Thinking of a Wolf Hunt

[Rubberhead]

I've been thinking about this for years. I had a dream when I was 5 that wolves surrounded my bed and "iced" my throat so I couldn't call out for help. I've wanted to get even with them ever since...

 

[Philip Glass]

Hi all! I’ve recently gotten interested in the idea of hunting wolves in the US, mainly for the challenge and the chance to do something different. I don’t have much background with predators, but the challenge intrigues me. It’s something I’d like to do before it gets too hard to do hunts that demand as much physically as one of these.

A few things I’m hoping to learn from folks here:

• What states or regions are worth looking into? I’ve read into Idaho, Montana, and Alaska
• Are there any outfitters you’d recommend?
• Is it realistic to book a hunt focused solely on wolves, or is it usually just an add-on during another hunt?
• What should I expect in terms of success rates, cost, and timing?

Just starting to explore the idea and trying to get a clear picture of what’s involved. Appreciate any input or stories you’re willing to share.

Most are by chance. There are many outfitters in Canada that keep bait piles and blinds all winter and have good success. You have to be able to sit quiet with no heater for hours.

 

[Green Chile]

That got very long, but I just wanted to give you or anyone else thinking of going the most information possible before going. I have seen many claims that the wolf is the hardest animal to hunt in North America. That would likely start an entire other thread of debate, and I'd leave it up to others to debate that, not me.

I will echo what you said...my research and conversations with outfitters and booking agents had the same answers. I feel like the best results would be had (not factoring in big luck, which could happen) by sitting as long as possible and overnighting if possible. The more you come in and out of a blind, the more disturbance to the area.

I'm curious about what @Philip Glass said...why do you say no heater? All that I have heard says they run the heaters without problems and of course, it allows someone to sit much longer than in the cold.

 

[Green Chile]

The only writing on the subject I have seen in recent years was Petersen's Hunting, March 2024 by Boddington. He detailed several ways in which he has been successful with wolves, including Macedonia. He also says he has blown a few opportunities and has a lot of respect for the wolf being a tough goal to achieve.

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

I took my wolves in Ontario. The baited hunts are a bit cheaper with success claimed around 50 to 60%. That said the first time I went 4 guys went 0%. But that includes 1 miss and I myself didn't fire When I had a shot thinking I would get a better shot. Big mistake.
All told I sat about 70 hours and ended up getting 2 about 10 minutes apart. That first opportunity was at about the 30 hour mark the first year.
Research your guides well. The outfitter i used wasn't that great but my actual guide was very passionate about wolf hunting. I demanded the same guide to go again the 2nd trip.

 

[Sabre]

@Whitworth375

I took my wolves in Ontario. The baited hunts are a bit cheaper with success claimed around 50 to 60%. That said the first time I went 4 guys went 0%. But that includes 1 miss and I myself didn't fire When I had a shot thinking I would get a better shot. Big mistake.
All told I sat about 70 hours and ended up getting 2 about 10 minutes apart. That first opportunity was at about the 30 hour mark the first year.
Research your guides well. The outfitter i used wasn't that great but my actual guide was very passionate about wolf hunting. I demanded the same guide to go again the 2nd trip.

Ontario seems to have more "Wolf Outfitters" than wolves. I say that mostly joking. But there are a lot of "Wolf outfitters" in Ontario that can't produce as much evidence of their success as they claim. And they all seem to claim pretty high success rates.

I spoke with one that claimed a 100% success rate. The more and more I talked to him, he would tell me here and there about this hunter didn't get a wolf, then would catch himself and say, "he was the only one to ever hunt with us and not get one, but he came back later and got one" But then 10 minutes later would slip up and mention another person who didn't get one.

There are some good ones in Ontario though, I do agree with you there, and their prices are usually cheaper. Some are cheaper because they don't include lodging and meals and some you bunk in their fishing camp cabins.

But @Wade J VanGinkel 's comment should tell you a lot about how wolf hunting goes. That was a fantastic representation of it. 4 guys went and none were successful. He got a quick view of a wolf and expected more time, but there wasn't and never saw another one that trip. Then sat for 70 hours, and 30 hours into it, there was 10 minutes of excitement, got two wolves, and then, presumably, sat another 40 hours without excitement.

