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Well Friday was a bust...a big bust. While fresh snow to others can cause grief, all I think about is the clean slate for tracks. Wednesday night got me all sorts of giddy watching it snow, the weekend was still so far away...
After seeing yet another good amount of fresh wolf track, I was not fooled at the fact that it doesn't really mean too much. For the last several months we had been up and down every mountain tracking them, and was amazed at how much ground they can cover. Persistence is always the thing that drives me, and considering these guys are one of the most brilliant critters in the woods, it was getting tough on my patience.
After my last wolf double on a few smaller ones, I was still not quite satisfied. I have always wanted a nice gray. (Had to be honest). After seeing large tracks of* a lone wolf, I knew he was my next predator hunting quest. Hunters and ranchers had spotted this gray...Big, elusive, and wise as any coyote in the country. He had also walked with a bit of a limp. I had seen his tracks, all always running the same route practically every time there was fresh snow. It's even more humbling when his tracks are over yours from the day prior. It felt like the chess game of wits, he was winning by a landslide. We had coined him the "ghost dog".
After having no luck in the morning, my dad and I decided to cut loose on a few rabbits, enjoy the high country and get some trail cams moved to a previous kill sight. Walking around the butte to get the camera, my dad thought he would pull a quick one on me... sneaking to the top of the butte and letting out a big wolf howl... Since I didn't have my gun I was like yeah haha funny one.. "You hear that!" My dad all excited.. "One just howled!"
As I'm sitting there laughing at what he thought he heard,"Howl Again"...
And lo a behold an instant response...We were almost laughing at what we had heard, and quite frankly the response threw another wrench in the mystery of wolf behavior.
"Well let's go get on him!"
Parking a canyon off from where we could best pinpoint him,I had my dad let own another one of his "signature"wolf howls...
Again instant response and this time he's close!
Trying the best we could to get the the next drainage and close the gap,we set up again and just glassed for any movement.."There he is!" Already way ahead of us and well aware that we were there.
As we sat and watched the beauty and size of this big boy, all I could say was "He does exist"...He beat us again, and managed to get a 6 mile hike out of us in the process. It was a bummer moment and yet a victory actually getting to see him.
Hearing the phone ring the next morning and realizing it was a rancher, I already knew exactly what I was in for...5 wolves spotted around the cows and old kill site...Gotta say I was excited and yet irritated, as I was a least 30 minutes out and the fact that they are just out hanging around...Never had that happen to me!.."Well..Go shoot them up if you get the chance,I'm on my way"..
Shaking my head,it really felt as if god has these wolves just to sit and rattle my cage with...
After arriving, the rancher still had an eye on them, and had not got after them yet. After spotting 5 wolves headed off his cows it was time to get my chance and get the showdown started.
Making my way around to try and flank, a female black burst out of the drainage headed for the hills. Making my way to a crossbuck in the fence, I was able to get her stopped just past 300 yards on a dead run...I was blown away with the speed they can travel!
After going and taking a look at her, I see the rancher coming my way, pointing down on the other field...Wondering what he was pointing at, it immediately became apparent. The "Ghost Dog" was looking right at us trotting away with his "limp".
I don't think I have ever covered that much ground that fast, here I go again running like a savage at another wolf..lol.
Half out of breath from the excitement and pulling up the scope, I had a brief moment where I had to just sit in awe.
5 months of tracking, sitting, waiting, hiking and continually being outwitted, there he was 250 yards away, Staring at me. The size, savage, beauty and the fact that he really wasn't afraid of me was a moment I will never forget. The 100gr. NBT out of the 6.5 Grendel made my greatest predator accomplishment to date. Again I will add that I believe the Grendel is the ultimate wolf gun.
He turned out to be a big male, 140-150 lbs. After skinning him, It looked as if a deer or horse had kicked his rear leg and did some major damage.
The black female was 20-30 lbs lighter, and just a bonus to the one I was really after...The Ghost dog's legacy had come to a close.
Hope you guys enjoyed, little long...again not good with stories, so bear with me!
