# Could you beat a wolf in a fight with your bare hands?



## Michael Cargill (Sep 12, 2011)

I reckon I could. I have been doing some good work down the gym recently so my strong shoulders would give me an edge. 

It could possibly hinge on the surroundings of course.  If it was in a wolfy place like Yellowstone Park then it would be a struggle, but if it was near where I live I would have the advantage. I know the alleys and roads so could be all sneaky.


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## JimC1946 (Aug 6, 2009)

It would take the wolf about two seconds to kill me, maybe an hour to eat me.


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## Sean Patrick Fox (Dec 3, 2011)

I couldn't. And I doubt you'd have much luck either, Michael, regardless of how much you've been doing at the gym. Wolves actually have to kill to eat, so they're a bit more used to intense violence and life-or-death struggles than your average human


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

Here's hoping I never find out, but I doubt I could.


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## Pawz4me (Feb 14, 2009)

I doubt the man (or woman) has been born who could take on a healthy adult wolf successfully w/o a weapon.  All the shoulder muscles you could possibly develop aren't going to be much of a challenge for a large, cunning carnivore who is extremely proficient at using the mouthful of teeth and powerful jaws that nature endowed him with.


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## ayuryogini (Jan 3, 2010)

When I read the title of this thread, all I could think was that I'm really glad I will probably never be in a position to find this out.


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## hamerfan (Apr 24, 2011)

When I lived in Alaska, my motorcycle had a flat tire in the woods. As I was pushing it to the road, there was a wolf about 20 yards away. He looked at me, I looked at him, and that was it.
Later I saw a pack running down some caribou. Made me glad I wasn't a caribou.


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## R. M. Reed (Nov 11, 2009)

Wolf attacks on people are not very common. They have to be really short on their usual sources of food before they will approach humans. Bears are much more likely to attack, and no amount of time in a gym is going to stop a bear.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=5&cts=1330984043306&ved=0CFQQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.google.com%2Fnewspapers%3Fnid%3D1338%26dat%3D19541231%26id%3DBQNYAAAAIBAJ%26sjid%3DovYDAAAAIBAJ%26pg%3D5628%2C6229420&ei=3zNVT930KYrftgfx6NjFDQ&usg=AFQjCNFCN0pGNUVA7byBhf7Du86izZe1OQ

Apparently this old blind man could...


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

As R.M. said, it's important to emphasize that attacks by wolves on adult humans are exceedingly rare.  I don't have access to stats, but I know that in North America it is years and years between attacks.  Wolves are all about the pack, and that is what makes them extremely dangerous to the things they prey on.  Even Arnold Schwarzenegger as portrayed in the movies would go down quickly before an attack by even a small wolf pack, and I'd be very surprised if an individual wolf that wasn't rabid or somehow deranged would have the nerve to attack an adult human.

I'll admit I wouldn't care to fight with even a single wolf, though!


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## Jorja Tabu (Feb 6, 2012)

I have a feeling the OP was joking...  Right?  Because alleyfights with stray wolves are not the kind of thing that happen often in Massachusetts...  Maybe the rest of the world is much wilder!


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## Michael Cargill (Sep 12, 2011)

No, I was serious.

If it was near my home I could pop indoors to get my bumbag to store some juice in.  Creeping around the urban jungle can be thirsty work.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

My bet is that you'd have to be in the wolf's element and, since it would be his element, he would always have the upper hand.  

As I said, I would never want to find out or try.


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

Would a wooden stake work?

My wife beat a wolf once bare handed. This was before we were married. The guy made a totally inappropriate remark and she let him have it right in the nose. She thinks she might have broken the nose, but she wasn't sure.


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## Chad Wilde Author (Mar 16, 2012)

Me?  No.  But that's what Liam Neeson is for.


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## JeffM (Nov 22, 2009)

As an EMT, I used to swap pics of stuff with other EMTs. I've seen some pretty heinous pics of damage done by your standard issue domesticated dog. No way in heck would I want a wild wolf upset at me. I can assure you that you don't either.


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## Chad Wilde Author (Mar 16, 2012)

For example, did you hear about that postal worker that just recently died of a pit bull bite while on her rounds?


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## TheGapBetweenMerlons (Jun 2, 2011)

I wouldn't take on a wolf with my bare hands. However, under a full moon, I might consider it with my bear hands. {growl...}


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

I once saw footage of a very hungry wolf trying to take down a full-grown bison. The wolf took some serious damage, goring and trampling mostly.

