My first run in with wolves Unit 111

[bonkellekter]

Had my first run in with with wolves in unit 111. I had planned a 3-day pack in hunt with my uncle. We hiked in Friday evening just in time to do some spotting before the opener, saw a couple piles of wolf sh*t on the way in but didn't worry too much about it. Saw some in the area last year too.

That evening spotting we did not see any deer, moose or elk... Just one big black bear. so we set up camp. come first light we set up at our spotting location. We sat there for nearly 2 hours and did not see anything.

I heard something walking up the ridge behind and directly down wind from us so I turned around grabbed my bow and started to knock an arrow... I could see a little movement so I peaked up over the huckleberry brush and saw a black head and ears only 18 yards away. I initially thought it was a small black bear. when it saw me it let off a "woof" and moved off to my left and another ran up in it's place. I was still thinking bear at this point as I had only seen there faces thru the brush. then I stood up and got a full picture of 2 black wolves. So I dropped the bow and pulled out my pistol.

Those 2 started barking and howling at us and moved around to our left out of sight. then 3 others also all black ran thru the same opening the other 2 exited thru and circled around below us. The brush was thick so could not see them at this point but they basically surrounded 3 sides of us barking and howling. after about 10 min or so they finally wandered off.

Not a pleasant experience, wish I would have realized they were wolves when I could have put my sights on one and whacked it!! Ruined our hunt, we finished out the day spotting up there and saw nothing..   

[mfswallace]

report it
report it
report it

[bonkellekter]

Already reported here and WDFW 

[boneaddict]

Pretty disheartening isn't it. 

[mfswallace]

newspapers, radio, tv

dont trust the WDFW to acknowledge this on there own officially

[Ranger91298]

I know your feeling all to well... it's a pretty eerie feeling being surrounded by a pack of wolves... the only difference between your experience and mine is I was by myself and it was legal for me to shoot one. Glad things worked out for you though without incident. It makes you wonder how an animal activist would feel after being in that position without any sort of firearm. A significant emotional event like that may change their mind on those cute cuddly wolves....

[boneaddict]

Its easy for them as 111 is already known to have wolves.   Like every wolf in the Methow belongs to the lookout pack.   What a joke.

[boneaddict]

animal activist would feel after being in that position without any sort of firearm

I did it about 2 years ago at night without one and at best I could figure there were 12 of them.   I was NOT happy.

[Ranger91298]

animal activist would feel after being in that position without any sort of firearm

I did it about 2 years ago at night without one and at best I could figure there were 12 of them.   I was NOT happy.

F&$% THAT!!!

[bonkellekter]

Pretty disheartening isn't it.

It sure is!! that was one of my go to hunting spots. been hunting there since I was 9

[bonkellekter]

This was only 12 - 15 miles north of the "smackout pack" den location... But I am sure this is a different pack!

[boneaddict]

I scouted one of my favorite places last week and all I found was wolf *censored* filled with deer hair.   I saw 4 deer in three days, where I average 100 deer a day and 20-30 bucks.   Its way past the point of sounding the alarm.  People are def to it anyway.   If you haven't figured it out, there is definately an agenda out there and it isn't pro hunting.

[bonkellekter]

I scouted one of my favorite places last week and all I found was wolf *censored* filled with deer hair.   I saw 4 deer in three days, where I average 100 deer a day and 20-30 bucks.   Its way past the point of sounding the alarm.  People are def to it anyway.   If you haven't figured it out, there is definately an agenda out there and it isn't pro hunting.

That has been my thought on this since the beginning!!

[bonkellekter]

I scouted one of my favorite places last week and all I found was wolf *censored* filled with deer hair.   I saw 4 deer in three days, where I average 100 deer a day and 20-30 bucks.   Its way past the point of sounding the alarm.  People are def to it anyway.   If you haven't figured it out, there is definately an agenda out there and it isn't pro hunting.

I know how you feel... The area I hunt never holds that many deer but the numbers were finally on the up swing, and we had been seeing a good number of deer and several quality bucks.... Sad thing is this time there was more wolf sign than anything else and bear was second to that!! last year we saw 5 bull moose and a few cows, several elk and a good number of deer. Now there isn't even much sign of any them in there.

[KyleMB123]

Seems like coyotes or hybrids to me. Whenever I see wolves they come up to me so I can scratch their belly, and they like to lick my face. Very people friendly animals.

[bonkellekter]

If they would have came back in on me where I could see em' they were gonna get treated like cyotes!!

[silverdalesauer]

crazy story... I don't think I could have handled being surrounded by 5 wolves within 18 yards without popping off a couple rounds.

[Nape.257]

 

Yep the 454 would have put the fear of man in to them.

[wraithen]

I would've at least shot a stump. That's too unnerving for me. At that point I would have been doing everything I could to get them away from me. I doubt I have the nerves for being surrounded like that.

[bonkellekter]

It was too unnerving for me too!! But the last thing I wanted was an empty clip and wolves still circling around me, The way they were acting I was sure they were going to come into sight again.... and if they did I was prepared to fill em' full of lead!!