Best time to target wolves?

[boxhitch]

hunter 1947 brings up some good vids again and the discussion turns to wolf hunting

Got to take them when the chance comes up but
have often felt timing of the season can make a difference too
Whatever happens in the early winter gives the dogs time to re-socialize and prepare for the breeding season
Take them during or after the rut and the litter rate goes down, fewer pups hit the ground

Plausible?

[Drillbit]

Went today to my good spots. Fresh snow.

Not even a track. Of anything.

Same as everything else, gotta go where the feed is. If there's no hoof tracks, it make sense to not see any paw prints.

[xlcc]

Any time you can see. them is a good time to shoot them.They can be very hard to bring in even when you find lots of sign in the area.I do like to watch them but it is best to take the first opprotunity that arises.

[GEF]

I have not purposely hunted wolves ,mostly because of snow .I think hunting from a sled is the answer but they are so loud.
This is the time of year for it .
What are the best baiting techniques?

[brn2ryd]

Finding tracks in fresh snow is a good start. wolves have such a large territory and are constantly on the move that the pack could be 50km away traveling a circuit.
I haven't baited before but have read that it can be better to set up on a trail where the wolves are expected to enter from, rather than setting up on the bait pile.
I have had success to them coming to a call. I have a E.L.K. wolf howler, which I like but can sound really bad if not used correctly or not practiced enough. I'm more consistent with a two tone call just by cupping my hands over my mouth to project volume. I have a fox pro electronic call, which I will be trying out this year as well.
I will be hunting on skis this year to cover ground than I'm used to on snow shoes. I'm not sure but I think wolves would be too smart to come to a bait pile (or a call) if you've accessed the area by snowmobile. Talking to a taxidermist, he says early winter wolves are very greasy compared to later in winter. Keep that in mind if you're tanning it yourself.

As for having an effect on numbers, I think it's been mentioned by a member on here that taking out the Alpha male or female actually cause more breeding because it causes disorder in the pack, or can even break up a pack, causing more breeding pairs, whereas generally only the Alpha's breed each year.

[xlcc]

If you get an Alpha wolf it does break up the pack but you will likely get more opprotunity to get a few more because the younger ones are not as wary.One winter I killed 4 doing that vary thing.

[boxhitch]

As for having an effect on numbers, I think it's been mentioned by a member on here that taking out the Alpha male or female actually cause more breeding because it causes disorder in the pack, or can even break up a pack, causing more breeding pairs, whereas generally only the Alpha's breed each year.

Kinda what I was getting at.
Take out an Alpha during the rut and if it really messes up the social order, maybe a litter will be avoided?
.....or they are just humpers like the rest and it gets done no matter

[Walking Buffalo]

Kinda what I was getting at.
Take out an Alpha during the rut and if it really messes up the social order, maybe a litter will be avoided?
.....or they are just humpers like the rest and it gets done no matter

Consequences of eliminating the Alpha pair varies and is unpredictable.
Sometimes the pack remains intact, other times it disperses into more than one pack.
Sometimes the whole pack is doomed for without its full complement it succumbs to predation from neighboring packs.
Regardless of the time of year.

[Piperdown]

A dead wolf is a good wolf no matter what. Heading up to the cabin in 6-04 late January for a couple of weeks to see what i can find, here's hoping.