But in the end, it won.

You stronger than a full-grown bison, dude?


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Tony Richards said:


> I once saw footage of a very hungry wolf trying to take down a full-grown bison. The wolf took some serious damage, goring and trampling mostly.
> 
> But in the end, it won.
> 
> You stronger than a full-grown bison, dude?


That is impressive


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

In the entire history of KindleBoards, this has to be one of the more bizarre successful threads....
    

Betsy


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## Carol (was Dara) (Feb 19, 2011)

> Could you beat a wolf in a fight with your bare hands?


If I was Liam Neeson I could.


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## Chris Northern (Jan 20, 2011)

Just a few thoughts - pick one, which is why they're numbered. 

1) No. But I don't need to as I have hands and a brain to make tools with, just like the rest of my species, thank fate. Poor wolfie doesn't stand a chance and he know it. Memories are chemicals and instincts are memories. Just as Lions are scared of Masai - "Don't mess with the Masai, son," Wolves are a tad nervous of us. "If they get ticked at us they hunt us to extinction, so leave the humans alone." There are no wolves in the UK. They ate our sheep. Bad wolfie.

2) I would guess that the old blind man in the story above worked a physical job once (maybe a farmer or builder - all round strong guys, both) and was still well fed and the wolf was thin and hungry enough to be desperate.

3) In Paris in the mini ice age a couple of hundred years ago, when the rivers froze and everybody and everything was hungry, wolves came int the city and ate whatever they could get. No reports of people eating wolves, that I remember... and they would have.

4) For some reason this question reminds me of the woman who's pet Chimp lost his temper and tore her face and hands off [Do not google it unless you have a really strong stomoch]. Most wild animals are far stronger than we imagine, is why that came to mind, I think.

Gimmie a boar spear, or time to make one, and the wolf would probably leave me alone anyway. Which is cool. I kinda like 'em.


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## BobPage (Mar 16, 2012)

No. I could not and becuase I did not. I ended up here. Not before the pearl gates in a joyful sky but before a vast burning pit of torment.

The last I remember I was being dragged around by me neck. Me body no longer worked and I was doing the best I could to breath. While that feral demon throttled me more with fangs that always seemed to go deeper. Its putrid breath is all me senses could gather before the darkness came.


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## Michael Cargill (Sep 12, 2011)

Tony Richards said:


> I once saw footage of a very hungry wolf trying to take down a full-grown bison. The wolf took some serious damage, goring and trampling mostly.
> 
> But in the end, it won.
> 
> You stronger than a full-grown bison, dude?


I don't have much experience with bisons actually.

I have a pretty good arm-wrestling technique - before you ask, no I *don't* hold onto the edge of the table - so could probably grab hold of its horns and force a stalemate or something.


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## Hadou (Jun 1, 2011)

Realistically?  Probably not.  Best I could hope for is to displace its eyes with a thumb and/or choke it out and limp far far away.


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## StephenLivingston (May 10, 2011)

This thread made me laugh out loud  
Don't think I'd fare to well unarmed against a wolf.
Best wishes, Stephen Livingston.


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## zzzzzzz (Dec 6, 2011)

Maybe if the wolf didn't have any legs.

Maybe.


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## jwest (Nov 14, 2011)

Only if I was a werewolf 

In real life, it'd be James 0, wolf 1


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## jgtranscendant (Aug 4, 2011)

Hadou said:


> Realistically? Probably not. Best I could hope for is to displace its eyes with a thumb and/or choke it out and limp far far away.


This is a PSA. A normal full grown human *cannot *go against a full grown wild wolf bare-handed and expect to win (exception:Liam Neelson). You must find a good weapon because the wolf has deadly weapons: fangs, paws, etc. With weapons you would have chance...no guarantees. The old blind guy was blessed probably with a wolf that had already been previously wounded.

When I was a little boy running wild in the poor parts of New York City, I had a few encounters with stray dogs who attacked me. I would be bitten in the wrist, arm or leg and then beat the dog into retreat. One time I was attacked by a fairly large German-Shepard like breed that was as large as I was at that time. I beat him off with my heavy student book bag. All stray dogs are sloppy fighters and if they can't induce fear then they are easily defeated. Later in other parts of the country I would see wolves up close on hunting trips. I was never attacked because they knew what rifles were and how they work. What makes full grown wolves so deadly is not the size and strength. It's the expert attack focused on killing blows. They go for the throat or underbelly to rip open. They are not sloppy fighters like stray dogs. They are expert killers. Find a weapon or you'll be SOL.