 

[Rare Breed]

Hi all! I’ve recently gotten interested in the idea of hunting wolves in the US, mainly for the challenge and the chance to do something different. I don’t have much background with predators, but the challenge intrigues me. It’s something I’d like to do before it gets too hard to do hunts that demand as much physically as one of these.

A few things I’m hoping to learn from folks here:

• What states or regions are worth looking into? I’ve read into Idaho, Montana, and Alaska
• Are there any outfitters you’d recommend?
• Is it realistic to book a hunt focused solely on wolves, or is it usually just an add-on during another hunt?
• What should I expect in terms of success rates, cost, and timing?

Just starting to explore the idea and trying to get a clear picture of what’s involved. Appreciate any input or stories you’re willing to share.

They are like coyotes to me I hate them all due to what they do to game populations

 

[JimP]

They are like coyotes to me I hate them all due to what they do to game populations

When I was on my grizzly hunt up in BC we came upon a coyote. My guide pointed at it and then it was gone. I asked him if he wanted me to shoot it? He said no and that they left coyotes alone, I then asked him about a wolf.

He said that I'd get the hint as he emptied his 44 mag on it.....we never did see a wolf but came upon a few moose remains that weren't as lucky.

 

[Betterinthebush]

When I was on my grizzly hunt up in BC we came upon a coyote. My guide pointed at it and then it was gone. I asked him if he wanted me to shoot it? He said no and that they left coyotes alone, I then asked him about a wolf.

He said that I'd get the hint as he emptied his 44 mag on it.....we never did see a wolf but came upon a few moose remains that weren't as lucky.

Yep. Damn a wolf.

 

[dlmac]

I used to sell hunts for BC. The Wolf hunt was the most desired hunt, more than Moose and Bear combined. Some of the opinions here are correct others are not. Seen only one wild Wolf in the US and that was outside Grangeville, ID.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I bought wolf tags every time I hunted AK. We would hear them at night but zero opportunities to shoot one.

 

[Green Chile]

I lived in a remote village in Alaska and wolves would come through sometimes. Their ranges are huge and the trappers would get a few. A local native shot one from his canoe when it came down to the water. I will always remember how he tied the feet together and the mouth shut. He was fearful of it even in death. Lots of superstitions out there in the Bush.

Last year in Saskatchewan, I was sitting at a bear bait for days, waiting for the target bear to come in (wrote a hunt report on it). At one point, it felt like something had come in towards the bait. I lifted my binos and looked at the area...nothing. It felt like I had picked up on something. So I stayed focused on that area and after a minute or two, a wolf leaned out from behind a tree and looked straight at me camouflaged and in the tree stand. He looked at me for a few seconds and then turned and left. I think he had circled the bait and caught my scent. He knew exactly where I was even though I had been sitting still. Impressive animals.

I don't have one yet.

 

[Finprof]

We had a good number of wolves in Northern Ontario where I grew up. At that time there was a $55 bounty on a wolf. You brought in the left ear to Ontario Department of Lands and Forests and they paid you. Plus you could sell the pelt to an American for upwards of $100.
By the way Northern Ontario is north of Lake Superior not north of Toronto.

 

[TMac]

I came up with a novel idea to hunt wolves in Idaho, after talking with a bow hunter who had problems with wolves on an elk hunt. He had his Labrador Retriever in camp with him and said wolves showed up every night after just a day or two in camp. They were trying to get to his Lab to kill it and he had to keep it locked in his truck.

I’ve heard from quite a few hunters that wolves hate dogs, so I’m going to try calling wolves by using a recorded dog barking, along with my yellow lab’s dog beds since they smell like him. I’m thinking about also getting a stuffed animal that looks like a Lab to use as a decoy. I’ll set up the decoy, dog bed and caller, then get 100 yards or so away, hit the sound and see what shows up.

I can but 2 wolf tags in Idaho.

If you are in an area with hound hunting the sound of hounds treeing something is worth consideration.