OW
The Ghost himself.
Better judge his size,the other pictures don't give him justice
After seeing yet another good amount of fresh wolf track, I was not fooled at the fact that it doesn't really mean too much. For the last several months we had been up and down every mountain tracking them, and was amazed at how much ground they can cover. Persistence is always the thing that drives me, and considering these guys are one of the most brilliant critters in the woods, it was getting tough on my patience.
After my last wolf double on a few smaller ones, I was still not quite satisfied. I have always wanted a nice gray. (Had to be honest). After seeing large tracks of* a lone wolf, I knew he was my next predator hunting quest. Hunters and ranchers had spotted this gray...Big, elusive, and wise as any coyote in the country. He had also walked with a bit of a limp. I had seen his tracks, all always running the same route practically every time there was fresh snow. It's even more humbling when his tracks are over yours from the day prior. It felt like the chess game of wits, he was winning by a landslide. We had coined him the "ghost dog".
After having no luck in the morning, my dad and I decided to cut loose on a few rabbits, enjoy the high country and get some trail cams moved to a previous kill sight. Walking around the butte to get the camera, my dad thought he would pull a quick one on me... sneaking to the top of the butte and letting out a big wolf howl... Since I didn't have my gun I was like yeah haha funny one.. "You hear that!" My dad all excited.. "One just howled!"
As I'm sitting there laughing at what he thought he heard,"Howl Again"...
And lo a behold an instant response...We were almost laughing at what we had heard, and quite frankly the response threw another wrench in the mystery of wolf behavior.
"Well let's go get on him!"
Parking a canyon off from where we could best pinpoint him,I had my dad let own another one of his "signature"wolf howls...
Again instant response and this time he's close!
Trying the best we could to get the the next drainage and close the gap,we set up again and just glassed for any movement.."There he is!" Already way ahead of us and well aware that we were there.
As we sat and watched the beauty and size of this big boy, all I could say was "He does exist"...He beat us again, and managed to get a 6 mile hike out of us in the process. It was a bummer moment and yet a victory actually getting to see him.
Hearing the phone ring the next morning and realizing it was a rancher, I already knew exactly what I was in for...5 wolves spotted around the cows and old kill site...Gotta say I was excited and yet irritated, as I was a least 30 minutes out and the fact that they are just out hanging around...Never had that happen to me!.."Well..Go shoot them up if you get the chance,I'm on my way"..
Shaking my head,it really felt as if god has these wolves just to sit and rattle my cage with...
After arriving, the rancher still had an eye on them, and had not got after them yet. After spotting 5 wolves headed off his cows it was time to get my chance and get the showdown started.
Making my way around to try and flank, a female black burst out of the drainage headed for the hills. Making my way to a crossbuck in the fence, I was able to get her stopped just past 300 yards on a dead run...I was blown away with the speed they can travel!
After going and taking a look at her, I see the rancher coming my way, pointing down on the other field...Wondering what he was pointing at, it immediately became apparent. The "Ghost Dog" was looking right at us trotting away with his "limp".
I don't think I have ever covered that much ground that fast, here I go again running like a savage at another wolf..lol.
Half out of breath from the excitement and pulling up the scope, I had a brief moment where I had to just sit in awe.
5 months of tracking, sitting, waiting, hiking and continually being outwitted, there he was 250 yards away, Staring at me. The size, savage, beauty and the fact that he really wasn't afraid of me was a moment I will never forget. The 100gr. NBT out of the 6.5 Grendel made my greatest predator accomplishment to date. Again I will add that I believe the Grendel is the ultimate wolf gun.
He turned out to be a big male, 140-150 lbs. After skinning him, It looked as if a deer or horse had kicked his rear leg and did some major damage.
The black female was 20-30 lbs lighter, and just a bonus to the one I was really after...The Ghost dog's legacy had come to a close.
Hope you guys enjoyed, little long...again not good with stories, so bear with me!
OW
The Ghost himself.
Better judge his size,the other pictures don't give him justice
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