Best Caliber For Calling Wolves

[snowcamoman]

Sweet picture waterrat!

While I have yet to kill a wolf, I'll do it with my 6PPC when the time comes. I carry the 6PPC and use it on everything including fox, lynx, and coyote. I'd use it on a wolf and wolverine though with no problems. There was an excellent book called Hunting the Hunters about a big time wolf guy. He recommended the 6PPC as one of the perfect wolf calibers. Hardly any recoil and laser beam accuracy. The standard .243 will do the same thing, it just uses more powder and has more recoil. 80gr FMJ bullets are the ticket too. No problem shooting lynx through the brush when they hold up, thinking they're hiding.

 

[6mm Remington]

6mm Remington!! But this year since I had a Winchester Model 70 converted into a custom .280 AI, that is what I am using this year. I took an elk at 450 yards one shot and a whitetail buck at 200 yards, one shot so I think it's the .280 AI all winter!

David

 

[Kevin Dill]

I can't wolf hunt here in Ohio. I can offer that my personal philosophy is usually that 'simpler is better'. I can also offer that I've pounded a lot of varmints over the years using a .243 Win, and that cartridge with the correct projectile is probably unsurpassed for it's combo of performance and versatility. If I was headed out the door with a .243 I would be confident of quick knockdown on basically anything up to 300 pounds and possibly more.

 

[Terrapin]

I payed my way through college and graduate school shooting coyotes (80's and 90's so bear that in mind). I started with the centerfire 22's: 223, 22-250, 220 swift. Killed a bunch and hide damage ranged from minimal to extreme. I found that at longer yardages, I had some get away. I then graduated to the 243s. It extended my range, and I had fewer get up and run away. Hide damage with varmint bullets was much worse and I got good at sewing. I eventually settled on bonded big game bullets (in my case 95 gr Nosler partitions shot acceptable groups). These had very predictable knock down power and generally had a 1/2 to 3/4" exit hole. I would not hesitate to use that combo on wolves. It's kind of boring, and the bc sucks, and the accuracy is only marginal, but it consistently did the job.

 

[wpwarren]

Another vote for the .243 it is easy to find brass and ammo and a great caliber for that sized game.

 

[Cant hit em]

I dont shoot wolves , but I wish , how about 7mm-08 for ya

 

[BigSky]

I haven't shot one yet; so, I'm clearly no expert. From what I have read I would think a 25-06 would be about the perfect wolf round. Other than when one presents itself as a target of opportunity (will use what's in hand), when I do go out specifically for wolf, I always take my 260 Remington.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I'd use a 300winmag so I could reach and touch one quite a distance out.

 

[Mad Mountain Mike]

Bearpro are you calling wolves in the fall in bear country or just in the winter? Are you harvesting fur or getting rid of nuisance wolves in cattle country? If in grizzly country using elk calls to bring in wolves I'd opted for something in at least the 30 cal range. If harvesting fur I'd pick a .243 over the 22-250 simply because it's legal to hunt big game as well with the .243 in Alberta. Nothing more exciting than vocal wolves coming into the call imho.

 

[JP100]

+1 for the .243.
Easy to get ammo, works well, wide variety of projectile weight/types
I light recoiling rifle has big advantages for shooting multiple game animals/running animals