Plenty of wolves in 117

[gun-dog]

While elk hunting I think I found as much wolf sign as I did elk sign.  The elk were totally quiet in the area I was hunting, did not hear a single bugle but I was finding fresh elk sign and I managed to see a few elk.  I was hunting in the Power Lake area.  Didn't see any wolf sign there last year but this year it was really something else.  Here is a track next to my size 13 boot.

[jasnt]

Ya I been seeing wolf sign around power peak and between there and Boyer mt.  Less and less elk sign each year.  Last year we found tracks right where the loggers got the landing setup.

[buglebrush]

We better enjoy our elk while we still have a few     

[rudysts]

Moose are taking a big hit. soon there wont be any left.

[jasnt]

From what I'm seeing the wolves are pushing the elk closer to people. Seeing elk in places I've never seen them before.  Before long people will be hunting elk next to town.

[hunter-4-life]

Following

[Gobble Gobble]

Any wolves in the Cusick area yet? I used to hunt turkey on private land outside town.

[jasnt]

Any wolves in the Cusick area yet? I used to hunt turkey on private land outside town.

there is on the east side of the river. I don't do much around there but as a crow flies that's not far from power lake.  We had wolves howling last modern elk season right by moon lake in 113. Howling just above camp. Saw one deer and 3 grouse that whole 9 days.

[PA BEN]

By By Moose

[jasnt]

By By Moose

By By Moose

I've seen a lot of moose in 117! Saw one calf this year and none last year.   The one I seen this year was being hunted by a cougar and some how I ended up in the middle.  I pop over this knob and see a very angry cow moose right below me. She has her ears pulled back and hackles all raised up. I just froze. She looked up at me then back to the trees on my right. I hear some rustling that way. I look back at her and see a calf run around behind mom who makes a short charge towards the trees to my right. Then backs off to the calf. I whip out my phone thinking I'd see a pursuit but nothing came out as the moose ran off.   Had seen a lot of bear sign around so I go to check it out.  As I head that way my friend catches up. As we get to the firs we hear panting just inside the canopy. 15' away.  I'm slowly circling the for patch hoping to catch a glimpse when we hear a cat growl   It took me back to my last cougar harvest. We stepped back and it bolted deeper in the firs.   Besides the wolves we have a big predator population here!

[JimmyHoffa]

From what I'm seeing the wolves are pushing the elk closer to people. Seeing elk in places I've never seen them before.  Before long people will be hunting elk next to town.

I've read that this was kind of the trend in Montana and Idaho.  The game in the wilderness areas kept getting pushed closer and closer to ranches/farms/towns.  People that hunted further back in reported the decline in the herds, but greenies would look at the harvest stats for those states and years and respond with 'But hunters are killing more elk than in the past decades'.  Then a few years later the elk near town started to drop a bit too, but not like they did where there was only seasonal human presence.

[jasnt]

From what I'm seeing the wolves are pushing the elk closer to people. Seeing elk in places I've never seen them before.  Before long people will be hunting elk next to town.

I've read that this was kind of the trend in Montana and Idaho.  The game in the wilderness areas kept getting pushed closer and closer to ranches/farms/towns.  People that hunted further back in reported the decline in the herds, but greenies would look at the harvest stats for those states and years and respond with 'But hunters are killing more elk than in the past decades'.  Then a few years later the elk near town started to drop a bit too, but not like they did where there was only seasonal human presence.

that could explain why I been seeing so many moose the last few years too.

[gun-dog]

I have been amazed at the wolf sign I have been seeing.  I almost can't go anywhere without seeing it.  We were hunting close to the ski resort when we started to hear the howling.  One fired off and then it turned out, we were surrounded.  No game on that mountain.  Most of the elk that I saw this year were staying very close to private land and civilization. 

[cmiller85]

I have been amazed at the wolf sign I have been seeing.  I almost can't go anywhere without seeing it.  We were hunting close to the ski resort when we started to hear the howling.  One fired off and then it turned out, we were surrounded.  No game on that mountain.  Most of the elk that I saw this year were staying very close to private land and civilization.

I noticed that too. Almost no fresh elk sign up higher. They were down lower. Most of the time the moose are so noisy and thick they are actually a nuisance. I noticed they weren't as vocal either. They seemed fewer and farer between than usual as well.

[KFhunter]

just wait, if we get the snow everyone's predicting it'll be a slaughter.