Blew it on a wolf - Season 15

Chas

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And we're back.... Hard to believe I have been doing this for 15 years. Well, here we go again for another season......

You may have seen my previous posts about our hunting experiences while wolf hunting since 2009 along the north shore of Lake Superior, and how it usually works out in the wolf's favour. We have 5 or 6 hunters that regularly get together to chase predators (wolves and now coyotes) once the moose and deer seasons close. Unfortunately we will be missing one of our members, Wayne, who had a debilitating stroke this summer and now lives 250km away in an assisted living facility. Wayne shot over 30 wolves and numerous coyotes over his hunting career, and he taught me a lot about predator hunting. He is doing well in his new digs, but I miss not having him with us.

Today's misadventure deals with the worlds stupidest / luckiest wolf.

We have an agreement with the municipality designating 3 locations in town where a group of us can conduct a restricted hunt for coyotes and wolves after November 15 in order to effect some predator control. Coyotes are the primary species and are seen at all hours of the days wandering up and down the streets. Last weekend Padldle2DaC and I went to the municipal golf course where I called out a coyote that came in front of P2DC, but it stopped in front of a blown down birch and he couldn't get a shot. This morning, P2DC, Gary and I went back out there to try our luck. We had a coyote yipping as we walked in, not sure if we were seen walking in, and nothing showed up in the hour or so we were there.

On our way out, P2DC and I decided to go out and check the hydro where we have some deer scraps out for bait. We have a nice black wolf showing up at night on the trail cameras, first black one we have seen in quite a long time. It was a perfect morning, -14C, no wind, and sunny. Every footstep was a distinct crunching sound as we crept up a ridge to look over at the bait - and there was nothing at the bait. I walked down to the bait site and set out the FoxPro caller and sit and spin decoy, and then back up to the hydro poles we sit against, crunching all the way.

I sat down and proceeded to fight with the bipod legs, which had frozen in place. I managed to pull one side out and looked up and said "s**t, there's one right there". P2DC says "where", and there standing broadside no more that 25 yards away from where I set the caller, was a wolf standing in the middle of the hydro line about 100 yards away. Both of us got our rifles up and it was now walking away from us. Both of us "woofed" at the same time, and I got the crosshairs on it as it continued to move. When the gun went off, the crosshairs were no where near the wolf! Needless to say it shifted into high gear and P2DC threw a hail Mary at it, but it was another miss. That is the first wolf we have actually had a chance to shoot at in the past 2 years.

Here he is chowing down just before we got there. He HAD to have heard me walking in the snow when I hung the caller on the sign post on the right side of the picture:

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Two dejected hunters walking to check for blood

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Well, we have a long season in front of us and hope to post some successful results here in the near future.
 
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Unfortunately this year we have someone targeting our and another parties wolf hunt sites. Last month, someone wrapped My72Jeeps cellular trail camera with duct tape and snapped off the antennae. I noticed a trail camera of mine set back in the bush was missing, and confirmed this weekend I hadnt taken it to camp. Two blinds have been kicked over, one of Paddle2DaC's and one belonging to the other hunting groups.

Pisses me off as my camera was an expensive Bushnell Trophy my wife bought me for Christmas a few years ago, and I didnt put it in a lockable box as it was off the beaten path and we never had an issue before. Already reported to MNR and will be going to OPP tomorrow to file a stolen property and mischief report (I electro pencil my own serial number in all of my trail cameras). Cameras now out with lock boxes and other cameras watching them. I hope we catch the prick(s).
 
Sorry to hear about the ####ty behaviour you’re dealing with. It doesn’t get you your camera back but there are now cellular trail cameras with built in gps tracking so next time sticky fingers decides he wants a new camera he will be getting an unpleasant knock at the door. Hope the rest of the season goes much better for you guys.

Hurketthunter
 
I've been waiting and waiting for this thread! Looking forward to following your adventures for this winter! Sounds like you have an anti-hunter interfering in your hunts and vandalizing equipment. Might require a stake out to catch them.
 
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Got any old broken cameras you could set up there again and put a real one up high hidden to get a picture of the lowlife?

I have a few broken cams I can donate to the cause...
 
Got any old broken cameras you could set up there again and put a real one up high hidden to get a picture of the lowlife?

I have a few broken cams I can donate to the cause...

All cameras of mine now out in metal lock boxes. One camera has the tracking feature if it disappears. Other camera has another one 15' up in a spruce tree watching the lock box. First time we have ever had problems - have reported to MNR / OPP.
 
