WOLVES IN THE RIMROCK UNIT

[subagang707]

I saw some tracks last year while elk hunting on the back side of Round Mountain that I was pretty sure were wolf tracks.  No pictures taken as I was limiting the amount of weight I was packing in.  This last weekend we were up helping my grandfather get set-up, setting up our tent, cutting some wood, etc. for our upcoming season.  On Sunday morning (10/19) I was up early and getting a fire going when I heard what I thought was some cow calling going on down by the river (North Fork Teiton).  So I decided to sneak down there and see what was going on down there.  I got to about 75 yards from the river and saw a very large coyote pacing the opposite river bank.  No gun, no camera.  I turned around to sneak back to camp to get my rifle and camera.  I start to jog back to camp and am thinking how big it was and questioning whether it could be a wolf or not.
Get the rifle and camera and head back down to the river.  As I approach the area I saw the "coyote" I slow and sneak a little closer with the camera at the ready.
Then reality slaps me in the face as I see not one, but three wolves that have a mule deer doe pinned in the middle of the river.  Absolutely no doubt that they are wolves, size alone tells me no way in H E double hockey sticks that these are coyotes.  I take a couple pictures that don't turn out for crap (I am not very good with the camera, that is my daughters job).  I will post one later on today if you promise not to make fun of the crappy photo!!
I have no idea what to do as these wolves continue to lunge at the deer for a few minutes trying to get it closer to the bank of the river.  I know what I want to do, but my morals, integrity, and honor interfere with my true desire to give these critters a dirt knap.  I could yell at them  , or I could just shoot and scare them off.
The doe is not having a good time and I finally decide that I have seen enough.  I shoot a round into the river bank and all 3 wolves turn and look at me, they didn't run, walk off, or even really flinch, they just stopped and looked right through me.  Great, now what do I do.  I chamber and fire three more rounds into the river bank and that was enough to drive the wolves off.  The poor little doe didn't know what to do and remained in the river.  I walked up to the river and was no more than 10 feet from her and talked to her and told her she was okay now and she could go away, she was safe.  I got back to our camp on an adrenaline high and told the story to the family. 
I have reported the sighting on the WDFW website and maybe they will acknowledge more than 5 breeding pairs!! I doubt it though
Looking forward to getting back up there!!!

[KFhunter]

naches - as much as I hate to agree with him on anything wolf related - does have a point about harassing wildlife.

WDFW would not look kindly on you firing rounds anywhere near their precious wolves, and as you can guess Naches has probably already dialed the 800 number to rat you out.




In the end that doe isn't long for this world, in shock standing in the river.   Even if she does climb out of the water and gets normalized the wolves are in her territory and it won't be long until they encounter her again, and all the other deer in that vicinity 

I'd love to see your pics,  not a lot of guys see what you seen.

[PlateauNDN]

Negligently shooting and harrassing wildlife. Wow.


Make sure to take pictures if you shoot one. Hunt-wa would love to see pictures

   I get your intentions but I'd leave the part of your story where you fired 4 rounds at the wolves. Just my 2 cents. Glad you called wdfw though with the info.

[PlateauNDN]

Pics...

[subagang707]

Where in my post did I say that I was eager to poach a wolf???
Negligently firing my rifle??  I know exactly where I was shooting!
Harrassing wildlife??  Hind site being 20/20, probably not a good choice.  I wanted to save the doe...
I will gladly take pictures of any animal I shoot and post them on this site!  But I will never shoot an animal illegally so no wolf pictures will be posted by me.
As I stated earlier, my morals, integrity, and honor prevent me from doing stupid stuff.  I am a law abiding citizen and morals, integrity, and honor are all required when decisions are made!!  I have been an active duty military member for 22 years and counting and I am not about to throw all of that away by breaking game laws, or any law for that matter.

[subagang707]

I will post the crappy picture when I get home today.

[CAMPMEAT]

Some things shouldn't be shared on here because of the internet Nazi's.

Now there will be a huge fight about them friggin' killing machines.......wolves !!

[257 Wby Mag]

The only mistake you made was not gut shootin all 3 then rollin....

[Boss .300 winmag]

Some things shouldn't be shared on here because of the internet Nazi's.

Now there will be a huge fight about them friggin' killing machines.......wolves !!

 

And I read no where that he shot at the wolves, but only into the river bank to scare them off.

[boneaddict]

First round was for their benefit.  2nd third and 4th if needed would have been for my benefit.   Glad you did what you did and I see no problem with your report.
They have no intention of acknowledging them.   It will be 5 more years before they gather enough data.     

[KFhunter]

Where in my post did I say that I was eager to poach a wolf???
Negligently firing my rifle??  I know exactly where I was shooting!
Harrassing wildlife??  Hind site being 20/20, probably not a good choice.  I wanted to save the doe...
I will gladly take pictures of any animal I shoot and post them on this site!  But I will never shoot an animal illegally so no wolf pictures will be posted by me.
As I stated earlier, my morals, integrity, and honor prevent me from doing stupid stuff.  I am a law abiding citizen and morals, integrity, and honor are all required when decisions are made!!  I have been an active duty military member for 22 years and counting and I am not about to throw all of that away by breaking game laws, or any law for that matter.

I'm a law abiding citizen too with a lot to loose.  That said I'm glad it wasn't me being tempted on that river bank.   I'd feel like crap walking away and not doing anything save trying to get a crappy pic or two.  It would be a hard thing to watch and even harder thing to not take any illegal action.

First round was for their benefit.  2nd third and 4th if needed would have been for my benefit.   Glad you did what you did and I see no problem with your report.
They have no intention of acknowledging them.   It will be 5 more years before they gather enough data.   

I can't condemn the guy either and I think he showed a lot of restraint.  Shame on WDFW for putting law abiding citizens in these positions as it's so much tougher to not shoot a wolf when you lack confidence in WDFW's managing of wolves.   If WDFW was pro-active and aggressive in wolf documentation it'd be easier to walk away from a scene like this, but when you know your reporting the wolves lands on deaf ears........

[predatorpro]

cool story! i ran into a wolf in the cowiche during during elk muzzy...was about 20 yards in front of me....

[Goldy79]

WOW. Wolves in one of my favorite units... that sucks.

We ran into a doe carcass a couple of days after I filled my Elk tag, EA. Had it's throat ripped out and some of the guts exposed.... thought at the time that it was just a cougar but now that I think about it I the wounds appeared like they were stretched open, as if two animals were pulling it apart. No tracks. It was right next to a creek and we spent about an hour looking for any suspects... nada. I'm heading back over shortly and will keep my eyes peeled.

Any pics to share? Even crappy ones....

[92xj]

What's the front side of round mountain?

[h2ofowlr]

Sounds like you wasted a few to many rounds on a bank.