I want to buy a wolf tag and go out a few times this year. Does anyone know of a place where I could go with wolves in the area. I figured other hunters would be more inclined to give up a good wolf spot, as they are terrible animals. Any help is appreciated. Thanks
Montana Help
- Thread starter landon55
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genesis273
Well-known member
Nope, but welcome to the site.
shoots-straight
Well-known member
Your not going to get me to agree that they are terrible animals, they are what they are, but most of the Western 1/3 of Montana will contain wolves, and most drainage's west of the continental divide will hold them from time to time.
starvingoutdoorsman
Active member
Madison Valley, Gravelly Range, Snowcrest Range, and everywhere between is where I have seen them. Don't have specifics though. They seem to be quite the movers.
Nameless Range
Well-known member
What the others have said.
It seems one of the tough things about hunting wolves is they are rovers.
In the past two years I have put in a fair amount of wolf time and failed in connecting, but my advice would be to wait for the snows to push the ungulates out of the high country - the wolves will be nearish to them and that will reduce your target areas, make them easier to see, track, etc.
The only place I've seen them while hunting is the big valleys of SW Montana- the Madison and the Big Hole.
There are some resident wolf huntin experts on this site.
It seems one of the tough things about hunting wolves is they are rovers.
In the past two years I have put in a fair amount of wolf time and failed in connecting, but my advice would be to wait for the snows to push the ungulates out of the high country - the wolves will be nearish to them and that will reduce your target areas, make them easier to see, track, etc.
The only place I've seen them while hunting is the big valleys of SW Montana- the Madison and the Big Hole.
There are some resident wolf huntin experts on this site.
LCH
Well-known member
I've only seen a solo set of tracks on Morrell Mtn.. But then, that's the only area I've hunted in Montana. Hiked the logging road that morning, no tracks in the lingering snowpack, came back that evening to glass for bears and found them.
MTpubliclander
Member
Big Hole Drainage +1
roadhunter
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Saw one while hunting South of Darby a while back.
Coyotes-R-Us
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I saw two last year . Along the highway in the wee hours of the morning, between Big Sandy and Rocky Boy, YES they where wolves not dogs. I went out to the FWP office and told them and they stopped just short of calling me a liar...
OK told them next time I saw them I'd shoot the two "DOG" and not bother them to report it>>> Not impressed.
Anyway past history.
As a kid I saw wolves in the "Crazy Mountains", and WAY up north above Cut bank, that was PRE extinction I guess early 60"s..
Almost had a shot end of last season . I was in by Swift Dam, saw it coming , got in position to ambush and had some other people come roaring up, jump out of there Truck and start shooting, had to be 600 yards from them. Needles to say the wolf ran away.
Maybe this year.
Swan lake looks like prime wolf country, Maybe Lincoln. :hump:
OK told them next time I saw them I'd shoot the two "DOG" and not bother them to report it>>> Not impressed.
Anyway past history.
As a kid I saw wolves in the "Crazy Mountains", and WAY up north above Cut bank, that was PRE extinction I guess early 60"s..
Almost had a shot end of last season . I was in by Swift Dam, saw it coming , got in position to ambush and had some other people come roaring up, jump out of there Truck and start shooting, had to be 600 yards from them. Needles to say the wolf ran away.
Maybe this year.
Swan lake looks like prime wolf country, Maybe Lincoln. :hump:
Chad1754
New member
I was just up in Lincoln and heard one howling shortly after I let out a bugle, that was around noon. Lincoln has a ton of wolf sign, I've seen 2 in Cascade and hear that the Bitterroot Valley is full of them. Good luck they are very hard to hunt.
Take a bull horn with a siren and drive around in the summer and blast it off. They cannot resist howling at it. When they howl you have found a point on their travel loop, they will either be there or be back when you are hunting. In the area I hunt I have them down to about an 8 day travel loop. When they leave the area I hunt them in I can count on them being back in about 8 days. Not sure how or why that works, but it does, just sayin.
