Post by: kentrek on December 10, 2014, 07:03:37 PM
That's pretty much all I have :dunno:
If you've hunted them what's worked ??
Or just as important what didn't work ??
Have they became call shy ??
What kind of calls??
Do you trap while hunting ??
Baits or I mean bear baits ??
Scents ?? ( idk if legal in idaho)
Wintering grounds ??
Hunting wolf killed game ??
Do they return to a kill or just eat an move on ???
Let's keep this a productive thread and help folks increase there odds on this new game animal
Post any pictures or links that relate :tup:
Post by: cougarbart on December 10, 2014, 07:13:22 PM
Post by: jasnt on December 10, 2014, 07:23:57 PM
Post by: Mark Brenckle on December 10, 2014, 07:26:41 PM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on December 10, 2014, 07:27:41 PM
Tagging
:yeah:
Can You use live bait? Goats make lots of noise when tied up by themselves. :chuckle:
Post by: kentrek on December 10, 2014, 07:36:55 PM
If you figure out a way please help! Have howled, used distress calls, jumped on fresh tracks and followed all day, sat on a wolf kill for a week! And still haven't got an opportunity! I have been in north Idaho where visibility has been limited other than clear cuts! Plus when we hound hunt we sit quiet and ready at every tree for half!
I kinda figured tracking would be a lost cause....maybe howl after cutting fresh tracks but man it sure seems like they cover the ground...same with ambush hunting over scents or baits
Only thing I can think of is to cover an insane amount of ground...do most of the locating at night
Post by: cougarbart on December 10, 2014, 07:43:29 PM
Post by: kentrek on December 10, 2014, 08:08:52 PM
With out the regs under my nose, are we allowed to shoot them at night ??????
Post by: cougarbart on December 10, 2014, 08:34:16 PM
Post by: kentrek on December 10, 2014, 08:45:52 PM
I've heard of one wolf being howled in an killed but not from a credible source
I wonder what it takes to keep a wolf convo going....
Post by: Maverick26 on December 10, 2014, 08:53:16 PM
Post by: cougarbart on December 10, 2014, 08:56:55 PM
Post by: jasnt on December 10, 2014, 09:11:23 PM
Post by: KFhunter on December 10, 2014, 09:27:13 PM
I'd be using scent making pee posts, spraying on top of dominant wolf scrapes and sitting in trees.
I'd like to try out a bunch of ideas I came up with while Elk hunting cursing the wolves thinking up ways to kill them
I called in a few wolves with Elk calls too.
Post by: Bango skank on December 10, 2014, 09:28:59 PM
Post by: KFhunter on December 10, 2014, 09:30:57 PM
Toss out some howls, spray the scent on the ground and sit tight for an hour
Post by: cougarbart on December 10, 2014, 09:32:49 PM
Post by: pd on December 10, 2014, 09:35:45 PM
KF, I know a lot of hunters who have seen wolves (N. Idaho), but I don't know of a single confirmed kill. So far the only successful hunting technique is from a helicopter! Keep at this thread.
Post by: kentrek on December 10, 2014, 09:48:13 PM
I like jasnt's idea but what's a challenging howl ?? Obviously a howl just isn't a howl....
Post by: jasnt on December 10, 2014, 09:51:38 PM
Does anyone have a helicopter ?? :chuckle:I'll have to do some research for that answer. With coyote its a howl that's short and ends in a bark, all in one sound. I'd bet its similar with wolves.
I like jasnt's idea but what's a challenging howl ?? Obviously a howl just isn't a howl....
Post by: Bango skank on December 10, 2014, 09:56:24 PM
Can't use bait in Idaho!
I am almost positive that the regs make an exception in that wolves can be taken incidental to bear baiting. So hunt them in an area open to bear baiting, with the proper tags/season to be bear baiting, and use nothing but meat at the bait sight.
Post by: kentrek on December 10, 2014, 10:03:21 PM
Can't use bait in Idaho!
I am almost positive that the regs make an exception in that wolves can be taken incidental to bear baiting. So hunt them in an area open to bear baiting, with the proper tags/season to be bear baiting, and use nothing but meat at the bait sight.
That's how I read it...but I don't think a gamie will take us very serious if we bait for bear in February
Post by: Bango skank on December 10, 2014, 10:06:34 PM
Can't use bait in Idaho!
