My first Idaho wolf tag

I figure the odds of me finding a wolf would be very slim, but since I had just gained residency I might as well donate my $11.50 to the Fish and game and put a tag in my pocket. I had been in an area in the past (2 years ago) and I had gotten a fourwheeler burried in the snow when I was headed to an overlook that usually always revealed a bear or 2 sunning themselves in the mid day. The old Honda fourtrax had gotten me to within a 1/4 mile of my glassing spot so I decided to abandon it in the middle of the snow on the road and walk up the rest of the way. It was that nightmare snow that you punch through every 3rd step. I was sinking in to my shins and it was exhausting. Once I got to the overlook I noticed a coyote loping away from me. I had to make a decision and reveal my location and shoot at the coyote or look for unsuspecting bears. My dislike for coyotes over powered my desire to glass for bears so I took a crack at the coyote. The shot echoed and the coyote loped off unscathed.

I wasn't able to pick out any bears from the spot but I did manage to pick out some elk antlers. After scooping up the antlers and heading back to the abandoned fourwheeler I noticed gigantic canine paw prints that were over the top of my boot tracks.

Last year I decided make the $11.50 investment and also make a dedicated wolf hunt. It was a 6 hr drive from my home to get out there but seeing those paw tracks overlapping my own boot tracks really stuck with me.

I had 4 days to get out there and make my pursuit. The first 3 days I was cutting tracks going up and down every ridge. I had never actually seen a wolf up in that area but I could sense that they were close. I was enjoying the early spring weather and I was gathering enough antlers to stay entertained. On day 4 I almost didn't strap my rifle on my pack because I hadn't seen a single wolf. I was tired and sore from packing out antlers.

I decided to check one last Avalanche chute and movement suddenly caught my eye. Crossing the chute I noticed a black dot with a wagging tail. I lifted up my binos and sure enough it was a large canine!!! I couldn't believe my eyes!!! It was the first black color phase wolf that I had ever seen in the wild. I was still looking around to see if there was some hiker or possible dog owner around. I was relatively close to a road so I made a dead run to get within rifle range. There was no time to get out the range finder. The wolf was on the move. Bang!!! the first shot rang out and I could see the shale and the debris spray the wolf as he ran for it. I chambered another round and Bang!!! The wolf whirled around and ran in a different direction. I could tell that he was hit!!!

I was in a location where I could sit and watch to see what direction it would escape to. My old 308 Norma magnum jammed from the excitement and the spring was not feeding rounds into the chamber. I had to fiddle with it for 15 minutes while I watched to see if the wolf was going to try sneak out of the cover it had disappeared to. I certainly did not want to go into some cover looking for an injured wolf with a jammed rifle.

Once I got the rifle cycling correctly and with 3 rounds in the magazine I ranged the distance and the rangefinder revealed 220 yards. Not bad for a wolf on a dead run shooting off hand.

Finding those specks of blood renewed all of my hope of not going home empty handed. (with the exception of all of the antlers of course) I couldn't believe that I could potentially have a wolf hide to bring home. My mind could not comprehend fleshing a wolf hide and boiling a wolf skull. I was trapped in a fantasy land of being a successful wolf hunter. I was already imagining the possibility of success. I had to regain my composure and start the next process of the hunt. Locating the injured wolf. Right then and there I had already committed whatever allotment of time necessary to be able to track this wolf. It was then that I noticed a small patch of blood on a cliff tucked into the brush.

Observing the patch of blood and walking over to examine it, I then noticed there was only one place where the wolf could possibly be.....

Having trouble opening your pics. I gotta see. mtmuley

Oh man this story just gets better and better. Is there anyone that knows what I am doing wrong with the uploading process? I am seeing the pictures on my end.

Take a look under "Fun Stuff"... there's a "Pictures" topic in there. Within "Pictures" there is a sticky at the top on how to post a picture in your post.

these pictures I gotta see, hope you figure out how to post them.

Ok now do the pictures show?

I can see them

Yes..Go on.. Following

Sure enough tracks and the blood trail led straight into the cave in the picture above. I approached with extreme caution as there was an injured black wolf in a shallow cave. I dialed the scope of my rifle from 9x down to 3x and approached the cave with my rifle shouldered. I chambered one of my 3 rounds in my magazine and slowly started my approach. As I got within 20 feet of the shallow cave I could see legs in the shadows and I had enough to guess where the vitals to wolf might be in the darkness. As I shouldered my rifle all I could see though the scope was black. I had look over the scope and eyeball where the round would go. As I estimated the trajectory the thought of a ricochet crossed my mind so I had to calculate my angle. I still looked away as I pulled the trigger. The shot was deafening as the percussion of the rifle echoed off of the cliff walls and the cave also projected the sound back at me like an amphitheater. All I could hear was ringing in my ears. I took another peek into the cave from a closer proximity and I could see the hind quarters of the wolf shaking and I could see blood flowing down from its rump. Suddenly 2 turquoise eyes reflected back at me followed by fangs. I could hear the wolf snarling. I was now 10 feet from the mouth of the cave and my mind adrenaline had started to revert to fear. I did not want an injured wolf cornered in a cave coming at me so I eyeballed another shot and fired again. This time the shot was severely more deafening and I heard the plop of the dead body of the wolf fall from its perch in the cave to the ground. As I watched the body twitch and give up the ghost he defecated and it was clear that this wolf was a male by manifestation of his reproductive organ being in a relaxed state. It was finally done. I felt accomplished. I had finally harvested a wolf!! As I went to admire the beautiful animal in the cave I looked up to see the 2 bullet marks side by side on the cave wall with the blood that splattered from the shots.

Waiting for the wolf pic!!!!

Btw congratulations and good story!

I think you may of just found a wolf honey hole! Now let’s get to the wolf pics.

Wow, what a story. Reminds me of the beginning of the movie "300."

Now let's see that sucker..

I'd have to change my pants before I went to recover that thing lol.

Great story. Why is there not a wolf pic at the end?

The wolf was tucked in the cave on the shelf above where it is currently lying in the pictures.

Congrats on not only getting a wolf, but a great story to go with it!!

Nicely done and told!

Pucker factor - 11!!