Odds of killing a wolf

[PablitoPescador]

I don’t know about you guys, but December and January are always kind of a come down for me. It’s a time when the days get short and the hunting opportunity is pretty lean. Sure they’re are fun things to do in the winter. I enjoy trapping, ice fishing and bird hunting, but nothing really scratches my adventure itch like big game hunting. Winter’s a great time to scout the winter ranges and go after predators. I’ve put a few days in trying to kill a wolf over the years, but have never really dedicated much time to it. Not surprisingly I’ve never seen a wolf during an open season. That got me down the harvest stats rabbit hole. It looks like only 1-2% of wolf tags get filled via hunting. I know trappers kill their fair share, but wolves killed via hunting are really low. I’m sure a lot of that is from lack of participation during prime months. It’s tough hunting in deep snow and cold temps. This has me wondering, how many days of hunting during the winter months would it realistically take to get an opportunity on one in the GYE?

 

[t_carlson]

I haven’t hunted them, but from good sources, they are incredibly difficult to hunt. That seems to mesh with the harvest stats, so I don’t doubt my sources.

 

[Dioni A]

Might help to say what the GYE is.

 

[PablitoPescador]

Might help to say what the GYE is.

Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Essentially Wyoming, Montana, Idaho

 

[Buxman]

Can't say much, never actually hunted them. Following the thread!

 

[Geewhiz]

I realize hunting wolves employs different tactics that hunting other big game species ie. deer and elk. But I do tend to spend a good number of days glassing and hunting prime elk/deer/wolf areas in the GYE where I know high populations of wolves exist. I’ll tell you have spent way more than 20 days in the field per wolf I have harvested. That being said, I don’t tend to dedicate much time solely to hunt wolves.

I do know that wolves are the smartest animals that I have spent time studying. They are smart and they can cover a tremendous amount of country with little effort. My hat is off to the fellows that successfully and repeatedly hunt and harvest wolves.

 

[id_jon]

My thoughts are that you have to get lucky, and the best way to get lucky is to be out there. Wolves are possibly the least predictable animal to hunt it seems.

 

[BLJ]

Following.

 

[PablitoPescador]

I realize hunting wolves employs different tactics that hunting other big game species ie. deer and elk. But I do tend to spend a good number of days glassing and hunting prime elk/deer/wolf areas in the GYE where I know high populations of wolves exist. I’ll tell you have spent way more than 20 days in the field per wolf I have harvested. That being said, I don’t tend to dedicate much time solely to hunt wolves.

I do know that wolves are the smartest animals that I have spent time studying. They are smart and they can cover a tremendous amount of country with little effort. My hat is off to the fellows that successfully and repeatedly hunt and harvest wolves.

You know that brings up a good point. I think most hunters treat wolf tags a lot like bear tags. They'll buy one just to have it in case they see one, but they're not really actively pursuing the critter.

I gotta think that wolves are really spread out during general seasons given that their prey is also spread out. Real tough to locate and predict them when their prey is so widespread. You would think that as the elk herds condense down into larger groups during the winter that wolves would be a little bit more predictable and isolated.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I've only tried calling wolves on three different days. It was on our spring bear hunt in Idaho and my buddy Jimmy saw a wolf while he was out hiking. He said he saw a lot of tracks in the area as well so @Ryan Avery and I hiked back in there to try to call them in.

It took about 20 seconds of pup distress to have this wolf running straight for the call. Ryan made a great shot and just like that, we called in and killed a wolf.



The next day I hiked in with Jeff and attempted to call in another one. We had a bunch of wolves start howling, but were never able to get them to break cover. The following day we picked a different spot a few hundred yards away that had a bunch of openings and smaller trees. I set the call in an area below us and after a few minutes had this wolf sneaking through the trees and Jeff made a perfect shot and dropped it in it's tracks.

 

[PablitoPescador]

I've only tried calling wolves on three different days. It was on our spring bear hunt in Idaho and my buddy Jimmy saw a wolf while he was out hiking. He said he saw a lot of tracks in the area as well so @Ryan Avery and I hiked back in there to try to call them in.

It took about 20 seconds of pup distress to have this wolf running straight for the call. Ryan made a great shot and just like that, we called in and killed a wolf.

View attachment 490349

The next day I hiked in with Jeff and attempted to call in another one. We had a bunch of wolves start howling, but were never able to get them to break cover. The following day we picked a different spot a few hundred yards away that had a bunch of openings and smaller trees. I set the call in an area below us and after a few minutes had this wolf sneaking through the trees and Jeff made a perfect shot and dropped it in it's tracks.

View attachment 490350

Making it look way too easy! That had to get the ol ticker thumpin!

Something about that spring season seems to be a good time of year to locate canines. The only wolf I've ever seen was while spring bear hunting but unfortunately the season wasn't open here in Montana.

 

[mt100gr.]

Last winter I spent close to 25 days chasing wolves in January, February and March. Seemed like they were always a few hours ahead of me on days that I was close.

I should have as much or more time in the coming months and am really looking forward to building on what i learned last year and employing a few more advancements in my tool kit.

Last year I was focused mainly on one very predictable pack. This year I have a couple leads on some others, as well. Planning to get cameras and a little lure set as soon as this cold snap passes.

 

[slatty]

Last winter I spent close to 25 days chasing wolves in January, February and March. Seemed like they were always a few hours ahead of me on days that I was close.

I should have as much or more time in the coming months and am really looking forward to building on what i learned last year and employing a few more advancements in my tool kit.

Last year I was focused mainly on one very predictable pack. This year I have a couple leads on some others, as well. Planning to get cameras and a little lure set as soon as this cold snap passes.
View attachment 490535View attachment 490536View attachment 490537View attachment 490543View attachment 490544View attachment 490540

Super cool. Enjoy your winter months.