I am almost positive that the regs make an exception in that wolves can be taken incidental to bear baiting. So hunt them in an area open to bear baiting, with the proper tags/season to be bear baiting, and use nothing but meat at the bait sight.
That's how I read it...but I don't think a gamie will take us very serious if we bait for bear in February
No of course not, you would have to be baiting bear by the book, 100%
Post by: jasnt on December 10, 2014, 10:43:37 PM
this video has some great vocals. I'm thinking a confident serenade of 4 wolves would be a good challenge then move in and challenge again. I dout this kind of confrontation is quick. I'm sure the howl back and forth testing each other out. Alot of scratching and peeing would take place and probably alot of time before a challenging pack would confront the residents.
of course this is all assumptions on my part based of my predator hunting experience.
Post by: kentrek on December 10, 2014, 10:45:46 PM
Post by: LittleJohn on December 11, 2014, 02:26:25 AM
The wolves I am hunting are not being called to very much and are very vocal.
They cover a ridiculous amount of area and are hard to keep track of in my experience. The packs I am hunting seem to come back through an area every 10 or so days. If the tracks are not super fresh they are already gone.
I typically go out about midnight and start running roads and looking for tracks. Stopping and howling every mile or two depending on the terrain. There are a lot of gated roads where I am hunting. Once I find some fresh tracks I try to anticipate where they are going and run the roads on as many side of the ridge they are on to try and figure out where they are.
I usually have a few different packs located by daylight.
I pretty much hunt them like a bull elk in September. Locate them and figure out where they are and where they are going and move in close down wind and set up and call. Once i'm within a couple hundred yards I typically start predator calling. Doesn't seem to mater on the predator call. Ive had them come into rabbit calls, calf elk distress, and howling.
I do not have an electronic call, but my buddies use them with success.
Depending on the terrain and visibility we usually don't sit more then 45 minutes in a set up. If they stop howling on shut up we try to relocate them and move in again and set up.
Running the roads for tracks in fresh snow and howling to locate is definitely the key. The area I am hunting is too huge to just randomly pick a gate and hope for the best.
I am running a trap line as well, I typically check traps in the dark and then do some calling set ups at daylight. Depending on the sign in the area.
The pack I am trapping comes through every 10 days, usually with in 12 hours +-
Almost strange how accurate they are.
Post by: LittleJohn on December 11, 2014, 02:33:39 AM
These dogs were all called in with howling or predator calls
All shots were under 40 yds,
All of these wolves came in a pack, from 3 to 6 animals. Better have more than one tag in your pocket :}
Post by: LittleJohn on December 11, 2014, 02:36:11 AM
The more wolves harvested the better.
The county I live in has been leading the state in wolf harvests the last 3 years (unfortunately) :{
Post by: LittleJohn on December 11, 2014, 02:49:23 AM
Came in on dead run with 5 or 6 others. Shot at 25 yds
Post by: JJB11B on December 11, 2014, 04:29:06 AM
Post by: kentrek on December 11, 2014, 06:48:41 AM
When you say "running" the roads do mean on a snow machine or quad ??? How sensitive are the wolves to motor sound ?? How long do you wait after you turn off your motor to howl ??
Post by: kentrek on December 11, 2014, 06:55:30 AM
All of them in packs, all of them running in
Kind of an interesting thought...pack of 100+ pound meat eaters running at you full speed :mgun:
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on December 11, 2014, 06:56:28 AM
Post by: CAMPMEAT on December 11, 2014, 07:12:47 AM
Post by: cougarbart on December 11, 2014, 07:22:21 AM
Post by: cougarbart on December 11, 2014, 07:25:28 AM
Post by: cougarbart on December 11, 2014, 07:29:02 AM
Post by: CAMPMEAT on December 11, 2014, 07:34:26 AM
Post by: cougarbart on December 11, 2014, 07:49:02 AM
Post by: kentrek on December 11, 2014, 07:58:43 AM
Lmao! Ya good luck! Way to much work for me to try and get in there with a sled! Plus if something goes wrong they might find your corpse in July when the snow melts!
