By John C. Locke, Frenchtown, Mont.
I live in the remote backcountry of west-central Montana—end-of-the-power-grid remote. It is not an easy lifestyle. This country is unforgiving. We have two seasons: winter and road repair. I think you get the idea. I hunt and trap wolves, because they have destroyed our moose, elk and deer populations over the last 20 years, and I live amongst them.
… The pack of wolves were responding to my howling but would not commit to showing themselves at the crack of dawn— this had been going on since well before daylight when I first heard them. Being a stubborn old man, I refuse to give up.
An hour-and-a-half later, a single wolf materialized in front of me and disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Quicker than you can read this, it suddenly reappeared, pausing long enough for me to line up on him and squeeze off a shot at 165 yards. I heard a solid smack in the stillness of the morning. I felt confident with the shot and the smack confirmed it. I knew my shot was well placed.
My many years of hunting and trapping these top-tier predators has taught me to sit still and watch and wait, probably a lot longer than the average hunter would think of doing. I must admit that my seven-plus decades on this earth also contributed a lot to the “watch and wait” tactic. I find myself thinking a lot more about how far I want to travel (walk), whether it is worth the effort and energy and, if something were to happen, would my “Mother Hen” son be able to find me.
I know many people will disagree with what I am about to say, but I love hunting by myself. ’Tis what I have done most of my life. My son hunts with me when he can, but he is still working for a living. I am constantly chastised for hunting by myself, but it is the way I am built. I kiddingly tell people, “I don’t play well with others.”
An hour-and-a-half goes by, and I’m really enjoying seeing the fog lift off the valley floor, when from the same direction as the wolf came in comes a coyote. I nailed him at 188 yards. It did not take much for me to determine the wolves had left, and with the coyote down, I had disturbed the neighborhood enough. Plus, I had to see if I could get up and still move.
I retrieved the average-size coyote and found the large male wolf slightly more than 100 yards from where I had shot. While getting the coyote and wolf out, I could hear the wolf pack light up. I was already planning another hunt.
I knew there were four wolves in this pack by tracks I had seen previously in the snow; two adults and two yearlings. I returned home, called in my wolf kill and skinned out both coyote and wolf, making for a very long day. I was feeling pretty good and confident that the wolf pack would be in the area looking for the alpha male of the pack.
The next morning, I found myself in the same spot. Before I got ready to howl, the pack started howling approximately 500 yards due north of me, straight up on the mountain. Just like elk bugling or spring gobbler season, I have found that sometimes “less is more.”
I howl using my natural voice, and I let out a deep low howl with a couple woofs added at the end and got an immediate response. I’m of the opinion, based on my experience, that when you howl, a wolf will have you pinpointed on its radar within 100 yards or less.
I waited a half-hour and let out another less-loud, low, deep howl and got an immediate response well within 200 yards. As hard as it is, I knew better than to call again.
Forty-five minutes went by, and my wind and thermals were good, but I began to wonder if they figured it was me. To my total surprise, a wolf came into view, coming up from below. It was walking as only a wolf can walk, steady and confident. It finally stopped and started to howl.
I pulled the trigger at 244 yards, and knocked the wolf upside-down. It rolled over twice then got up and ran about 40 yards before collapsing. Again, I sat and waited another hour before moving, but nothing else showed. When I got to the wolf, I knew it was older by its size and teeth, and that it was a female.
I have been blessed with good health, a wonderful girlfriend (supervisor) of 30 years and with an attitude of “think big and never give up.”
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