11-27-2011, 10:18 AM
heh I've actually been wanting to bring this up for awhile, because I also think we over dramatize the effect of cold too, and winter as a whole. Wolves and husky breeds would hardly need clothing to stay warm. Though I can understand something to cut down the wind when they are traveling, but otherwise a wolf could curl up in the snow and be warm as a bug in rug. They would be more uncomfortable in the summer heat than they would in the winter cold.
I just haven't been able to find the documentation to support my thoughts, as I think I've read it in my own books, yet I can't find it just trying to skim through them.
As far as hunting, winter is generally when wolves get the majority of their large kills, because well the prey is weaker and heavy snows give them an advantage because wolves can often run across the top of snow (not fresh obviously) while ungulates can't because of hoof size and weight distribution, they bust right through. Hence why wolves use deep snow as a strategy. Plus the shortage of food and cold weather takes its toll on the young, old and weak. So while it is the season of plenty for pack wolves, I think it would be much harder on loners who still have to hunt alone most generally and find smaller prey slimmer than winter.
Yea in the spring, there are babes to hunt, but you have to keep in mind that the herds are -far- more defensive at this time (herp, I've been taken down by a cow before because she thought I was too close to her calf, no fun, luckily my dog saved my arse) So while the babe is easy to snatch, you have to deal with a very pissed off mom, if not more of the herd.
However, I do think that Luperci would rely on a bit of a food storage since our characters do far more than their natural counter parts and not as much time would be dedicated to hunting, especially by all members. It would also lead to a more regular diet, rather than typical feast/famine that natural wolves go through. A massive blizzard (like last year) would also make hunting difficult until the weather cleared.
I just haven't been able to find the documentation to support my thoughts, as I think I've read it in my own books, yet I can't find it just trying to skim through them.
As far as hunting, winter is generally when wolves get the majority of their large kills, because well the prey is weaker and heavy snows give them an advantage because wolves can often run across the top of snow (not fresh obviously) while ungulates can't because of hoof size and weight distribution, they bust right through. Hence why wolves use deep snow as a strategy. Plus the shortage of food and cold weather takes its toll on the young, old and weak. So while it is the season of plenty for pack wolves, I think it would be much harder on loners who still have to hunt alone most generally and find smaller prey slimmer than winter.
Yea in the spring, there are babes to hunt, but you have to keep in mind that the herds are -far- more defensive at this time (herp, I've been taken down by a cow before because she thought I was too close to her calf, no fun, luckily my dog saved my arse) So while the babe is easy to snatch, you have to deal with a very pissed off mom, if not more of the herd.
However, I do think that Luperci would rely on a bit of a food storage since our characters do far more than their natural counter parts and not as much time would be dedicated to hunting, especially by all members. It would also lead to a more regular diet, rather than typical feast/famine that natural wolves go through. A massive blizzard (like last year) would also make hunting difficult until the weather cleared.