Wolf at 12 yards!

jcs271

Active member
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I have been really struggling with locating wolves this year. The few times I have been on them I was either busted by swirling winds or crunchy frozen snow. It has been raining lightly for the last ten days and this morning was no exception.

I was in some very remote country at daylight and made several stands with no response. Soaking wet and frustrated I walked back to my jeep. After a short pity party right there in the drivers seat I decided to give it ONE more try and went to another spot about a mile away. After I made two short howls I heard a response. It sounded like there were five or six of them but they were spread out and way up the side of a mountain with absolutely no trail access.

I usually do not try sneaking in on a whole pack simply because the more they are pestered, the more wary they become. Today however with no wind and a light rain falling I decided to go for it. As I was strapping on my pack and grabbing my walking stick in preparation for a difficult hike I couldn't help thinking about the old saying "Fortune Favors the Bold".

For the next 90 minutes I slowly made my way up the slope utilizing game trails as best I could to make the walk a little easier. When I got near the top there was a little saddle and I could see fairly well in most directions for 25-40 yards.

I thought it was as good a place as any to set up. All the way up I had been trying to figure out my best option for calling, assuming that I did not get busted on the way in. I decided that instead of soft whining or howling I would instead just crank on my fawn distress and hope for the best, my theory being that if they were separated but all in the general area, then each would think that one of the others had caught something and just maybe.........

I sat on a flat rock with my little .308 Ruger at the ready, safety off. I run illuminated reticle scopes on all of my hunting rifles. The Leupold VXR 2-7 was turned all the way down and the firedot duplex reticle was glowing.

I own several exotic hardwood magnum calls made by Robert Patrick of RareEarth calls in Michigan. So when I started mimicking a fawn in distress on the one made from Ironwood I knew It would carry loudly and clearly across the slope.

After three or four soulful "bleats" I sat still. Twenty seconds later I saw movement directly in front of me at about 35-40 yards. It was a gray colored wolf coming down a game trail at a lope, and heading straight for me. I started tracking it with the red dot so I could fire the second it stopped.

Except it wasn't stopping, it was so intent on finding the fawn that I realized it was going to be in my lap if I didn't do something quick! So I woofed and it hit the brakes. With the firedot centered on its chest as the wolf faced me at less than 12 yards, I simply pulled the trigger and it collapsed. The 150 grain Norma Kalahari bullet performed perfectly.

I instantly reloaded and scanned for any other wolves but there was nothing but silence. I howled on the off chance the gunshot had been ignored but there was no response.

As I notched my tag and prepared for the pack out, I couldn't help but think how close I had come to giving up and going home cold wet and hungry, just 2 hours earlier.

Wolf hunting is just like the lottery, you can't win if you don't play. Today I hit the jackpot!
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The wolf was a female and aged as a 2 year old by the FWP biologist.



SHAMELESS plug for RareEarth calls and a picture of some of my favorites! (go to the custom call section here on PM to see what is available).
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Awesome! I plan on trying for a wolf this year and this makes me want to get out there sooner rather than later.

Have you found it is best to locate with howls and then try to sneak in on them before you do more calling? I have located them in the past and have not been successful at getting them to come to me like I do with coyotes. If working in closer to the wolves after I have located them will work I will try this approach next time. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.
 
Too stinking cool!

Just like coyote hunting. Except for the 90 minute walk in and the pack out
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- DAA
 
Great story! Thanks for sharing. I love reading great stories such as this, I find myself actually being there on the hunt.

Chad
 
Way to go the extra mile to get it done! That is a bucket list item for me for sure. We buy tags for MT every year, but spend more time running the bird dogs and calling coyotes when we are there. I keep trying to talk my hunting partner into at least a day of wolf stands on the west side.

Sendit
 
I get pretty darn excited when I have a coyote that close. I'm sure I'd vapor lock looking at a wolf that close. Great job and thanks for taking us along.
 
jcs271,
You are one of the guys that when I see you post I get a little grin going as I open the thread... 'Cause I know it's gonna be a killer post!
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