Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: Salmonstalker on September 28, 2017, 12:26:45 PM

Title: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Salmonstalker on September 28, 2017, 12:26:45 PM: One of my hunting partners drew the Peaches Ridge Quality Bull tag with 2 points (lucky SOB0.) My other hunting partner and myself decided to tag along and hunt the Taneum side along with the permit holder- considering it was open for general archery as well+ the Little Naches was burning. After 3 days of intense hiking, 12 hours/day and not seeing any fresh sign, or getting any bulls to bugle back, we decided to move around a little and try bugling different ridges/drainage's. That proved nothing as well. We talked to a couple guys camping near us that had been hunting there for 25+ years and this was the first year someone hadn't killed an animal in the first week. He concluded that he had very few elk on trail cams but MULTIPLE packs of wolves... >:( Having heard this, it's all starting to make sense. That night we tried bugling in a different drainage and I spotted a pack of wolves cross a landing right at dark :yike: The following day, we tried a different ridge several miles away, and finally got a response..... HOOOOOOOWWWWLLL..... followed by a bunch of puppy yelps. We went back and forth with them for about 1/2 hour. Each time they responded, they got closer to us. SOOOO we went back to camp to drink about it :chuckle: The following day we took a stroll down a logging road at a way lower elevation thinking the elk had been pushed down low. For several miles, approximately every 50', there was a pile of wolf scat- full of light brown hair and bones.... That was the last straw for the one buddy and myself. It was Friday, we had been at it for a week straight and made zero connections with any living elk. We sadly told our permit holder, that we would be headed home to lick our wounds for the weekend and get ready for a busy work week. He planned on staying till the last day but with weather coming, he was getting nervous. Fast forward 24 hours: Permit holder calls me with an ecstatic sounding voice "I killed a bull!!!!" Turns out, he went back to a spot we hadn't been in a few days, sat at a landing, let out a bugle, GOT A BUGLE BACK, bull popped out below him, disappeared for a while, snuck into 20 yards and popped up at the end of his nocked arrow..... He made a perfect shot thru the boiler room, bull went 100 yards and died on his feet. Dead 6 point bull. I don't have permission to post the pics at the moment, sorry.

I guess that's why you never give up hope. Although that was the ONLY elk any of us laid eyes on in 9 days. The other guys around us pulled the plug as well, due to lack of elk activity. Does anyone else have any personal accounts similar? Mind you, we are literally within a couple miles of the Pacific Crest Trail and it's all down hill from there to the west side....
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: hunterofelk on September 28, 2017, 12:43:36 PM: Most of my experiences hunting elk east of the crest is with modern rifle. I usually see elk the first two days of season and than nothing. When I go look at the elk at Joe Watt or Oak creek there are many spikes munching hay, haven't seen a wolf yet.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: HighCountryHunter88 on September 28, 2017, 12:45:17 PM: you report any of this to FW?
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Dan-o on September 28, 2017, 12:55:43 PM: Correct me if I'm wrong, but there are no wolf packs verified in the Taneum.

If you could show WDFW where you're seeing/hearing all these wolves, you'd be a hero to those of us who would like wolves delisted.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Mfowl on September 28, 2017, 01:00:35 PM: We found wolf scat and tracks up on Manastash Ridge by Quartz Mtn this summer. I don't doubt they are in the Taneum too. :bash:
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: yakimanoob on September 28, 2017, 01:07:53 PM: That's next door to the Teanaway pack, so it wouldn't be surprising.

+10 for reporting (as publically as you can) to WDFW.

Glad your buddy laid claim to being the better predator! :)
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Bob33 on September 28, 2017, 01:41:23 PM: The lack of a "confirmed pack" doesn't mean there aren't wolves. Quite a few sightings have been reported there. Kind of interesting to see how many have been reported in the Seattle area...
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Rimrock hunter on September 28, 2017, 01:48:02 PM: Seen 2 wolves chasing a deer in the Taneum last year after snowmobiling. We were driving out of the sno-park, and about 1 mile down the road they came across the road right in front of us. The two black wolves were right on the deer heels, and another deer came across the road behind them. My wife thought they were 2 bears chasing the deer, but i told her those were 2 wolves honey.

Called the WDFW the next day, and they said, Oh, wolves in the Taneum now. I gave him the exact spot that I had seen them in, and his answer was that the snow would probably be melted by the time they could get there. The snow was to turn to rain the next day though.

Seen wolf scat in Rimrock last year.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: boneaddict on September 28, 2017, 01:50:34 PM: Wolves at Joe Watt, and wolves on Quartz. What's in between?
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Dan-o on September 28, 2017, 02:19:19 PM: I don't doubt there are wolves there.

The OP referenced a bunch of wolves on trail cam in there as well as puppy calls.

If that's the case, the documentation should be given to wdfw to make them acknowledge the pack(s) in Taneum.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on September 28, 2017, 02:21:57 PM: Glad your buddy got a good bull! Between the wolfs and man we should have no elk around there soon....... :bash: Please report all the info you have to WDFW.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: yakimanoob on September 28, 2017, 02:27:04 PM: Quote from: Bob33 on September 28, 2017, 01:41:23 PM
The lack of a "confirmed pack" doesn't mean there aren't wolves. Quite a few sightings have been reported there. Kind of interesting to see how many have been reported in the Seattle area...

Is it really that surprising?

