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Tom Robertson

Minn. wolf hunting season opens

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Minnesota's inaugural wolf hunt started on Saturday, and wolf experts predicted that hunters' success will be low.

The state issued 3,600 wolf hunting licenses in a DNR-sponsored lottery.

Jim Gerold of Prior Lake received one of the licenses and planned to hunt on state land west of Silver Bay in northeastern Minnesota. Gerold has wolf hunting friends in Canada who suggested he use predator calls to lure wolves in.

"Most of those people have a lot of success using coyote calls, coyote howls and coyote pup calls," Gerold said. "Wolves are territorial, so they don't like coyotes in their area, and ... if they can get in there and let some of those coyote howls out, the wolves kind of throw caution to the wind and come running to take care of business."

Gerold added that hunting wolves will be the ultimate challenge: "I'm going to be out there for eight days straight living in a tent. So you're out there by yourself and you really test your skills. If you can pull it off and be successful, you have something to be proud of and you know you gave it your all, and that's what I enjoy."

DNR wolf experts predict only about 2 percent of wolf hunters will be successful during the early season, which runs concurrently with deer season. A second wolf hunting and trapping season is set for Nov. 24 through Jan. 31. That season will also include trappers, who are expected to see a success rate closer to 5 percent.