I spent this summer in Alaska with my uncle hunting wolverines.
They kept trying to attack my cousins, what the heck would you do in a situation like that?
I was approached by a large wolverine that was pursuing a wounded caribou but veered off to give me a good look in case I was easier game. He came up to and then circled at about 25 yards trying to get my scent. I fired a 12 ga. round over his head and he promptly renewed his previous interest in the caribou.
I’ve shot a raccoon in the face with bear spray. I’d say the range on it was about 10 to 12 feet and at that distance it produces a still sufficiently dense pattern about 4 feet wide. The effect was immediate, although my guess is that it will probably only work on a curious or hungry animal and not one in a rage.
Uh … not hunt wolverines?
Well, that’s obvious, isn’t it ? Use your cousins as bait.
Ok, in reading the thread let me clarify. I Live in the Rockies in Colorado, so when I say Northern Rockies I mean North of Banff, Cline River, Abraham Lake area.
I’ll be packing in 2 canisters of Bear Spray, and I am thinking that ought to be enough. Luckily no people from Ohio will be there 
I am not so much concerned about being attacked by a frothing mouth group of wolverines, as I am concerned with one of the kids who will be with us finding one munching on a carcass or something. These kids range in age from 8-13 and are very adventurous, so will most likely not stay with the pack for the whole day. I dunno,we’ll see about that.
Gary I hike, climb and camp in the Absaroka’s. A good friend lives in Livingston and we are always heading up from Boulder to camp and hang out. Just a few weeks ago I was camping along the Lamar River and it was just gorgeous!
That’s what I thought you meant, Phlosphr. It’s funny how many times people come into my bookstore looking for a flower guidebook, and when I hand them “Wildflowers of the Central Rockies,” they say “No, I want one for this area.” Northern U.S. doesn’t mean northern Rockies, or northern North America.
You live in Boulder? I grew up just outside of town there.
Yep, I actually live west of Boulder at about 8200ft, Boulder was just an easy reference, but I work in Boulder. You just reminded me of a book that I just got that I bet you have seen and I bet you may even sell in your store called Weeds of the West. When I first moved here I was photographing a lot of local flowers and went into Boulder Books to get a flower reference. I happen to have my camera on me and they happen to have a horticulturist on staff, so I showed her a photo,and she said, that’s actually not a flower but a weed. She said that of 8 out of 10 photos and recommended me the weeds of the west book. It’s kind of funny, but I have found more of the plants I am photographing in that book than any flower guide I have purchased. I am bringing it with me up to Banff and hopefully will be able to identify a lot of what I am filming…and hopefully I won’t find any large voracious weasels
I lived west of Boulder at about 7,200 feet. Next time you’re passing through this area, give me a heads up and stop by the bookstore. I’ll buy you a beer at the brewpub and we can chat about it.
Small world, I was just in Red Lodge a few weeks ago (the weekend before the big biker rally rolled into town), we hiked the Rosebud trail over to Cooke City. I do remember going into a backpacking store in downtown Red Lodge, don’t recall hitting any bookstores in particular.
We didn’t see any wolverines (and only one grizzly in Yellowstone) although I did get bit on the toe by a fat mouse halfway along the trail. Elected not to use either the bear spray or the .454 Casull.
That was quite a reach across the decades.
I don’t think wolverines are really an issue, but I’d be kind of worried about 8 year olds wandering around out of sight in bear country. Bears only very very rarely hunt adult humans, but unprotected children are targeted much more often.
I agree, and I doubt they will be left alone \ or allowed to venture out with the teenagers - who all carry bear spray.
Small children are also targeted by cougars - we saw this live in the zoo once. A family had a small child that was playing around by the cougar enclosure, and when the cat saw the child, it went into full stalking mode. I think it would have totally freaked the parents out if they’d noticed it.