PREDATOR HUNTING
Some Wolf Hunting Basics by Jay Sheffield
If you are serious about getting out this winter to hunt wolves , there are several things to consider . First , it is NOT going to be easy . Second , when you finally are successful , it will be one of your most prized hunting trophies because you will have earned it ! The old African ivory hunters had a saying , “ You hunt elephants with your feet and will walk a mile for every pound of ivory that you get ”. With adult wolves weighing between 70 and 110 lbs , this saying perfectly describes both the method of travel and the amount of effort necessary for modern day wolf hunting .
Radio collar studies show that packs have an average territory of about 185 square miles in NW Montana and as much as 344 square miles down towards Yellowstone . Trying to find a pack of 4-6 animals in that much territory will be your first major challenge .
In the fall , I head out well before daylight ; cruising remote gated forest roads either on foot or mountain bike , looking for fresh scat or tracks . I will frequently stop in likely areas and using just my voice ; make a few “ lonesome howls ” in the hope that I may get a response . Once the snow falls , travel becomes much harder ( and more dangerous ) but the tracks are certainly easier to spot ! This time of year the lion hunters are out and covering a lot of ground . They are usually more than happy to help anyone that is interested in reducing the wolf threat to their hounds .
Once you have decided on a location to hunt , you have a few choices to make . To howl or not to howl , to call or not to call , that is the question . There are so many variables to consider , I am writing a detailed column on this topic next month . My experience is that howling by voice or using an electronic call is a fairly reliable way to at least locate wolves . The issue becomes what to do if you hear a response .
You need to quickly determine how many wolves you hear and how close they are . Are they spread out and moving or are they grouped up tight on a kill ? What is the wind doing ? Do you keep howling in the hope that they will come and investigate , or do you try and sneak in for a shot ? Do you wait a few minutes and then start to call ? I have had success and failure in each of these scenarios and the best answer is that it depends .
I was confronted with an interesting scenario about eight weeks ago . I had been hunting hard and not seen any sign in weeks . By my fourth stand on that rainy morning I was quickly losing enthusiasm but went ahead and made a few short howls anyway . I think I nearly fell over when I heard one howl that quickly turned into a chorus . It sounded like there were five or six wolves spread out across the side of the mountain and there was absolutely no trail access to get up there .
I decided not to make another sound . I usually do not try sneaking in on a whole pack simply because the more they are pursued , the more wary they become . Today however with no wind and a light rain falling I decided to go for it . As I was adjusting my pack and walking stick in preparation for a difficult hike , I couldn ' t help thinking about the old saying " Fortune Favors the Bold ".
For the next 90 minutes I slowly made my way up the slope utilizing game trails as best I could to minimize noise and make the walk a little easier . As I approached the summit I found a small clearing where I could see fairly well in most directions for between 25 and 40 yards , an obvious place to get set up .
I was carrying a custom short barrel Ruger in . 308 topped with an illuminated reticle Leupold VXR 2-7 . Around my neck was my favorite hand call , carved out of Mexican Ironwood by Robert Patrick of RareEarth Calls in Michigan . Its tone is very loud and crystal clear .
Continued on page 3 .
2