Hunting Something that Can Hunt You

I love to hunt alone and do so most of the time. It is one thing to hunt deer, elk, or turkeys in this manner. However, it is a completely different experience when hunting an apex predator!

One afternoon earlier this winter, with a few hours of daylight left, I decided to head out into the snowy woods in search of a wolf. As I said, I am used to hunting alone and usually in territory that hold many predators…bears, coyotes, mountain lions, wolves. I’ve been asked by many people if I was afraid to be out there alone with the wild animals. My response has always been an honest “No!” Frankly, based on my experiences, I am more afraid of 2-legged threats than 4-legged ones! I’ve hunted all sorts of big game and have even taken several black bears using spot-and-stalk methods. Exhilarated, yes! Afraid….not a bit!

On this day, I chose a remote area with many open clear cuts and an area known to hold many wolves. As I hiked in to set up for my first calling sequence, I saw a huge wolf track that had been snowed in. YES!!! The wolves have been here fairly recently! This could be good! I walked several hundred yards on an old logging road and set up where I could see two separate clearings. As I started my calling sequence, first with a wolf howl to see if I could get a response, a chill ran down my spine. For the first time, I was calling an apex predator TO me! It is one thing to be in the same area as a potential predator, but to actually try to bring one into range to shoot…that is a completely different playing field! As I continued to call, using a variety of coyote sounds (wolves hate coyotes and will try to rid them from their territory), the experience became more intense. At any second, from any direction, a solitary wolf or an entire pack could come rushing in without warning. Here I was, alone in the snow, with just my rifle. Would I be ready? I’ve heard stories of wolves hunting the hunter…what if I was surrounded by a pack numbering more than the bullets I carried with me? Several scenarios played through my mind as I sat there, much more acutely aware of my surroundings than I think I have ever been in the woods before. What an intense rush and a tremendously exhilarating experience!!

In the end, I did two different calling set ups and never had a wolf or even a coyote show up or respond. But it was an awesome, exciting adventure that I can’t wait to do again!!


Feb 11, 2013 | Category: Blog | Comments: 2

 

2 comments on “Hunting Something that Can Hunt You

  1. That must be so exhilarating, to hunt an animal that might very well be hunting you. It must really put you in the moment and put so many things into perspective. No matter how much you face in the world, that when you strip away the comforts and the group “safety” all you have left is two animals against one another.
    This was a really good blog entry 🙂
    I think if more people felt the deep connection to nature like a predator hunter, then they would see how insignificant all the common “problems” we face are. Think simpler, more primal, survival when it counts most.

    • Thia

      Thanks, Tyler! I completely agree with you! This type of hunting definitely brings out something primal and is probably one of the most intense and exhilarating hunting experiences I have ever had! Most certainly puts the hunter in the “here and now.” No room to focus on all of the trivialities of life!

      Thanks again for your reply!

      Thia

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Time limit is exhausted. Please reload the CAPTCHA.