wolf howlers

Slagiatt

Active member
Anybody successfully used a howler to call in wolves? Id like to hear call recommendations, techniques, how it went down etc. Not talking about e callers here.
 
I have howled in quite a few wolves. All by voice, using my hands as a megaphone if I am really trying to get some volume. You can make a simple amp by taking a 6-8 inch wide plastic funnel ($1.50 at walmart) and cutting off the small end to about a 2-3 inch opening. I drilled a hole at each end, tied a boot lace on and made a handy shoulder sling for it. It works fine and can create a little more bass sound. With practice you can do as well with your voice. My advice, practice a bunch at home till you can really get a LOW sustained soulful howl. Also practice soft whining sounds (just like your dog). When in the woods LESS IS MORE! Do not over do it, let them come looking for you. If you are making noise or moving around and they get any sense that something is wrong, they will run and not even slow down to look back! The hardest thing will be just finding the area where they are, if they are in a valley this evening, they will be three mountains over in the morning.

Here is a link that describes one of my howling adventures........

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2869295
 
It's hard to find a good wolf howler.

Rick Robbins, one of our custom call makers made one for me and it works and sounds great. I also have another that I've had for many years from another PM call maker. Brad H. Unfortunately Brad isn't on the board any more.

I do use coyote howlers coupled with fawn distress and that is effective.
 
Originally Posted By: RedfrogIt's hard to find a good wolf howler.

Rick Robbins, one of our custom call makers made one for me and it works and sounds great. I also have another that I've had for many years from another PM call maker. Brad H. Unfortunately Brad isn't on the board any more.

I do use coyote howlers coupled with fawn distress and that is effective.



Didnt know rick made wolf howlers. Ive recently ordered a whole mess of different calls from him and theyre sure nice. Guess ill bug him again, thanks.
 
Originally Posted By: jcs271I have howled in quite a few wolves. All by voice, using my hands as a megaphone if I am really trying to get some volume. You can make a simple amp by taking a 6-8 inch wide plastic funnel ($1.50 at walmart) and cutting off the small end to about a 2-3 inch opening. I drilled a hole at each end, tied a boot lace on and made a handy shoulder sling for it. It works fine and can create a little more bass sound. With practice you can do as well with your voice. My advice, practice a bunch at home till you can really get a LOW sustained soulful howl. Also practice soft whining sounds (just like your dog). When in the woods LESS IS MORE! Do not over do it, let them come looking for you. If you are making noise or moving around and they get any sense that something is wrong, they will run and not even slow down to look back! The hardest thing will be just finding the area where they are, if they are in a valley this evening, they will be three mountains over in the morning.

Here is a link that describes one of my howling adventures........

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2869295

I tried to do this last month. I was bear hunting and a pack of wolves wandered by me but didnt see me. They got out of sight and i decided to see if i could get them to respond, so i ran up the ridge a little ways after them and howled a couple times, got no response. They were out of sight but couldnt have been more than a few hundred yards away when i started howling. This was about 10 a.m. i have had wolves howling around me that time of day. I really want to get some wolf hunting in over in odaho this year.
 
{quote} They got out of sight and i decided to see if i could get them to respond, so i ran up the ridge a little ways after them and howled a couple times, got no response. They were out of sight but couldnt have been more than a few hundred yards away when i started howling. This was about 10 a.m. i have had wolves howling around me that time of day. I really want to get some wolf hunting in over in odaho this year.[/quote]

I have great success in the late morning so I doubt that was an issue. My main thought on you getting no response was that with them so close and you "running up a ridge behind them" somebody either smelled or heard you. Secondly, wolves (like coyotes) have a variety of vocalizations and using the wrong one at the wrong time can spook them. Like elk they seldom make classic sounds like we hear on tv, I have recorded howls that I thought were coming from a teenage boy only to later see that it was a pack of nine animals. Howling a lonesome howl may not work when the whole pack is already together. An aggressive alert bark (think big guard dog) on the other hand might have pulled them right in if they think there are intruders in their territory. I snuck in off season and took video/audio of wolves in thick brush on a kill where the sounds they were making ranged from short excited yips and howls to deep barks. That experience right at dark was really cool but will send a chill up anybody's spine. There is a lot to learn so the bottom line is keep after them but try not to do stupid stuff that will educate the wolves. Like all things, the harder you work, the "luckier" you will get. Good luck because it ain't going to be easy!
 
I've also had success just using my voice. It works well!

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I called one in with coyote calls, A few coyotes were coming in and replying. At nearly time to close the deal they just mysteriously moved off.
Then a wolf showed up and took a seat at 300 yds. It decided to come in til it got close enough to wind me at 60 yds and spun back where it came from without a sound.
Doesn't prove or disprove anything except it can happen anytime.
 
Originally Posted By: jcs271{quote} They got out of sight and i decided to see if i could get them to respond, so i ran up the ridge a little ways after them and howled a couple times, got no response. They were out of sight but couldnt have been more than a few hundred yards away when i started howling. This was about 10 a.m. i have had wolves howling around me that time of day. I really want to get some wolf hunting in over in odaho this year.

I have great success in the late morning so I doubt that was an issue. My main thought on you getting no response was that with them so close and you "running up a ridge behind them" somebody either smelled or heard you. Secondly, wolves (like coyotes) have a variety of vocalizations and using the wrong one at the wrong time can spook them. [/quote]

They definitely didnt smell me, i had the wind / thermals and i had every opportunity to shoot them, but unfortunately this was in washington. When i ran up the ridge to try to call them after thry moved off they couldnt see me, but i suppose they could have heard me but i doubt it. When i say i ran, i mean i hustled quietly. Ive done that plenty of times to get closer to various animals without spooking them. I think my howl sounded bogus to them. I need to learn about their language a bit if im hoping to go bag one in idaho i guess.
 
Sure wish we could hunt them here. Plenty of black ones around. Heres a few pics. I dont have any pics of the pack i ran into while bear hunting, but they were also all black.
6XjBw1c.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: tripod3I called one in with coyote calls, A few coyotes were coming in and replying. At nearly time to close the deal they just mysteriously moved off.
Then a wolf showed up and took a seat at 300 yds. It decided to come in til it got close enough to wind me at 60 yds and spun back where it came from without a sound.
Doesn't prove or disprove anything except it can happen anytime.

Was that in washington?
 
Slag you got some woffs !Heres hopein you get to burn some powder on one . I 've been working on it here but the stars have not lined up yet,sure is fun trying .
 
Originally Posted By: jcs271Those are some really great trail cam photos. What part of the state do you live in?

Northeast corner. Basically if you look at wdfws map of confirmed packs youll see theyre pretty much all clustered there. I live right in the middle of that big cluster.
 
I called in wolves up at Kala spell peak colville. Yellerdogs text me to today he started on our wolf toneboards. Lee and I developed the YDD2 together. He said they are going to be killer. Been building up my wolf horns. Guys love them. I use the 3/4 ydh1 with a special reed. I'm fishing Rosevelt lake across the river is the colville Indian reservation few wolves there. Rick
 
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