Unit 1 Elk Wolves

npaden · Dec 18, 2018

One of the highlights of my recent Arizona elk hunt was watching 6 mexican gray wolves circling a big group of elk the day before the opener while we were scouting.

We were watching several groups of elk scattered over about 400 - 800 yards when they started barking and herding up. We were surprised they were that concerned about us as we were about 600 yards away and they hadn't seemed to mind us for the previous 10 or 15 minutes we had been watching them. They all ended up gathering up into a large circle with their butts facing in and their heads pointed out. There were some coyotes really yapping up a storm around this same time. A couple minutes later and we saw the first 2 wolves come into view, then 2 more, then 2 more for a total of 6 wolves. They circled around for 10 or 15 minutes and then when no elk bolted out of the group I guess they decided it wasn't worth their time and they just wandered off.

Got a video clip with 4 of the wolves in it. By the time I thought of videoing it 2 had already gone into the trees on the left. I was hand holding my phone up to my spotting scope so pardon the shake.

Here is a link to the clip - https://vimeo.com/307140710

After they wandered off they howled a few times which was also pretty cool. We were camped within a mile of where I took these pictures and on 2 other nights we heard them howling as well.

Here's a picture with a couple of the wolves in it.

2 wolves by naathan2, on Flickr

Another picture with the best bull in the herd at the time.

20181129_071400 by naathan2, on Flickr

Had a great time on the hunt. Lots of elk in Arizona! Will post more on the hunt later.

Thought I would share. Nathan

Joe2Kool · Dec 18, 2018

Kool! I bet that was interesting to watch!

callsalot · Dec 18, 2018

Super cool, I always forget Arizona has any wolves at all. Appreciate the reminder and posting this.

adirondack · Dec 18, 2018

We were in unit one for the late hunt and also saw a wolf just north of Alpine. No pics as it was on the move and gone in a few seconds. My kids got a good look at it so that was pretty cool. It was almost in the village.

OutdoorWriter · Dec 18, 2018

Neat experience.

Many years ago, I was on a hunt in the NWT for central barren ground caribou. One evening as we headed back by boat to the main camp, we got to witness four BIG wolves take down a caribou cow right along the lake shore. I have 35mm slides in my files but haven't scanned any of them.

TONY MANDILE

How To Hunt Coues Deer

Onelegwonder · Dec 19, 2018

Great pics and video! I certainly hate the idea of having wolves around but it certainly is a sight to see watching them that's for sure. I've had a couple of similar experiences as you here in ID.

chipc · Dec 19, 2018

Take it from someone who lives where those miserable things abound - enjoy the "cool" now. in a few years you'll hate the sight of them and what they do to your hunting !

Trailmakrs · Dec 20, 2018

We saw a bunch of them just south west of Naturiso. They are not afraid of people!

Servehim · Dec 22, 2018

>Take it from someone who lives
>where those miserable things abound
>- enjoy the "cool" now.
>in a few years you'll
>hate the sight of them
>and what they do to
>your hunting !

Yup....+1

Wapitiwilly · Dec 23, 2018

Agreed +1000

Blane17 · Dec 24, 2018

Yep cant stand them ive seen 25 ao far this year in Michigan and no one can figure why we have no deer left and all the fawns are dying off

Servehim · Dec 25, 2018

Well , those of us who love to hunt are quickly becoming outnumbered . Just watched a 60 minute ( CBS program) which told the viewers that Yellowstone NP was being saved by the reintroduction of wolves....that's right . With more wolves it equals less elk which means more vegetation which translates into everything being perfect and in harmony . Hunters are being overwhelmed by treehuggers , enjoy the few years we have left. These lefty treehuggers breed more than we do and our days are numbered.

huntazido · Dec 26, 2018

Takes one generation to change the dialog and then it will be gone by the following generation. The world and more specifically the country I was born into will be gone by the time I pass.

The worse part to me is that future generations will not get to have some of the same experiences I had.

huntin50 · Dec 26, 2018

At least AZ wolves are smaller species. Yes wolves are neat to see. They can easily get out of control and ruin ungulate populations.

