Wolf baiting method ?
- Thread starter deerslayer
- Start date
Wolves tend to have a bigger area of travel and your bait may sit for a couple weeks untouched. They are cagey critters, not slaves to their stomach like a bear.
Unless you live very very close to your bait area and check it daily, I think you might be wasting your time.
We have shot wolves off a bear bait in the past, but after trapping them for years, they tend to hunt as they travel.
A bit similar to lynx. I've had lynx on the line, then they disappear for about 3 weeks then come back. Consistently.
It cannot hurt to try it but you will spend a fair bit of time checking the bait for sign.
Then again, it's hunting. You could get one the first night.
Unless you live very very close to your bait area and check it daily, I think you might be wasting your time.
We have shot wolves off a bear bait in the past, but after trapping them for years, they tend to hunt as they travel.
A bit similar to lynx. I've had lynx on the line, then they disappear for about 3 weeks then come back. Consistently.
It cannot hurt to try it but you will spend a fair bit of time checking the bait for sign.
Then again, it's hunting. You could get one the first night.
I found a wild horse that wolves had killed on the last day of deer season. It was really fresh, not frozen yet on a day that was -23. The fresh tracks were all around and you could see where the wolves had laid up and rolled around after feeding. They had eaten the rib area and the internal organs. I've been back several times since to check for sign but other than the coyotes and ravens the horse has not been touched by the wolves since. With the numbers of horses, deer, elk and moose in the area I think the hunting has been good for the wolves northwest of Sundre. Why eat leftovers when you can get a hot meal?
Baiting wolves
Huntinstuff and Sjemac have got it about right. I can't imagine the patience one would require to try and get a wolf at a bait, UNLESS, the wolves were living off of garbage, or man put out food, and were not really wild wolves.
Probably some of you people will now declare open season on me, but here goes. I participated in the great wolf control (poisoning) program in central and northern BC, in the 1950s.
Thus, I know something about wolves, including baiting them. Our baits were always dropped well out from shore on frozen lakes. When the wolves came they always took the bait. However, it could easily be ten days before wolves showed up, then there may be ten dead wolves lying on the ice!
However, when we chased wolves from a moose they had freshly killed and only had it partly eaten, they wouldn't come back to that kill, after the carcass was poisoned. It wasn't the pison that scared them off, because they regularily took the poisoned baits dropped to them. It must have been the presence of humans at their kill that scared them off. But what the heck, it wouldn't take them long to get another moose!
Huntinstuff and Sjemac have got it about right. I can't imagine the patience one would require to try and get a wolf at a bait, UNLESS, the wolves were living off of garbage, or man put out food, and were not really wild wolves.
Probably some of you people will now declare open season on me, but here goes. I participated in the great wolf control (poisoning) program in central and northern BC, in the 1950s.
Thus, I know something about wolves, including baiting them. Our baits were always dropped well out from shore on frozen lakes. When the wolves came they always took the bait. However, it could easily be ten days before wolves showed up, then there may be ten dead wolves lying on the ice!
However, when we chased wolves from a moose they had freshly killed and only had it partly eaten, they wouldn't come back to that kill, after the carcass was poisoned. It wasn't the pison that scared them off, because they regularily took the poisoned baits dropped to them. It must have been the presence of humans at their kill that scared them off. But what the heck, it wouldn't take them long to get another moose!
Back in the 1950's during the wolf program, the guys were just doing what they thought was best. Things are different now. No one here should be flaming you for something they know nothing of.
The used to advertise cigarettes on TV and the newsman used to smoke during his broadcast too.........different time, different methods.
Wolf baiting.....
During moose season we spend a week in the bush , every day someone in our camp seen a wolf or a bunch of wolves, I spotted a mule deer running down a cutline and right behind her was a wolf, hunting whitetail in a grazzing lease we seen wolves, problem is there hard to shoot when they see you first.Seems like the last five years or so wolves have become abundant. I know a spot where they are crossing back and forth , going to hang some bait , barrel some bait , scatter some bait around for easy pickings. I know some outfitters are baiting , not sure how they do it, but they seem to have good success.
