Elk going silent

[Hud]

Read another story recently about a guided elk hunt in the Selways, Id. The hunters became the hunted as a pack of wolves followed, and stalked them, showing no fear of man. It was interesting that they did not get any elk to respond to a call.  The cow calls brought the wolves on the run. Anyone with a similar experience?

[Stickbow]

Its common when wolves are present

[Camp III]

Theres a video floating around that I saw. It was 2 guys in Idaho I think and wolves were following them and they shot their pistols at them to scare them away. They said one would charge them to make them run while the others were trying to flank them. kinda scary.

[jhg]

...  The cow calls brought the wolves on the run. Anyone with a similar experience? [/QB]

Well, duh. Wolves are apex predators- why wouldn't they come in? Wouldn't be surprised that in elk speak the hunters were making a distressed kind of call.
I think we would  all be better off learning about these animals beyond an anecdotal level. They are here to stay so we might as well get used to how they behave and how prey species behave in their territory.
We had it great for many years with elk standing around with no predators other than hunters  to bother them. It sure is hard to accept change when we get used to things another way.

But we should adapt.

Just my take on it thats all, not aimed at anyone in particular.

Joshua

[Mark Baker]

Bears and mountain lions will come in to cow calls as well.   Not a new development.  

Also, elk are generally more "silent" than in decades past, due to overcalling by every hunter in the woods.   Pick your calling opportunities carefully, both for safety and optimum results.  

I use calls very sparingly anymore, and prefer ambush techniques, then call when it seems nothing else will work.   When I do call, I start simple, then ramp up as needed.

[dot 1]

i run across wolves all the time in the woods and the elk seem to be co-existing by staying hidden in the thick brush and hiding in the rocks with goats where there is no food. they are starving to death and not breeding. i dont hate the wolf and think he is an incredible creature, but IMO the best thing to do is kill them on site until the rule makers wake up! as sportsmen its our job to be good stuards of this land and letting hidden agendas in D.C and phoney lawsuits manage our wildlife will be the death of what we live for. Manage the predators.

[30pointbuck]

It would be vary scarey, espically not ever being around wolves or bears, There aren't any here in KS. atleast far as i know. Never saw any.

[legends1]

Few years ago a good friend and i hunted elk in Idaho.We learn right away that the wolves had changed the activities of the elk.IMHO,it has screwed up the elk hunting in the state of Idaho.The locals would also agree with that.We heard wolves every day and didnt here not one buggle.

[Jesse Minish]

The wolves have definitely changed the way we hunt. The first year we noticed wolves in our area I thought my elk hunting was done forever. We adapted some of the ways we do things and are back to killin elk. Its not like it used to be but what is?

[snag]

I second what Mark said. We have become an orchestra of horn blowers in the woods. We've educated the elk to be weary of our calls. Much rather they not know I'm there and work in for a shot. A small amount of cow calling at the appreciate time will do the job. Just be on alert because there are many situations where a bull will come quietly.
I've called in a few cougars with cow/calf calls. They're just looking for dinner like we are.

[Jake Diebolt]

We've got something of a similar situation up here on Manitoulin Island - the coyote population's pretty high, and the deer are really low. People are trying to blame the coyotes, and while I don't doubt they kill a lot of deer, the amount of deer taken in the gun season here is huge, and the last few seasons before the deer decline the MNR was issuing extra doe tags.

Perfect storm after that,really. Lots of does killed meant fewer fawns, followed by a hard winter that made coyote predation easy. Mostly our fault, I figure. The local game clubs are now calling for fewer tags issued - courageous of them, and about time.

Now I've never hunted elk, but I know the coyotes up here are really wary coming to anything but a electronic call...and now they won't even do that necessarily. Animals adapt to heavily-used tactics.

And that's my rant for the day. Hope I didn't ruffle anyone's feathers.

[durp]

yep i called in a lone wolf year before last with cow calls...had a bull coming in but the wolf beat him to me...nof sed

elk hunting in idaho has really changed due to the wolves...AND...WAY TO MUCH CALLING on hunters part...

we will have some serious changes in the regs this year...BULLS ONLY during bow season in some areas!!! totaly unheard of before wolves...

[Beanbag]

Was in Idaho 6 yrs ago, wolves were getting a hold on things then.will not change until they start going after humans.Too many bleeding hearts out there.I'm in Rhode Island and you what to hear the BS going on over the coyote problem. lots of people with no sense of reality.Oh Well!! JG

[Daz]

I've had wolves called in while moose hunting...more than once.

It sounds like two major concerns in the U.S. west: over-predation of game by wolves, and the safety of humans in the woods.

Having hunted my whole life in wolf country, and have spent time with both Northern Cree and Dene hunters i have a few observations:

Both of these First Nations control wolf populations (usually by raiding dens in the spring, and killing 2/3 of the pups). Notice how i said 2/3. They don't try to exterminate them. They realize the value of predators in their environment, and only seek balance. The Dene are one of the last true sustenance hunting Bands in BC. Even they don't consider the Wolf as something to eliminate. Just something to manage.

As far as fear of wolves preying on humans? I've never met a northern hunter who worried about that. I've had wolves exhibit curiosity, but they are quick to turn tail and run.

Now bears, that's a different story. Lots of stories about bear encounters gone wrong in the North.

[Montanawidower]

Wow a wolf debate... how novel.    
Listen, we called in 22 bulls last year and we hear wolves as well.  I just don't buy the no calling thing.  For us it works as well as it ever has... maybe better.  (or maybe we've just gotten better over the last 20 years?)  Who's to say.  
On the down side some herds ARE getting hammered.  Most people around here finally admit that we have a problem.  I use to hunt west of the park and that herd is very thin these days. But again listen... there are still awesome bulls being shot with trad gear in that area. (Randy Morin and company)  It makes good coffee shop talk but its not biblical in proportion.... Yet

[oxnam]

I have hunted areas for years where the elk were rarely vocal.  Wolves weren't an issue at the time but the high pressure from hunters seemed to keep them quiet.  The droves of people with bugles and cow calls made them smart and they shutup real fast.

[boznarras]

I just got a packet from F&G today for the elk hunt that I drew. One of the things advised was that bears may come to elk calls.
I have also heard about them coming to the sound of a rifle shot, which they have come to associate with a gut pile/carcass.
A tip in there that I had not thought about was when you come to your elk or back to your meat cache on successive loads, to circle upwind so as to let your scent come in ahead of you.