How to hunt wolves?

[Redo]

I am tagged out on deer and following some of your recommendations, I am considering predator hunting in region 8. Problem is, I have no experience. In fact, in all of my days hunting I have never seen a wolf in the wild.

Suggestions?

[.300WSMImpact!]

bait if its legal is the best way

[Ajsawden]

for starters you have to start seeing more wolves in the wild...
haha
I've been hunting for 20 years, and working in forestry for 15 and I only saw wolves for the first time from a helicopter this past February. They were standing in the middle of the log sort of all places. Hope fully lots of people give some info on this. Everyone seems to think shooting wolves is one of the answers to the declining ungulate populations so hopefully some of those people can give some insight on how to get your sights on some.

[Seth]

Subscribed.

[todbartell]

find sign. No point hunting/calling where there's no wolf sign, or only old sign. A fresh snow is best, find their tracks. Trouble with wolves, fresh tracks doesn't mean they're close, they could be a few miles away. You can howl with your voice or with a electronic call, they may answer you. I've had success calling them in both with howling, and with prey distress sounds

[Drillbit]

I've had the most success by finding fresh track in fresh snow that follow a rd. When the tracks bail off the road kick the dog out and make it run behind the truck for a few miles. Dogs are great bait.
Go down the road several miles and wait at least an hour before you head back into the dog scent on the rd. Be ready to jump out quick and shoot they won't stay on the rd long.

I've shot several wolves doing this. Doesn't work if other people are driving around tho. Cold Jan n Feb days are best.


Either that or finding fresh tracks on skiidoo in the big slashes and follow them as fast as you can. Be ready to stop and shoot at all times.
I've also shot a few doing this.

[scotty30-06]

Or use a dog scented drag lol...less chance of said dog being eaten lol....always wondered about soaking a sponge or something in deer blood and dragging that with in shooting range of a treestand or blind?

[skibum]

1. I would use electronic calls. Don't know really what they were coming into, but my little boy was playing around "calling" in moose and we had a pack come to the tree line to check us out.

2. look at paths through the bush they could use. Well treed, deactivated roads (narrow), or skidder paths. Something that give them some security to travel, not along open marshes or such, but in thick bush.

3. Something that is away from large clear cuts. Find that they then stay in the trees then

If you can find a spot that is high up, overlooking a path through the bush -- I would call from there and have your gun set up for a fast shot. Wolves don't do the slow wander - they are on the move and their travel paths are not usually wide. You have to be quick

Not an expert for sure - just my experience over the last couple of seasons.

My best time in the bush was a sunny afternoon spent skinning out a wolf

[Drillbit]

Or use a dog scented drag lol...less chance of said dog being eaten lol....always wondered about soaking a sponge or something in deer blood and dragging that with in shooting range of a treestand or blind?

Haha ya.
I've been meaning to try dragging a rope with beaver caster on it down the rd but haven't had the chance yet.

[lone wolf]

Have heard the beaver caster is the ticket. Lipping smacking irrestable to them. I have had succes both howling and using electronic call. But you have to find the sign. The pack or sattelite pack . Gonna try some bait stations later this yr. Good luck.

[two-feet]

I think finding wolves is all about time spent in the bush. Like stated, find the sign. Wolves have set territories and will usually follow a predictable circuit, travelling where easiest (roads, rivers, powerlines etc. ) If you find a spot with plenty of sign they will be back through there at some point.

The guys that are right serious about getting wolves hunt over bait piles, which take lots of work to establish and maintain. Good hunting!

Oh ya, better shoot well too because they dont stand around very long.

[Drillbit]

^
I have never shot a standing wolf. Every one has been moving.

If you wait till they stop moving you'll never get a shot. (unless maybe over a bait)

[todbartell]

I've shot 3 wolves and all of them were standing

[Pinewood]

I whacked a Wolf that was coming out of the Timber into a clearcut. It was definitely hunting and covering ground quickly. It stopped for a second and I drilled it at about 160 yards. It was just right place at the right time.

[junkyard_g]

Bait obviously works well if you got the time to maintain it and keep hitting it often to catch them once they find it.. shot 5 so far but have Been into them many times.
1. Still hunting for white tails on a seismic line using buck snort, had one come into 15yds and popped it.
2. Came across one chasing a deer on a fsr. 100yd shot and down.
3. Was into a herd of elk and three came trotting down the block road I was on right at last light. Made whiney calf calls and popped the one at 80yds. Missed the other two as they were zigging and zagging away. Got the pack howling with howling by hand but wouldnt come back out.
4. Bumped one crossing the road, followed it into the timber and howled by hand. Pack started howling all around me and one popped it’s head out 15yds away and popped it.
5. Set up on a hill where I had seen tracks. Had a yote decoy and a fox pro with coy pup distress on and popped a big male 10yds from decoy. Had many others come out into the open with this setup but had them break outside my comfortable shooting distance or had them howl but not come out.

Have gotten answers many times howling by hand but problem with that is they know where call is coming from and often hang up howl a few times then slink away.

got several yotes and a lynx with fox pro with spinning tail. Cottontail distress, coy pup distress, and a female howl. Don’t stick around a setup for more than 30-40min generally. If wolves around I’ll stick around a bit longer.