were you in the U P, last time i was there wolves were a bad problem.
Wolf problems are at their worst in bars, taverns, and diners. Stay away from them and you will have fewer problems.
Wolf encounters are pretty rare for bird hunters, the dogs work in relatively close proximity to the hunter who tends to make enough noise to warn wolves a person is coming. Pointing dogs might have a little more risk as they work further out but a beeper collar set to "Run" mode has worked well for me since 1987 and others for longer. Most ruffed grouse range in Minnesota overlaps with the wolf range so encounters could easily happen. Following the above advice, I am more worried about old wells/cisterns, punctures, and a host of other dangers rather than wolves. I have had pictures on my game cameras of wolves moving down the trail followed a couple minutes later by my dogs followed a couple minutes more by me when the dogs are wearing their beepers. Bells seem much less effective whether it's due to not carrying as far, not as annoying, or some other reason. That has been relayed to me by several members of a grouse guide service based on their experience as well as relatives still in the Arrowhead region.
So, if you have a hankering to chase grouse but are worried about wolves, relax. It is unlikely one will encounter a wolf and a few precautions will reduce further the odds of such a happening.
