and money spent on a hunting trip if you miss not because the shot is hard just because you missed… i can make shots comfortable that most people would not try… but that is just me …..
Johan,
I would stay away from the Bushnell Bone Collector Trophy cams. I had two of them, had to send both back for replacement. Just sent the replacements back for a different model. Seems that the Bone Collector models have an issue with taking random pictures of nothing. I thought I had gotten a bad batch of cameras, but I did a search on the net and a lot of hunting blogs report the same problem. I’m still waiting for my replacements of the replacements to see if they fixed the problem. Apparently the 2011 models don’t have the same issue.
Jeff has had his XLT models for years and never had any issues. I’m hoping that Bushnell sends me a couple of those instead!!!
sureshot-dave, was just speaking with my Bushnell contact this week and apparently they have 3 new and improved trail cam models coming out early next year…so Ill be interested to see what they’re all about.
Outdoorsguy
I saw a wolf just like that in Calabogie (outside of Almonte) about 4 years ago I walked up on it in the woods and it took off light a flash they are there but the thing was more scared of me then I was of it, it is to be expected when you are in the deep woods, beautiful animals. I also saw two black wolves not sure what they are in Ottawa on the walking trail off Leitrum Road on the back of DND about 2 years ago they were very big and black very scary but a gain they took off. I don’t walk in the wood by myself anymore becasue of that!
Kim, I had never seen a black wolf in my life before..until hunting in Montebello last week I spotted one on a knoll above me. This guy was huge and hardly made a sound as it slipped through the hardwood…very intimidating animal, so I know what you mean by being scared.
Thanks for stopping-by…
Outdoorsguy
that’s not bad luck Chessy, it’s life. It’s a b!tch, but so is life sometimes
as far as a memory card goes, I have a 1MG and a 2 MG and take only video, and I’ve never ran out of space and I only check mine every 7 to 10 days with a lot of action, so I can’t see 4 being required, but it’s better to have too much than too little
Any my trail cam is @#$%ed, the electronic board that gives you instructions has gone bizerk
Buy a Leupold, I know that doesn’t follow the company line but they are a great scope
Iggy,
What kind of trail cam do you have? Sounds like one of the problems I has having with my Bone Collectors…
Moultree
I think I’ll mail it back to them and see what happens
it’s no good to me so if they won’t fix it they can throw it in the garbage
I hear they are pretty good though
Iggs, is that the trailcam you just bought before the season?
Outdoorsguy
Great Muskie story in the Sun today
http://www.ottawasun.com/2011/11/17/huge–muskie-unbelievable-catch
and a few nay sayers making fools of themselves.
I wonder why there always has to be a few people that, if it didn’t happen to them, it can’t be true
Iggy, regarding the big muskie, you can call me a nay-sayer if you like…but this was the comment I tried to post on that article..it just never worked out:
First off congrats to the angler..that is one heck of a fish!!
But…call it the cynic in me, and not to take anything away from this catch, but as an experienced muskie angler I can tell you that this fish (based on the 54’ length) is not over 70 pounds.
The generally accepted weight formula for pike and muskie is Length X Girth X Girth Divided by 800…using this formula based on 54’ length, said fish would require a girth measurement of at least 32.5’ to be 70 pounds or more.
I can tell you there are very few fish caught in history with girth measurements that large.
Again, not to take anything away from this great catch, but it does not weigh over 70 pounds, and likely not over 60 pounds either.
Still a awesome Lunge, but not a catch & release world record as a 70-pound fish would be.
I’d love for some Muskie’s Canada members to weigh-in on this!
Outdoorsguy
P.S. Also, I’m wondering why anyone would be using 100-pound test mono for walleye…
no I’ve had it for two years I think, but it wasn’t bought this year
Thanks guys, it’s a “2011 Bushnell Trophy Cam”, not the Bone collector as I read they had some issues with those. I bought two 4GB cards at Staples as they were less than 10 bucks each plus they fit in any of my other cameras too. Reviews are positive but I have to see it for myself and will let you know.
I know exactly where I am going to put it. As I mentioned the guys didn’t see any hard tops last week but mid week a large scrape was created in the heart of my bush, in a well used spot over the years, so I am going to see what’s doing that landscaping. Hunters are back at it today so maybe I won’t see anything there if they manage to get it moving.