Servehim · Dec 26, 2018

Our forefathers were much wiser than our generation . They recognized a simple truth deer / elk / antelope ( those critters man loves to eat ) are of higher value than the critters that kill and eat them. Human survival 101 .

Flatlander · Dec 29, 2018

Why can't we have both?

eelgrass · Dec 30, 2018

>Why can't we have both?

You absolutely can, if you have enough common sense and enough money. You have to be willing and able to keep wolf numbers in check. That means aerial gunning about half of them every few years, or use poison. That's very time consuming and expensive, not to mention a political bomb shell. It's also cruel to the wolves as they have a complex social structure. It helps to hate wolves if you want to be a wolf lover.

eelgrass · Dec 30, 2018

I forgot that the other option is to cut elk and deer tags by about 70% over time and let the wolves alone.

Flatlander · Dec 30, 2018

>>Why can't we have both?
>
>You absolutely can, if you have
>enough common sense and enough
>money. You have to be
>willing and able to keep
>wolf numbers in check. That
>means aerial gunning about half
>of them every few years,
>or use poison. That's very
>time consuming and expensive, not
>to mention a political bomb
>shell. It's also cruel to
>the wolves as they have
>a complex social structure. It
>helps to hate wolves if
>you want to be a
>wolf lover.

Where has this been effective?

AZ23 · Dec 30, 2018

I only see coyotes...choot em

Servehim · Dec 30, 2018

>>>Why can't we have both?
>>
>>You absolutely can, if you have
>>enough common sense and enough
>>money. You have to be
>>willing and able to keep
>>wolf numbers in check. That
>>means aerial gunning about half
>>of them every few years,
>>or use poison. That's very
>>time consuming and expensive, not
>>to mention a political bomb
>>shell. It's also cruel to
>>the wolves as they have
>>a complex social structure. It
>>helps to hate wolves if
>>you want to be a
>>wolf lover.
>
>Where has this been effective?

Just curious about you Flatlander, please share a little about your personal hunts out west. Are your veiwpoints expressed coming from personal experiences in Wyoming/ Montana or formed in a classroom in Detroit Michigan. Please share your hands on knowledge of the west .

Flatlander · Dec 30, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Dec-31-18 AT 02:34PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Dec-31-18 AT 00:50?AM (MST)

LAST EDITED ON Dec-31-18 AT 00:48?AM (MST)

My dad grew up in Mammoth with a dad who was a mechanic for the Park Service. My mom comes from a farming/ranching family in Rockland, ID. Both of their families are still there. I was born in Pocatello and have lived in UT, WA, OR and most recently AZ.

Went to college in Rexburg.

All my extended family still lives in ID and MT. Living in and around the park our family has seen the impact of wolf re-introduction first hand from start to current state. In AZ I have observed wolves in our elk hunting areas since 1999.

So please, answer the question, where have the tactics listed been effective?

Servehim · Dec 31, 2018

That's encouraging flatlander that it appears you are not a bonafided tree hugger punching the keyboard in a basement back east. I strongly oppose wolf reintroduction , I strongly favor more deer / elk / antelope hunting opportunities and wolves reduce greatly our opportunity. It's not debatable as these preditors take down many ( one / week) of the critters I love . During birthing in the spring many future Bucks and Bulls are eaten by wolves. I'm not happy about that!!! I spend many many nights in the woods each year and IMO the sighting of a wolf or the sound of its howling pale in comparison to seeing mature bucks and Bulls. Not even a close comparison, our forefathers had it right .

Flatlander · Jan 3, 2019

I think it's important to the future of hunting for us to be conservationists. Wildlife does not exist simply to be shot by a person. Wiping out other predators is just not a sustainable model from a conservation stand point. Hunters can embrace that and work hand in hand with non-hunters or not, but there are a lot more of them than us.

BOHNTR · Jan 3, 2019

I was in Alpine visiting with a buddy I hadn't seen for a while. I told him I had seen three wolves (all collared) near Sunrise Lake. He replied by asking me, ?You know what we call a wolf without a collari? A coyote!? He was serious. Had to chuckle.....but his loss of cattle was substantial.

BOHNTR )))---------->