Wolf effect on the elk rut

Bigtime · Mar 3, 2019

I have been Artchery hunting the same back country in Montana for 12 years and have seen more and more wolf activity. It seems that when the wolves are in the area the elk are less vocal. Any thought on how they effect the rut? Any suggestions on hunting or calling tactics?
I have good success, but some years there's no bugling. Coming in silent. I only have a short time I can hunt.

justr_86 · Mar 3, 2019

Shoot more wolves.

lang · Mar 3, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Mar-03-19 AT 03:46PM (MST)[p]The rut still happens just may not be as noisy. I've found elk are still around and still being elk. Overall things are definitely quieter, but have also had bulls bugle right over howls. Can't say it has changed my calling, I just usually head to the next canyon if I hear more than a couple howls. Learned to always have a plan b,c,d,e, and f...Makes it that much more difficult with limited time though as I'm sure you know already.
We really need a new army of skilled trappers. We can't stay ahead of the curve with just hunting given wolves reproductive rate. Idaho is proposing 10 trapping and ten hunting tags per year right now. If we get enough guys that get good at it we might actually get a bit of a handle on them eventually.

Bigtime · Mar 3, 2019

Thanks for the input. I agree skilled/professional trapping.

callsalot · Mar 3, 2019

I can't say I hunt enough in area's with lots of wolves but from the ten or so hunts that I have along with half of them in Grizzly country I haven't found the difference in how vocal elk are. I find they may move a bit more making them a little harder to keep track of but I've hunted so many good elk area's that the elk vocalization is different year to year that have no wolves in it I can't say one way or another.

hawkbill · Mar 5, 2019

Wolves will definitely keep the herd bulls quite, the Elk know when the wolves are around. I glassed the East Fork of the Salmon one day and saw four different herds of Elk all up high on ridges herded up not eating, the wolf pack was going up the drainage every morning howling and hunting. The Elk stayed up high and quiet until the pack moves on.

OchocoKid · Mar 6, 2019

I don't see why it would be any different than human predators. the elk here in OR aren't nearly as vocal or active in the rut where the unlimited bow hunting puts thousands of hunters in the middle of the rut. the rut still happens the elk just adapt to the pressure.

What I've seen on the feed grounds on the Gros Ventre is the elk become " wolf broke " . the wolves come in, the elk herd up , the wolves cut one out and kill it, the elk go back to feeding as the wolves feast.

This is a different situation than during the rut, but it's safe to say the elk accept the wolves are there and somebody is going to die. as long as it's not them they resume their normal activity.

I'm not defending the wolves, I hate them with every cell in my body. I'd kill every one I could if they'd let me. I'm just saying the elk don't react to them with the prolonged panic you might expect they would.

Stay Thirsty My Friends

Horsecorn · Mar 8, 2019

Heard it with my own ears. Laying in the trailer, my dad,brother and me. The elk were bugling really hard, a whole bunch of them, then-the wolves started howling, the elk shut up and we never heard another bugle the rest of the night and the next day. ( in the area the wolves were sounding off.)

Coyote_chaser · Mar 11, 2019

I hunt in a wolf area and it has no effect on the bulls. Bugle like crazy. A pack has a HUGE home range, so its not like they pound one canyon for weeks on end. Tons of elk so they are constantly moving.

BPKHunter · Mar 14, 2019

True story. Night I killed my Mt Goat in E Fork of Salmon, first few days of Oct, I wake up to bulls on either side of us(were sleeping next to river) just screaming back and forth. At one point a wolf howl intercedes. All animals seem within 400-500yds from our camp. Well one bull is smart enough to shut up, but the other is so amped up he bugles at the wolf. Back and forth.

Now the funny part, in hindsight, is that another MM'er on here was with me sleeping in his tiny tent, but without any firearm. That damn bull seemed to be taunting that wolf, that would have to cross the river, most likely right through our camp to get at that bull. My buddy, finally opened his little tent and screamed at that bull to shut the "f&ck" up!

So, while I have seen elk go dark(timber) and get quiet in the presence of a pack, I know for a fact they aren't as worried about wolves outside of winter and deep snow as many think, especially if there isn't a full pack.

tmbr_hntr · Mar 15, 2019

Last year in W WY I stalked in on a bull that was bugling his head off in a meadow. When I got there he was on his back, legs straight in the air in a wallow. He would wallow, get up bugle, wallow. As I was trying to get close enough for a shot I looked over and there was a large wolf right in the same meadow. He trotted off when he saw me. I never could get close enough for a shot and the bull never quit bugling. He didn't seem to give a chit about the wolf.