During moose season we spend a week in the bush , every day someone in our camp seen a wolf or a bunch of wolves, I spotted a mule deer running down a cutline and right behind her was a wolf, hunting whitetail in a grazzing lease we seen wolves, problem is there hard to shoot when they see you first.Seems like the last five years or so wolves have become abundant. I know a spot where they are crossing back and forth , going to hang some bait , barrel some bait , scatter some bait around for easy pickings. I know some outfitters are baiting , not sure how they do it, but they seem to have good success.
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- Location
- Lakes District BC
Randy we have done it several times with fast success road kill is what we use or if a rancher has butchered a pile of beef and lets us know were he dumped the guts etc. of course it helps if you have a healthy wolf population in the area your bait is in as well, wolves are booming in northern BC, to a point that some have mentioned to bring back the poison programs , right now I know of 8 healthy packs within 100kms of town here alone.
I know of a fellow that was using slaughter horses for bait. He had to have them vet inspected, and then would lead them to his backcountry camp west of Sundre where he would shoot them on his bait site.
He found the local (2) packs had a pattern where they could be found every 6 to 9 days on his bait sites.
He killed a lot of wolves in the last couple years this way, but he had the time and the money.
He found the local (2) packs had a pattern where they could be found every 6 to 9 days on his bait sites.
He killed a lot of wolves in the last couple years this way, but he had the time and the money.
I've got 3 baits going now--course I have access to bait that most people don't have. I have been doing this for at least the last 10 years and my nearest nieghbor is well over a mile away--closest town is Beardmore--14 miles away.
It sure ain't like baiting bears. The local pack will hit a bait every 6 to 10 days and only occasionaly will they hit it 2 days in a row. They investigate it much more frequently by circling and winding it. They carry off the largest pecies they can carry and they won't hit a bait out in the open unless it is placed way out in the open--like the middle of the lake. I have spent alot of time tracking them and you need a good snowmobile to do that cause you ain't gonna keep up to them on foot.
I've got one bait I can observe from my house and I've seen lots--trouble is it's just about always late at nite--midnight seems about right. I think it is illegal to hunt at nite but it would take at least 2 guys working together anyway cause they aren't going to just stand there with a spotlight on them.
2 or 3 times a year (read jan thru april) for no apperant reason a wolf will come into the bait during the daytime. I generally get those cause they act like a house dog and I've had plenty of time to get the rifle ready and step out on the deck. I've learned to take my time cause these wolves don't seem alarmend about anything.
Most of the wolves I've killed are young of the year but even these are huge next to my hounds.
It sure ain't like baiting bears. The local pack will hit a bait every 6 to 10 days and only occasionaly will they hit it 2 days in a row. They investigate it much more frequently by circling and winding it. They carry off the largest pecies they can carry and they won't hit a bait out in the open unless it is placed way out in the open--like the middle of the lake. I have spent alot of time tracking them and you need a good snowmobile to do that cause you ain't gonna keep up to them on foot.
I've got one bait I can observe from my house and I've seen lots--trouble is it's just about always late at nite--midnight seems about right. I think it is illegal to hunt at nite but it would take at least 2 guys working together anyway cause they aren't going to just stand there with a spotlight on them.
2 or 3 times a year (read jan thru april) for no apperant reason a wolf will come into the bait during the daytime. I generally get those cause they act like a house dog and I've had plenty of time to get the rifle ready and step out on the deck. I've learned to take my time cause these wolves don't seem alarmend about anything.
Most of the wolves I've killed are young of the year but even these are huge next to my hounds.
Had a good chat with a fellow today who had a great idea.
He frequents the cattle auctions and last year every one laughed when he bid on, and purchased, a bull with a broken pecker for $70.
He took it home and shot it out in his field. He said he ended up with 15 coyotes off that bait, at an average of $45 each, shot off his deck!!
He frequents the cattle auctions and last year every one laughed when he bid on, and purchased, a bull with a broken pecker for $70.
He took it home and shot it out in his field. He said he ended up with 15 coyotes off that bait, at an average of $45 each, shot off his deck!!
