I just spent a week hunting off the end of the Bonaparte plateau. There was about 4" snow and wolves were heard in two different areas I hunted. Deer sightings were lower this year than past but it was quite warm.
you only go around once
I just spent a week hunting off the end of the Bonaparte plateau. There was about 4" snow and wolves were heard in two different areas I hunted. Deer sightings were lower this year than past but it was quite warm.
Walk the talk.
Thanks boys. Keep 'em coming...
So the next morning, I get an early start headed north in the dark to continue my quest to find some wolves, so I can do my part in some CONSERVATION work ; ) ...
~25km's up FSRs, I got up into the lower elevation patchwork of ENDLESS cuts that I wanted to hunt. Got into the snow pretty quick. The main line was well worn in, but the spurs weren't & the snow got deep quick, so I chained up & headed up. Hit a dead end, hiked up onto a knob in a small cut, crossed a few deer & coyote tracks. I set up & called for a while... but no response.
Back to the truck & up the next spur. Hit a steeper, good looking cut with some medium size dog tracks at the bottom, so I parked, walked up the road & called a bit... no response.
Back to the truck, up the next spur on the other side of the valley & got to a viewpoint that I could see back where I came. Spotted a ~bobcat track, called down into some ~10 year old regen' & glassed across. I spotted a lone buck ~1,000m out, that just came out of the timber at the top of the cut where I just was. With no other action to this point, I decided there must be more deer ~there & went to get a closer look...
Turned around & drove back to the previous cut. Hiked up the timber on opposite side of the cut from the buck until I hit his last know elevation & then cut over towards him. I found a nice knob, set up & was just about to start rattling, when I hear something, so I lift my cap, cup my ears... The wind is blowing & it's faint, but it gets louder as others join in & it's unmistakeable sound of a wolf pack howling! YESSSSS!!! Finally.
Based on my experience chasing bugling bulls, although faint, I have a feeling they aren't that far down the other side of this hill. I debate about going back to the truck to get my pack, but decide I have enough & slog up to the top ~1km. The edge of the cut is LITTERED with deer tracks everwhere. No wonder they are hunting here...
The mountains are calling & I must go. ~Muir
HuntingBC Champ
just got back from 3-29, more wolves then you can shake a stick at. Packs of 5 and more all over the area we hunted from 3700 ft to 5000 ft. One day we decided it was so bad so we moved for the day 13 km and fresh tracks everywhere. We found they travelled in the pack and when cutting a doe in heat set of tracks 2 would follow her scent. Found this several times and high and low. Can only assume its part of their strategy to find her.
Their steaks, roasts and burger to me! Tom
Bushwhacker
^^^so has anyone ever had success hunting wolves using doe in heat scent??
Walk the talk.
Crazy up there, eh!Originally Posted by tomahawk
Did you see or try to call any?
Harry, I've never heard of anyone, but i'm sure it could work, if it was good quality. Some drag beaver castor scent around...
(continued)... At the top, it leveled out & thick ~10 year old regen. bush sloped down gently into rolling forested hills interspersed with cuts. I set up on the edge & this is what happened - turn VOLUME UP & listen: https://youtu.be/-TtVQNPU7vw
Whoah! When they lit up, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I didn't expect them to be so close & so many... Wind was coming from my side & I was ~10m from the thick & didn't want them winding me or popping out that close, so I backed up to a knob where I could see all entrances into the cut & set up in sniper mode.
Calling from there, they lit up again & eventually got another pack across the valley (above where I saw the bobcat track going) & another pack further away. I was in the middle as the 3 packs howled in the wind on & off for the next 20 minutes, but it sounded like they had a fresh kill (excited) & wouldn't leave it. Then the wind shifted to my back & they went ~silent shortly thereafter. I tried to flank them, but no-go... Definitely one of the coolest calling sessions with any animal that I've had!
It was rewarding that I found them in new country & got them going on my first attempt chasing wolves. I wish I had more time, but I will be back & I will finish what I started. Thanks for the info. boys! They are literally EVERYWHERE up there - I felt sorry for that buck. Get out there & hunt them...
Based on the number of deer there, I don't think they'll go too far. If you know of any experienced predator hunters in the area, PM me.
Last edited by steepNdeep; 11-21-2017 at 08:46 AM.
The mountains are calling & I must go. ~Muir
Senior Member
Wow, sounded like a huge pack. That would have been intense.
Senior Member
Wow that sounded crazy!
HuntingBC Champ
[QUOTE=steepNdeep;1954661]Crazy up there, eh!
We only had 6 days total and that included travel from the Island and back. Ferry broke down on the way up and we didn't get to Vanc till 7 hrs afterwards and Kamloops in the dark so had to take a motel and set up tent day 2. Days 2 and 3 the wind was wicked and you had to stand behind something or with feet planted or it would knock you to the snow at 5000 ft. Day 4 is when the wolves showed up, woke us up in the night, by daybreak they had been through a huge area and as I said only followed the hot does tracks. Didn't want to create wolf havoc more then they had done by calling as it was second to last day for a 4 point for us. Dropped 1300 ft and went 13 km and there was fresh tracks that morning in the new snow. one pack only though. crazy how many were in our area alone!! I have called em with success but we agreed to only kill one if we seen them. One track was almost 5 inches wide and 6 long, never seen one that large and ive seen lots.
Last edited by tomahawk; 11-21-2017 at 02:38 PM.
HuntingBC Champ
Hey SteepNDeep, me again.
While you're out doing your conservation work make sure you don't kill the lead female lead male breeding pair. If you do though make sure you kill a majority of the whole pack in one go. Otherwise you'll end up just fragmenting a pack and creating several new breeding pairs, causing an uptick in the wolf population. When in a social pack wolves breeding mechanisms are supressed, when the lead breeding pair is killed more and younger wolves start breeding.
Unfortunately those are the study findings. I'd like to hear these are bunk interpretations.
Good luck, waste them all.
Member
steepNdeep, I'd be down for joining you sometime. PM me if/when you plan on going again
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