That said even knowing where they are or where they will be, they are hard to hunt. I'm two years into it and have only seen them twice and both times I had my bow and was not anywhere in range to shoot, they stayed a couple of hundred yards out. The first time they broke up two the the west of me two to the east and two coming straight at me, I was not comfortable with my odds having only the bow, so I bailed and went back to the truck. Now I carry a handgun or a short shotgun with me.
oz
That said even knowing where they are or where they will be, they are hard to hunt. I'm two years into it and have only seen them twice and both times I had my bow and was not anywhere in range to shoot, they stayed a couple of hundred yards out. The first time they broke up two the the west of me two to the east and two coming straight at me, I was not comfortable with my odds having only the bow, so I bailed and went back to the truck. Now I carry a handgun or a short shotgun with me.
oz
406LIFE
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I target wolves myself after biggame and duck season. Here are some suggestions:
1. Wolves will absolutely destroy any coyotes in their area.
2. Be prepared to shoot long distances. Their smell and intelligence are very difficult to beat.
3. Be on the look out for tracks, but know that wolves will move extreme distances, sometims 20 miles in day.
4. hunt near elk, deer and livestock.
5. Biologists know a great deal and sometimes you need to read between the lines.
6. Be mentally prepared to hunt A LOT and not see or hear any.
7. Stop and talk with ranchers as you drive around.
1. Wolves will absolutely destroy any coyotes in their area.
2. Be prepared to shoot long distances. Their smell and intelligence are very difficult to beat.
3. Be on the look out for tracks, but know that wolves will move extreme distances, sometims 20 miles in day.
4. hunt near elk, deer and livestock.
5. Biologists know a great deal and sometimes you need to read between the lines.
6. Be mentally prepared to hunt A LOT and not see or hear any.
7. Stop and talk with ranchers as you drive around.
Jcs271
Well-known member
The old African ivory hunters had two sayings. #1 You hunt elephants with your feet. #2 You will walk a mile for every pound of ivory that you get. As a hard core wolf hunter I can tell you that both of those sayings apply to wolf hunting. I would argue that I walk/bike at least 100 miles for every wolf that I have taken. It is a VERY low percentage sport. But, if you keep after it you will finally get one. Good luck!
Jcs271
Well-known member
Holy cow, just saw that the post was raised from the dead (2 1/2yrs old). Hopefully he has got a wolf by now!
Hunting The 406
New member
I saw two last year . Along the highway in the wee hours of the morning, between Big Sandy and Rocky Boy, YES they where wolves not dogs. I went out to the FWP office and told them and they stopped just short of calling me a liar...
OK told them next time I saw them I'd shoot the two "DOG" and not bother them to report it>>> Not impressed.
Anyway past history.
As a kid I saw wolves in the "Crazy Mountains", and WAY up north above Cut bank, that was PRE extinction I guess early 60"s..
Almost had a shot end of last season . I was in by Swift Dam, saw it coming , got in position to ambush and had some other people come roaring up, jump out of there Truck and start shooting, had to be 600 yards from them. Needles to say the wolf ran away.
Maybe this year.
Swan lake looks like prime wolf country, Maybe Lincoln. :hump:
You saw two wolves between bigsandy and box elder you say?
Hard to believe, but i'm not calling you a liar. I've had hutterites on the high-line try to tell me they have seen wolves or had wolves harassing horses. I told them to slow down on the peyote lol!!
mtmander
Active member
old post but still a lot of wolfs in western montana
Coyotes-R-Us
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You saw two wolves between bigsandy and box elder you say?
Hard to believe, but i'm not calling you a liar. I've had hutterites on the high-line try to tell me they have seen wolves or had wolves harassing horses. I told them to slow down on the peyote lol!!
Why not?
I talked with a family that have been ranching for 4 generations right next to the reservation up there.
They say they have had wolves on there place off and on right along, never where "Extinct "
They drift down for Canada they claim.
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