The deer are now visiting the apple tree in my back yard but they are doing it late. It’s time to pull out the grunt tube and call them to my deck. I have done it before!
Johan, did you get the one with the ‘Color Viewer’?? If so, its one of the best!!
You can review your pics right on the unit if you like, as well as remove the card and put it in a digi cam or PC.
Good luck and I hope it works out for you!
Outdoorsguy
listen, I’ve caught one Muskie in my life, and it was just over ten pounds so I don’t know much about them, but no matter what it weighed in at, it’s one dandy fish that I’d be proud of.
one thing about that story, I fish for walleye with 6 to 8 lbs test knowing that if I catch a big pike say 20lbs and play it right I can net him, what the hell was the guy expecting to catch with 100 lbs test line, a ship?
Could be a mis print but the story is a touch fishy, but still a nice catch
Great fish…..great photo….
However as an avid angler I have never even heard of anyone using 100Ibs test unless fishing for Marlin or Shark.
100Ib test for pike, musky or walleye…come on…please….give me a break.
Perhaps they meant 10Ibs test….LOL….but then that musky would have been long gone.
Who fishes with 600 ft of line at a depth of 224 ft for Walleye??????
The story is obviously false and why would the sun post this without trying to verify some of the facts through lets say “The Outdoors Guy” perhaps.
All that being said, sweet fish and congrats on the catch and release…well done.
Rags, its sort of a lose-lose situation for anyone who comments on this fish story. Sure, it’s a giant specimen, but if we’re going to get technical with specific weights and measurements, they will be open to scrutiny(as we’ve seen)
Thing is, when we do scrutinize such a tale, it comes off sounding like jealousy, when in most cases we are pleased to see such a behemoth..I personally am envious of such a huge muskie. Biggest we ever caught was a 52″ lunge weighing just a touch under 40 pounds….only 2 inches shorter than this Brockville fish btw.
Anyhow, the SUN ran the story at face value and there’s no harm in that…I don’t see anywhere where the angler tried to authenticate the catch or have it registered with the Freshwater Fish Hall of Fame in Hayward, WI..
If they really wanted to know the true weight, though, they should have taken accurate girth measurements…if I had to guess, Id say it prob tipped the scales around in the 50-55 pound range.
Just my two cents…
Outdoorsguy
First of all, I’m am jealous, I’d love to catch one that big
Second, I’ve a feeling the 100 lbs is a misprint, the guy is obviously a fisherman so I think maybe the writer misheard
Third, he said he was fishing in 200 and some odd feet of water but he didn’t say he was fishing on the bottom, so he very well could have been.
Too bad a guy like this gets lambasted for allowing his picture to be published with the big fish
but he must, or should, have seen it coming
Fourth Wow, nice Sunshine girl today 🙂
Very nice photos of the wolf and deer! I compared the two photos where both animals cross the same spot and that wolf looks bigger than the deer. He looks huge. It’s too bad the shutter on the trail cam isn’t faster to catch the action shots more clearly.
Now about this fishing story… that’s exactly what it is, a great fish tale. I don’t shy away from laying it on once in a while to make the story a little more intersting, I think we all do to varying degrees. It just makes an otherwise good story, great (especially the one that got away!).
But in situations when the story is already so great, embelishing it just tarnishes it. I’m not saying this story is bogus, but I know that no fisherman ever looks for walleye in 220 feet of water with 100lbs. test. Here are two funny quotes…
“I didn’t know what to think, but I knew it wasn’t a pickerel.”
“I thought I had the biggest pickerel known to mankind,”
Nevertheless, that is one awesome fish. The guy looks like he’s seen a ghost. Hopefully that big fish didn’t die a few hours later from that fight. What a fight that must have been!
thanks for sharing! definitely neat to see!
In a related story, we were hunting this past weekend and my buddy radioed that he just bounced 4 deer. I hit the afterburners and headed the 600+ metres his way. Found a very fresh wolf track in the moss and thought, “hey, cool! But like I’ll see them – they hide well and it’s rare!”.
