My Wolf Hunt

[Buckhunt]

I have also posted this in the varmint/furbearer topic but I have been keeping a journal of my late season wolf hunt. I have done this for a while with my BWCAW trips but for my personal enjoyment only. With much inspiration from reading Scoot's adventure logs, I wanted to put something together to share with others. I decided on a blog site so it is easier for my family and other non fm'ers to follow along. I am new to the "blog" world and chose a site that is free but use the column on the left to start with the oldest post to start from the begining. It has been great fun putting this together, thanks Scoot for the inspiration to publish.

mywolfhunt.blog.com

Good hunting,

Nick

[matchset]

i'm checking it out right now

[Scoot]

Go get 'em, Buckhunt! Good luck and thanks for sharing!!!

[NoWiser]

Good luck Buckhunt!

It looks like you are on the right track!

One thing that I would recommend doing is sacrificing some sleep and do some howling at night to look for a response. It's possibly to hear them howling during daylight, but you will hear far more in the middle of the night. If you put on some miles and do some howling I think you will eventually get a response. I'm no wolf expert, but deer hunt in a densly populated area and my observation is this:

A pack of wolves has a "home range". While the pack's territory may be quite large, I believe the area they spend 90% of their time is relatively small, and probably located in the area of their territory farthest from human disturbance. If you are near this area,you should hear howling at some point 3 out of 4 nights. These are the areas I think you need to key in on. From what I've seen, many times the majority of the pack stays in this core area while "scouts" head out and check the fringes of their territory for prey. Oftentimes, come morning, you will hear these lone scouts howling, and the main pack howling back to let it know their location so they can rejoin the pack. If you can somehow get in between these scouts and the pack and do some calling, I believe there is a very good chance that the scout will come and check out your call while heading back "home". I happen to hunt deer right smack dab in the middle of what I believe to be a core wolf area, and hear the above scenerio played out multiple times every single year, and we have noticed that if you can get smack dab in the middle of this action, your chances of seeing a wolf are very good.

Take it or leave it, but if I had a tag and REALLY wanted to get a wolf right now, here is what my game plan would be.... I would spend a night or two driving around and stopping to howl until you locate a pack. When I located an area where I consistently heard wolves, I would make sure I had a warm sleeping bag and pitch a tent in the area. Sleep light if you can so you are woken up by howling, and then keep tabs on the wolves as the night goes on. By morning you should have a good idea of where they are, and where they are headed. I'd get up early and get as close as you feel comfortable getting, without getting busted, wait until first light, and begin calling. If you do this, you are almost guaranteed wolves will hear your calls, and I really think that is half the battle right there. If you find one of those "core areas" and hunt it wisely, I like your odds at tagging a wolf

Good luck! I'll be keeping up with your blog! If you have any questions let me know. Like I said, I'm far from a wolf expert, but have hunted around them enough to have a pretty good idea of some of their habits.

[tfran123]

Awesome info!!

[Buckhunt]

Nowiser - thanks for the help, and btw i really appreciate you're sharing your story because my references to my digital scouting definately include your info.

I feel better about my gameplan because what you are describing is what my plan has been for this weekend, well not the tent but heading out at 1 or 3 in the morning to the areas where i have seen the most sign to try and get a better pinpoint on thier location by hopefully hear howling. i have been a bit dissapointed that i have not heard any howling yet but i haven't been out before 5 as the areas i have been going to are completely new to me and even right before first light i feel like i struggle to pick "good" spots to set up on.

Again, thanks so much for the insight, you are truely one of the guys that make this site so much fun!