 

[N.ID7803]

I've only tried calling wolves on three different days. It was on our spring bear hunt in Idaho and my buddy Jimmy saw a wolf while he was out hiking. He said he saw a lot of tracks in the area as well so @Ryan Avery and I hiked back in there to try to call them in.

It took about 20 seconds of pup distress to have this wolf running straight for the call. Ryan made a great shot and just like that, we called in and killed a wolf.

View attachment 490349

The next day I hiked in with Jeff and attempted to call in another one. We had a bunch of wolves start howling, but were never able to get them to break cover. The following day we picked a different spot a few hundred yards away that had a bunch of openings and smaller trees. I set the call in an area below us and after a few minutes had this wolf sneaking through the trees and Jeff made a perfect shot and dropped it in it's tracks.

View attachment 490350

I have a very similar story to the one above. Except my brother in a law and I waited 2 weeks before we went back for the second one. I knew where a they were living and turned on the FoxPro for literally a minute and here they came. Second outing took maybe 5 minutes before they showed. We've been out a few other times with no luck. Finding them is the largest hurdle.

 

[WCB]

1-2% is pretty skewed in my mind. I bet 99% of guys buy the tag "just in case" they see a wolf. Then take into consideration guys that go "wolf hunting" and ride their ATV or Snowmobile to the top of hills...howl or walk 50 yards call and get back on and move.

It is really like anything...dedicate the time and your odds greatly increase. I think if you can find fresh sign and spend 5 days at it and have decent predator calling experience you got a pretty darn good chance of getting an interaction.

I do some Coyote tournaments and in one particular tournament out of around an average of 90 teams (180 hunters) over two full days about 20 teams kill a coyote and the top 10 teams every year are the same just in different order with the top 3 or 4 being consistently at the top. The difference is 5% are really good at it 10-15% of the teams know what they are doing and the rest are the typical dude bouncing around hoping to shoot one out the window...are horrible shots...or just plain and simply are clueless. Normally place 8,9,10 only take 1 coyote and only get there because of weight over 8 or 9 other teams with 1 coyote.

 

[gbflyer]

I have a neighbor that hunts them relentlessly in the Winter. He goes out a little before sun up, puts in a couple hours and comes home. I hear him go past my house darn near every day. It’s a short ride, maybe 10 minutes on a quad. Hunts the same small area. He says the different packs come around about every 30 days. He generally calls/shoots 2-3 a year and traps a couple too.

Alaska not Idaho. I think a wolf is a wolf though.

 

[RC_]

North Idaho wolves

I born and raised in north Idaho(post falls) and am just learning how to wolf hunt. Was wondering if anyone knows where these tricky bastards are roaming up in this area. Ive got all the right equipment. Just don’t know what area to go and set up in. Any help would be appreciated!

rokslide.com

 

[mt100gr.]

Opposite of my previous post:

A few years ago a buddy, his son and myself were hunting deer. We got to our glassing spot a few minutes before daylight. His son was lagging a bit, but when a howl rang out close, he was beside us in no time!

I howled back and immediately got a response. We set up quick, howled again, and had a wolf in our lap in seconds. My shot was blocked by a tree so I whispered for my buddy to kill him. I rolled on my side and plugged my ears. He pounded him at about 30 yds.

Last winter, the only time I got to play with a howling pack was right at dark. I ran out of shooting light....

 

[PablitoPescador]

1-2% is pretty skewed in my mind. I bet 99% of guys buy the tag "just in case" they see a wolf. Then take into consideration guys that go "wolf hunting" and ride their ATV or Snowmobile to the top of hills...howl or walk 50 yards call and get back on and move.

It is really like anything...dedicate the time and your odds greatly increase. I think if you can find fresh sign and spend 5 days at it and have decent predator calling experience you got a pretty darn good chance of getting an interaction.

I do some Coyote tournaments and in one particular tournament out of around an average of 90 teams (180 hunters) over two full days about 20 teams kill a coyote and the top 10 teams every year are the same just in different order with the top 3 or 4 being consistently at the top. The difference is 5% are really good at it 10-15% of the teams know what they are doing and the rest are the typical dude bouncing around hoping to shoot one out the window...are horrible shots...or just plain and simply are clueless. Normally place 8,9,10 only take 1 coyote and only get there because of weight over 8 or 9 other teams with 1 coyote.

That’s always been the sense I’ve gotten too. A really small percentage of guys specifically pursue wolves, but the guys who do seem to kill them consistently. I’m thinking I’ll put ice fishing and trapping on the back burner this winter and spend a few days chasing them. Worst case scenario I’ll learn some new country and get to see some critters on the winter range

 

[SuperDUECE22]

1-2% is pretty skewed in my mind. I bet 99% of guys buy the tag "just in case" they see a wolf. Then take into consideration guys that go "wolf hunting" and ride their ATV or Snowmobile to the top of hills...howl or walk 50 yards call and get back on and move.

It is really like anything...dedicate the time and your odds greatly increase. I think if you can find fresh sign and spend 5 days at it and have decent predator calling experience you got a pretty darn good chance of getting an interaction.

I do some Coyote tournaments and in one particular tournament out of around an average of 90 teams (180 hunters) over two full days about 20 teams kill a coyote and the top 10 teams every year are the same just in different order with the top 3 or 4 being consistently at the top. The difference is 5% are really good at it 10-15% of the teams know what they are doing and the rest are the typical dude bouncing around hoping to shoot one out the window...are horrible shots...or just plain and simply are clueless. Normally place 8,9,10 only take 1 coyote and only get there because of weight over 8 or 9 other teams with 1 coyote.

You are spot on with everything !!!!!