What percentage of people in Seattle do you think know the difference between a wolf and a coyote? Or a wolf and a big husky in the dark, for that matter?
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Special T on September 28, 2017, 02:48:40 PM: :yeah:

And that is the departments best excuse to blow people off when they report wolves sighted...
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Bob33 on September 28, 2017, 02:59:25 PM: Quote from: Special T on September 28, 2017, 02:48:40 PM
:yeah:

And that is the departments best excuse to blow people off when they report wolves sighted...
Given the number of wolves reported in Seattle, why wouldn't you be skeptical?
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Special T on September 28, 2017, 03:56:28 PM: A report from Seattle? Sure... a report in Skagit county.... since people I know up here have been blown off... one whom posted the pics up here of a pack on the nooksack got blown off by the department... its pretty hard for me to think they are serious. I was blown off when i i formed some one about a wolf sighting at lake Cavanaugh... so I'll call them after I scrape it off the front of my truck.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Pegasus on September 28, 2017, 04:20:58 PM: If you enlarge the sightings map you can see a number of sightings in Puget Sound. I know wolves can swim but....maybe they are feasting on killer whales? Their tracking system is obviously flawed and not reliable.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: RightPlace-RightTime on September 28, 2017, 04:32:43 PM: Would love to see pics of his bull if he gives you permission to post it.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Stein on September 28, 2017, 04:43:38 PM: I assume the "confirmed" means that a bio has significant physical evidence to say there is a pack living in a certain place. They may have strong suspicions, even know they are there but haven't scientifically proven it yet.

Kind of like we know gravity exists but it is still a theory.

If they are in 336, by next year or the year after they will be in 346 and there will be plenty of sightings.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Special T on September 28, 2017, 04:55:01 PM: Quote from: Pegasus on September 28, 2017, 04:20:58 PM
If you enlarge the sightings map you can see a number of sightings in Puget Sound. I know wolves can swim but....maybe they are feasting on killer whales? Their tracking system is obviously flawed and not reliable.

Thankyou for articulating my point.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: X-Force on September 28, 2017, 04:59:19 PM: Last year scouting for my peaches tag I howled into Big Creek for fun and got an immidiate response from the bottom. Sounded like an adult and pups. I wish I recorded it. I didn't report it. I will now.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: fishngamereaper on September 28, 2017, 04:59:49 PM: There are actually more elk than wolves. The wolves have been there for years. The elk are smart and get call shy when people start bugling with wolves in the area.. Factor in the heat and this year has been odd. Glad your buddy got a bull, persistence pays off. I would love to have that tag.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Stein on September 28, 2017, 05:07:21 PM: Quote from: X-Force on September 28, 2017, 04:59:19 PM
Last year scouting for my peaches tag I howled into Big Creek for fun and got an immidiate response from the bottom. Sounded like an adult and pups. I wish I recorded it. I didn't report it. I will now.

If I get bored in October I'll try that. I actually really like wolves - except when they are where I want to hunt. So, I guess I usually don't like them.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Fish4Fun on September 29, 2017, 08:43:39 AM: I agree the wolves have been in the Taneum Unit for years. We were within a 150 yards of one back in the late 80's in the Log Greek drainage. South side of Cole Butte, big wolf standing on an open hill side. In the head of Jim Creek we had 2 run in front of the truck around 2006 or so.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: yakimanoob on September 29, 2017, 09:01:16 AM: Quote from: fishngamereaper on September 28, 2017, 04:59:49 PM
There are actually more elk than wolves.

I think the OP was just saying he saw more wolves than elk. There are hundreds, and probably at times thousands, of elk in that unit. I would think that area could support 10-15 wolves MAX.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Jpmiller on September 30, 2017, 08:25:40 AM: Quote from: yakimanoob on September 29, 2017, 09:01:16 AM
Quote from: fishngamereaper on September 28, 2017, 04:59:49 PM
There are actually more elk than wolves.

I think the OP was just saying he saw more wolves than elk. There are hundreds, and probably at times thousands, of elk in that unit. I would think that area could support 10-15 wolves MAX.

I've hunted in that unit most of my life. There's no elk at all! Only wolves. No deer or bear either lol.

I think I need to brush up on identifying wolf tracks vs coyote. I've been seeing alot more dog tracks the last five or so years but k never really gave them any attention. Think I will look a little closer next time. I've never seen or heard wolves up there but it certainly wouldn't surprise me at all.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: JLS on September 30, 2017, 09:35:00 AM: Quote from: Special T on September 28, 2017, 04:55:01 PM
Quote from: Pegasus on September 28, 2017, 04:20:58 PM
If you enlarge the sightings map you can see a number of sightings in Puget Sound. I know wolves can swim but....maybe they are feasting on killer whales? Their tracking system is obviously flawed and not reliable.

Thankyou for articulating my point.

Pretty sure the tracking system is based on public reports, GPS coordinates, locations given.
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: scottcrb on September 30, 2017, 10:53:47 AM: We heard one howling at night up there 3 years ago. We were camped just past the lower riders camp area off the end of West taneum .
Title: Re: More wolves than elk in Taneum
Post by: Jpmiller on October 30, 2017, 06:37:41 AM: Well, I believe I found my first wolf track up elk hunting this past weekend. The snow certainly helped.

The good news though was I was still able to bump into elk and deer in about the normal frequency and there was still ungulate sign aplenty.