Been getting after wolves every chance I get. But my job keeps me busy 4 days a week... so being in the right drainage on the right day is tough...I'm used to being a day behind it seems.
Until Saturday.. we leave the truck at first light..temp-- negative 8...we had seen day old tracks here 2 weeks ago.
Half mile in we see tracks.. but they have heavy frost in them. I think we are a good ways behind yet. We hike another mile steady on them.. snow is squeaky and pretty loud...
Suddenly 300 yards above us a wolf starts barking... the same tempo and cadence that coyotes do when they've seen you.. the whole pack erupts in the loudest chorus I've ever heard in the wild.. I count 6 voices..
My son and I shed packs and set up. I carry a hand call, generic rabbit with me always. I give a series. They blow up with howls. A few that are to our left starr down the hill but the presumably alpha barks again and they hold up at his elevation. We can see 200 yards well. They're at 250. Steep uphill.. I know they ain't coming, so I do my best howl I can with my voice.. we are being constantly serenaded.. 2 now are giving the same. Screw you barks.. that's what I can it.. a few minutes pass with constant vocals.
I make the decision, they ain't coming I need to push forward to try and get a shot. I move easy up the hill 30 yards and start seeing flashes of movement thru the trees.
Until Saturday.. we leave the truck at first light..temp-- negative 8...we had seen day old tracks here 2 weeks ago.
Half mile in we see tracks.. but they have heavy frost in them. I think we are a good ways behind yet. We hike another mile steady on them.. snow is squeaky and pretty loud...
Suddenly 300 yards above us a wolf starts barking... the same tempo and cadence that coyotes do when they've seen you.. the whole pack erupts in the loudest chorus I've ever heard in the wild.. I count 6 voices..
My son and I shed packs and set up. I carry a hand call, generic rabbit with me always. I give a series. They blow up with howls. A few that are to our left starr down the hill but the presumably alpha barks again and they hold up at his elevation. We can see 200 yards well. They're at 250. Steep uphill.. I know they ain't coming, so I do my best howl I can with my voice.. we are being constantly serenaded.. 2 now are giving the same. Screw you barks.. that's what I can it.. a few minutes pass with constant vocals.
I make the decision, they ain't coming I need to push forward to try and get a shot. I move easy up the hill 30 yards and start seeing flashes of movement thru the trees.