Almost to where my buddy was, no deer, but all of a sudden, I see a white / grey ‘ish streak through the forest. Thinking it was a deer, I started to raise my rifle and saw it was a timberwolf! So I did raise my rifle b/c I have a tag, but it went out of sight below me (I was up in a rocky ridge). Then another appeared and it was HUGE! I took a crack at it, but missed (they don’t run slow through the trees 🙂 I’m told it’s incredibly rare to see timberwolves in the forest (usually seen on frozen lakes or in loggers cuts). I’m thankful to have seen them and I’m still floored at how big they were.
Never did see the deer my buddy chased up.
All in all it was an amazing hunt – I missed 2 and let 4 walk and the gang got 12.
Sounds like lots of action Keebler, cant wait for the whole story on that monster buck you guys took..I have the image waiting to post!
Outdoorsguy
Caught pics of 3 does at the apple tree in my back yard the second night the camera was out. Changed some of the settings, 8 megapixels, and 5 secons intervals, and put it near a huge scrape that was made a week ago. The camera does not have the colour viewer but I just swap 4GB cards when I walk to it. On the way from swapping cards I saw another fresher scrape, twice as big as the one I have the cam over so likely the same buck as it’s only 50 or so yards away. Can’t wait to catch him on the camera.
As far as the fish story, it’s close to home here and it doesn’t surprise me a fish that size. All the years I have fished the St Lawrence I have never caught one, think I have been spooled by muskies twice but that’s just a fish story now. It is possible the guy was fishing with 100lb line but it makes no difference really, it’s as unbelievable as the dude who caught the 60+ one on Gerogian bay with 8lb line. As far as fishing the deep water for walleye, that is a tried and tested method, maybe not with winch cable as line, but I have seen people out there using lead core line. When it comes to fishing sometimes it’s lucky, not skillful.
Johan, you can now see how addictive these trailcams can be…I just put two more out around my place this weekend. Its like hunting even after I put the rifle away.
Let us know if the big boy shows up!!
Btw, I posted some new material on the Bragging board…our pal Chessy was at it again, and a fellow who hunts beside Iggy ended the season well.
http://blogs.canoe.ca/outdoorsguy/hunting/big-game-hunters-bragging-board/
Outdoorsguy
keebler good story, I’ve had the great luck to see two timber wolves while moose hunting, one I watched for half an hour at a moose kill from the day before, after it ran down the shore line and another one of our guys shot it, we tracked it and when we got to it it was still alive. It died shortly after and we canoed it and motor boated it back to camp about 5 km’s away. About half an hour after we got back to camp, his buddies were right in behind our camp howling, and I mean right behind, it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I sleep on the porch and that was the only night I’ve ever slept with a loaded gun beside my bed.
Another time I had one come out to a creek right across from my tree stand, swim across the creek, came out of the water right under my stand and shook like a dog does never even knowing that I was right above it.
I sometimes have been known to sit in my tree without the blaze orange on, probably before it became a law 😉
This is a fly in so we never see other people
OK, first off dont panic over the way the Blog looks right now. I’m sure its only temporary.
Iggy, like you I have seen the odd wolf up north while moose hunting, but have never seen one so close to home.
Hey, for those who have not yet checked out the latest hunting stories there are some good ones on the Braggin Board:
http://blogs.canoe.ca/outdoorsguy/hunting/big-game-hunters-bragging-board/
The Outdoors Column is in tomorrow’s paper btw..with question #2 in the Outdoor Trivia Contest.
Outdoorsguy
tomorrow or Thursday?
opps…sorry Iggs, it is Thursday. At least someone knows what day of the week it is…
Iggy, ever watch Bob’s vid on the moose buck??
Outdoorsguy
Latest post for those who have not seen it yet:
http://blogs.canoe.ca/outdoorsguy/hunting/local-hunter-bags-goliath-sized-buck/
Outdoorsguy
no I was having trouble with his videos, was it good?
Iggy, the footage he has of these two monster bucks..including the moose buck..is incredible!!
Outdoorguy
I live in Ste Agathe Nord on a lake.My son says he heard howling during full-moon last weekend at around midnight.My first reaction is that wolves dont gop this far south but am now wondering if perhaps these were wolves .The sound came from mountains a distance away where there areno homes.
thanks for the article