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Likely a deer hunter butt hurt about something. Should be quiet again until next fall. I’d bet someone in your group, or the other group has already had a run in with the entitled low life.
 
My wife was on the phone today with a friend of ours that has a rural property not far from me. Nothing but miles of crown land behind them and they have lots of animals and enough kids to fill a king cab. LOL
Anyways when the husband is out of town I might get a call from time to time to come out to the property with my rifles. There has been a young cougar being seen on the regular by her and her hobby farmin neighbors. I've gone over there a couple times but the cat was gone by the time i show up.

Well that cat met it's maker today and I got a live play by play which started with a phone call to say the cougar was back and appeared to be hunting mice close to the outbuildings. They were watching it the whole time and telling me what it was doing. Then her voice changed and she exlaimed holy hell there is two wolves out there entering the field from the other side.
The bigger one approached the cougar boldly while the other wolf held back. These two wolves are seen frequently and never pose a problem to the livestock in that area. My friends believe them to be a male/female pair. Anyways I'm getting this excited play by play over the phone while I am deciding whether to head over when she yells oh my god, the big wolf is attacking the cougar head on and she says the other wolf is still at the edge of the field. Each new development is precluded by a holy sh!t or an oh my god LOL She was excited and so was I on the edge of my seat listening. Then she exclaims the other wolf came out of nowhere and just crashed full speed into the cougar and within what was probably less than a minute she is like omg.... they killed it and are eating it.. Wild....

I never would have imagined two wolves being bold enough to take on a cougar for a meal. I can only think they were responding more to kill the cat because it was in thier territory?? I dunno.... I'm no expert in wolf behavior but it sure was an incredible event to hear through the phone LOL I know she won't be forgetting that view from the field any time soon.
Her husband is on his way home from work so when he gets home they will take a drive out there and see if they can get some video footage of the kill site and I know he wants the cougar skull if it still exists. Fresh snow here so the evidence of the fight and kill will be everywhere.

I don't normally praise the wolves but I think the kids and small animals are in Much more danger from a cougar than they are of wolves. So, score one for the wolves hehe
 
Will coyotes hit the bait the same day as a wolf? Or do they know to stay away?

Doesnt bother them a bit, coyote at the same spot 9 hours later.

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We often see coyotes or wolves on the same bait, but never at the same time. Have seen a lynx last year on a bait making it very clear that it was not leaving no matter how many times the wolf circled!

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I enjoy reading your posts and updates, good luck on your future hunts!

All the best to your mentor, I hope he is comfortable in his new digs and maybe he can recover enough to get back out there!
 
I’d think they become a lot more day active during breeding season?

2021 Covid shut down I plowed the river bordering my property and we’d walk it x2 daily. There was a ton of tracks maybe mid February? Wife asked if it was coyotes. I was thinking brush wolves. Set up a camera feb 21 on the morning walk. When I checked it on afternoon walk I found this. https://i.postimg.cc/Kj804jBQ/IMG-4167.jpg

My son is now 5 and is asking for a wolf rug. Was thinking about setting something up in February.
 
Will coyotes hit the bait the same day as a wolf? Or do they know to stay away?

P2DC and I were out this morning on the golf course and then out to the hydro line with no joy (and then it started raining f:P:) Pulled the trail camera and some interesting pictures - especially of the black wolf.

So the answer to the above question is, coyotes better not do it at the same time as a wolf!

My bait says the wolf:

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What? says a coyote:

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Keep going buddy, I said its mine:

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Was a busy night - two more wolves showed up. Based on another trail cameras pictures, looks like we have 1 black and 3 tawny wolves in the area which is substantially more than we have seen for a couple of years now. All look to be mange free at this point.

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There was a wolf there at 4:30 AM but the camera is to fogged up to show a decent picture.

Only daytime picture we have of the black wolf - looks like a nice critter:

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I enjoy reading your posts and updates, good luck on your future hunts!

All the best to your mentor, I hope he is comfortable in his new digs and maybe he can recover enough to get back out there!

Apparently he is doing well and will be in town for a few days over the Christmas holidays, so I look forward to seeing him and showing him the pictures
 
That's cool. If I seen a coyote on the bait I'd assume no wolves were in immediately vicinity. That may not always be the case, The coyote just knows when he can steal a piece without loosing his hide.
 
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