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## Ty Johnston (Jun 19, 2009)

Yeah, I don't think any unarmed human has much of a chance against a healthy wolf. One might get lucky, the wolf being injured or stumble or something, but otherwise just about any human is going to be toast. Never go into the deep woods without a weapon of some sort, kiddies, at the very least a good, solid walking stick and/or a sizable knife of quality, and even such weapons are for trying to frighten animals or as last defense tools.


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## Neekeebee (Jan 10, 2009)

I am watching A Game of Thrones Season 1 this weekend and the first thing that came to mind when I read the title of this thread was the scene where


Spoiler



Bran's would-be killer was eviscerated by his direwolf.


 Yikes! _And_ the guy had a knife!

N


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## elalond (May 11, 2011)

Of course I could, with my super powers, but without them, nope, not a chance.


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## PatrickWalts (Jul 22, 2011)

I wouldn't have to.  I would lock eyes with him, nod, and he would nod back in understanding.  Then we would both go our separate ways, disappearing into the night.


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## otterific (Jan 31, 2012)

Wolves are extremely smart. They are also large and strong. Not your average German Shepherd size. I highly doubt a person could wrestle with a wolf bare handed and come out the victor.


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## A. Rosaria (Sep 12, 2010)

I might win a fight against a wolf. I'm smarter than a wolf, about the same weight (I'm heavier), I have functional arms and hands, then again he got the stronger jaws and bigger claws. Is it still bare handed if I smash its head with a rock, because my bare hand touches the rock? I might use a rock and win. Rock beats Wolf. (everybody knows that)


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## momilp (Jan 11, 2010)

This is such a fun thread to read  Thanks!


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## EStoops (Oct 24, 2011)

If I encountered a wolf in my neighborhood, I'd imagine that a) the wolf is pretty sick and emaciated, b) probably more than a little crazy. In those circumstances, the best reaction is probably to not act in a prey-like fashion. Depending on just how sick and or injured it was, it might be possible to defend given a reasonable tool such as a garden shovel or some such. However a full-grown, healthy wolf can hit 40-50 miles an hour for brief stretches so there is no out-running or out-pedaling it. They are equipped with jaws that can exert 200 plus pounds per square inch and have sharper teeth than your neighborhood rottie. I wouldn't last long, and frankly, I doubt most people could. (Perhaps a martial artist in a heavily wooded area?)

Nope, don't want to fight that no way, no how. I tussle with my dog, a doberman/something mix, and when she doesn't want to let go, there is no forcing her. I plan to (responsibly) train her to *act* aggressive on command because even at 65 pounds (or so) she's a LOT scarier than me or my (much larger than her) roommate. She could eat me. The agreement is she doesn't. The wolf can eat me, and we don't have such an arrangement.

Even so, a snarly, barking dog that appears to have a bad attitude has NOTHING on a snarly, snapping wolf that honestly has a bad attitude.


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## Keith Blenman (May 31, 2009)

Depending on the circumstances, I think... Like, if the wolf was asleep or maybe if it just had a lot of stuff on its mind...

I am curious. Those of you who do think you can beat a wolf, what's your winning strategy? How will you overcome the beast?


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

That's the advantage of owning a gun.

I'll never have to find out


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

tkkenyon said:


> Or Chuck Norris.
> 
> Or David Dalglish.
> 
> ...


We'll never know about Chuck Norris, the wolf would just rollover and beg for belly rubs.


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## ashleygirardi (Apr 3, 2011)

I took down a really angry Shih Tzu once, does that count?


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## A. Rosaria (Sep 12, 2010)

Stone > Shih Tzu > Wolf


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## sheiler1963 (Nov 23, 2011)

Michael Cargill said:


> No, I was serious.
> 
> If it was near my home I could pop indoors to get my bumbag to store some juice in. Creeping around the urban jungle can be thirsty work.


What's in this 'juice' that you speak of? Is it the secret potion that makes you strong enough (or foolish enough) to try and take down a wolf? Can I get it at a 7-11 or do I need to find a specialty store inside the urban jungle?


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

At the very least, if you're not a firearm person, I recommend a good, sturdy walking stick.  In the right hands it can be a very effective (and legal) weapon.


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