That's "if" they find your corpse :chuckle:
I like the idea of using snow mobiles to get in deep but do the wolves hang out in super deep snow :dunno: I'd think they would wana head down along with all the other critters
Post by: cougarbart on December 11, 2014, 08:02:11 AM
Post by: CAMPMEAT on December 11, 2014, 08:02:47 AM
Post by: cougarbart on December 11, 2014, 08:05:19 AM
Post by: bearpaw on December 11, 2014, 08:07:56 AM
In those remote Idaho areas look for winter ranges where the game herds keg up along the rivers and creeks, you will find the wolves hunting those herds.
Post by: cougarbart on December 11, 2014, 08:11:48 AM
Post by: LittleJohn on December 11, 2014, 09:19:02 AM
I don't do any set up for calling near drivable roads, I am usually on a ridge or gated road away from vehicles. Your not going to get a look at a wolf from your truck in the area I hunt. I'm sure its happened but not likely.
The wolves are 100% in wintering grounds, if I locate some wintering elk its as good as hearing a wolf howl. They are there for sure.
I guess a sled would get you into some remote drainages, but the wolves are where the deer and elk are. If I can't get there with my truck chained up its too deep in my opinion.
I don't mind snow shoeing a bit for them, but it slows down my covering the country.
I don't do much howling from the truck/roads during daylight hours, it just educates them in my opinion.
1.Locate the packs at night
2.Anticipate where they be at day light
3.Come back at daylight and hike in gated road or up ridge with the wind in favor
4.Locate pack with howls
5.Sneak in and set up
I typically howl more then predator call. A lot of guys are having great luck with just howling them in.
If you have wolves howling at 200 yds, don't forget about the rest of the pack coming in on you at 25 yds. Be ready! Don't be fooled by a wolf howling way off, his buddies could be close. I have had it happen multiple times.
I have had them come in completely silent as well.
I havnt had one wolf come in while being vocal on his way in.
I am hunting some thick country with lots under brush, so typically shooting is close range :}
Post by: CAMPMEAT on December 11, 2014, 11:19:49 AM
Post by: LittleJohn on December 11, 2014, 12:26:32 PM
average wolf weight in Montana last year was less than 80 lbs,
All pics I posted above the heaviest wolf was 75 lbs.
Most guys are using their deer rifles
Post by: CAMPMEAT on December 11, 2014, 12:37:10 PM
.243 55 gr bt pushing 4000 fps
average wolf weight in Montana last year was less than 80 lbs,
All pics I posted above the heaviest wolf was 75 lbs.
Most guys are using their deer rifles
Good caliber. I've been taking my 6.5 Creedmoor.
Post by: Gringo31 on December 11, 2014, 02:39:22 PM
Post by: VarmintVentilator on December 11, 2014, 03:04:30 PM
Post by: skeeter 20i on December 11, 2014, 03:55:55 PM
Good work guys. :mgun:
Post by: AspenBud on December 11, 2014, 04:02:42 PM
I'm guessing here, but I'm betting the smart move is to ignore sets of one direction tracks and look for areas where there are multiple tracks going in multiple directions. That usually indicates a contested area between packs or a rendezvous area. It would seem reasonable that you could start calling near such spots and wolves would come because in either scenario, they don't want competing canines around.
Bird dog and hound people would be wise to avoid such areas. Highly dangerous for dogs.
Post by: nwwanderer on December 11, 2014, 04:13:50 PM
Post by: cougarbart on December 11, 2014, 04:41:30 PM
Post by: AspenBud on December 12, 2014, 02:56:38 PM
Your right aspenbud! When you find the drainage they are using there will be wolf tracks all up and down the road! Piss on every fallen tree that's been cut out and they almost set up a hang out drainage/ridge!
If you look at the maps that states like Michigan put out showing where hounds have run afoul with wolves it's often near such sites. You start howling there and it's probably like tripping a home alarm system as far as the wolves are concerned (same applies to baying hounds). I'm betting that simply howling/using predator calls randomly is about the least effective method to get them in. If they are out hunting they have one thing on their mind and defending turf is not it. Contested ground, rendezvous areas, and dens...they'll fight over those and not be happy to hear other canines near.
It's what I would start with if I was going to hunt wolves anyhow...
Post by: huntbow on December 17, 2014, 04:44:19 PM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on December 17, 2014, 04:55:17 PM
Post by: docsven on December 17, 2014, 06:09:12 PM