Wolves inevitably prefer wild game to livestock. In North America, bison, deer, elk, moose, and beaver head the wolf's menu. This underlines the importance of reintroducing natural prey in areas where wolves are being restored. In accounts from the last two centuries, wolves were often begrudgingly admired by their human executioners. Many stories portray them avoiding traps, refusing bait, and dodging bullets.
Wolves can make themselves vomit at the first sign of nausea or irritation.
Until the development of strychnine, they were considered almost impossible to poison. Wolf-pack size varies with the size of prey. Packs that feed primarily on deer, for example, will usually number seven or fewer. Packs that feed on larger game, such as moose, may consist of 15 to 20 animals. Wolves once inhabited all of New York State.