Michigan UP Wolf Hunt - Round 1
- Uncle Lou
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Michigan UP Wolf Hunt - Round 1
First off I did not get a Wolf or I would have put this in the Kill Zone. What I did get was a pretty fun hunt.
Some here may know that I got one of 1200 Michigan Wolf licenses. The wolf season in Michigan's U P has three distinct wolf zones A, B, and C, with a quota of 16, 19, and 8 respectively. Even though unit C is between where I live and where I have a place in the UP I was unfamiliar with this area, having only driven through it on US2 on the way to my place. The last time I had the good fortune to chase wolves was in March 2012, and I had to go all the way to Idaho. I shared that story in the Big Game forum link.
The way this year was going, hunting wise, was not good. That darn work thing was interfering like never before. That is the way it goes sometimes and I guess it was my turn to suffer a bit.
I needed to catch a break, as I was getting worried I wouldn't be able to go. That changed when I got snowed out on a job in Grand Rapids, MI and wouldnt return until at least the following Sunday. On Wednesday, my 23 yr. old neighbor James stopped by. James is a newly hired Holly Police officer, and informed me that he was off until 12/24.
6am Thursday morning we were heading to the U P. Forecast for Newberry, James informed me, would be 25 below with wind chill. Now I am not a wind chill guy as that tends to sensationalize things for the weather channel, but however you slice it that is cold. I told James we would be in the Jeep alot running two tracks and forest trails looking for sign.
We got in around Rexton and worked our way up to the north end of zone C south of Newberry by dark. We cut our first track around 4:30 pm.
Shortly after spotting the track we walked it down a trail a bit and I went for my e-caller. The call was new from late last season, and it wouldn't work this day. Oh well, I dont know how far that wolf traveled so we pressed on running trails as dark was coming.
Friday morning, we were back in the area of the Thursday track well before first light with a fresh 1-2" of snow. We cut a couple tracks and walked them out a bit, bumped a few deer and back in the Jeep.
I mentioned to James a few times during the trip about clear cuts being the ag fields of the north. As we came into one at 10:30am I saw a wolf looking at the jeep. James yelled dog as I was out grabbing a gun. I scared this wolf real bad as he didnt wait around for the flash, and I didnt want to take his pic.
Here are a couple trail pics
Wasn't sure what I was going to do on this trip other than try to find sign. Once sign was found I wanted to box in the track, but this is big woods and with a foot of snow or so and not many roads that wasnt going to be easy.
So now that we found a wolf we got out and walked a big circle around where we last saw it. Having thought we boxed it in, we planned a bump to me. James went in on the track and I got on the other side of the circle we walked. I ended up coming back towards James and I found the track leaving south. I figured it was gone so we went to the jeep for lunch.
Two days in and out of the jeep was exhausting and we were feeling like we actually accomplished something. We decided to head to my place on the Garden Peninsula to check on things and see if we could get a deer (Muzzleloading was open). Didnt see a deer in my back field, so we spent the night in the trailer.
Saturday morning we were headed back to Unit C and decided to hit the south end of it, another new area. We saw more wolf tracks this morning than the other two days combined.
Even saw this in the forest trail.
This should have gotten this wolf shot. Pooping on a public forest trail. What if a anti-hunter or wolf lover saw this turd with deer hair. Surely they would have emotions over the deer that was killed. I should have covered it up to protect their feelings, but I didnt.
We cut a few more tracks, seen deer and deer trails galore, and an active clear cut, but no wolf sightings on Saturday.
If I get a chance to get back up, I think I will head back to this area. Just need to figure out what to do better next time.
Some here may know that I got one of 1200 Michigan Wolf licenses. The wolf season in Michigan's U P has three distinct wolf zones A, B, and C, with a quota of 16, 19, and 8 respectively. Even though unit C is between where I live and where I have a place in the UP I was unfamiliar with this area, having only driven through it on US2 on the way to my place. The last time I had the good fortune to chase wolves was in March 2012, and I had to go all the way to Idaho. I shared that story in the Big Game forum link.
The way this year was going, hunting wise, was not good. That darn work thing was interfering like never before. That is the way it goes sometimes and I guess it was my turn to suffer a bit.
I needed to catch a break, as I was getting worried I wouldn't be able to go. That changed when I got snowed out on a job in Grand Rapids, MI and wouldnt return until at least the following Sunday. On Wednesday, my 23 yr. old neighbor James stopped by. James is a newly hired Holly Police officer, and informed me that he was off until 12/24.
6am Thursday morning we were heading to the U P. Forecast for Newberry, James informed me, would be 25 below with wind chill. Now I am not a wind chill guy as that tends to sensationalize things for the weather channel, but however you slice it that is cold. I told James we would be in the Jeep alot running two tracks and forest trails looking for sign.
We got in around Rexton and worked our way up to the north end of zone C south of Newberry by dark. We cut our first track around 4:30 pm.
Shortly after spotting the track we walked it down a trail a bit and I went for my e-caller. The call was new from late last season, and it wouldn't work this day. Oh well, I dont know how far that wolf traveled so we pressed on running trails as dark was coming.
Friday morning, we were back in the area of the Thursday track well before first light with a fresh 1-2" of snow. We cut a couple tracks and walked them out a bit, bumped a few deer and back in the Jeep.
I mentioned to James a few times during the trip about clear cuts being the ag fields of the north. As we came into one at 10:30am I saw a wolf looking at the jeep. James yelled dog as I was out grabbing a gun. I scared this wolf real bad as he didnt wait around for the flash, and I didnt want to take his pic.
Here are a couple trail pics
Wasn't sure what I was going to do on this trip other than try to find sign. Once sign was found I wanted to box in the track, but this is big woods and with a foot of snow or so and not many roads that wasnt going to be easy.
So now that we found a wolf we got out and walked a big circle around where we last saw it. Having thought we boxed it in, we planned a bump to me. James went in on the track and I got on the other side of the circle we walked. I ended up coming back towards James and I found the track leaving south. I figured it was gone so we went to the jeep for lunch.
Two days in and out of the jeep was exhausting and we were feeling like we actually accomplished something. We decided to head to my place on the Garden Peninsula to check on things and see if we could get a deer (Muzzleloading was open). Didnt see a deer in my back field, so we spent the night in the trailer.
Saturday morning we were headed back to Unit C and decided to hit the south end of it, another new area. We saw more wolf tracks this morning than the other two days combined.
Even saw this in the forest trail.
This should have gotten this wolf shot. Pooping on a public forest trail. What if a anti-hunter or wolf lover saw this turd with deer hair. Surely they would have emotions over the deer that was killed. I should have covered it up to protect their feelings, but I didnt.
We cut a few more tracks, seen deer and deer trails galore, and an active clear cut, but no wolf sightings on Saturday.
If I get a chance to get back up, I think I will head back to this area. Just need to figure out what to do better next time.
- headgear
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Re: Michigan UP Wolf Hunt - Round 1
Good luck lou, not an easy animal to hunt.
- Black Squirrel
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Re: Michigan UP Wolf Hunt - Round 1
sounds like you had a good time despite not getting a wolf.
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- Dewey
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Re: Michigan UP Wolf Hunt - Round 1
They are elusive creatures. You were among them in some great country and had fun while doing it so it doesn't get much better than that. Good luck next time!
- mag1
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Re: Michigan UP Wolf Hunt - Round 1
So thatttt was the delay on my stealth strips. Looks like a fun time. Thanks for sharing.
- Stanley
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Re: Michigan UP Wolf Hunt - Round 1
Thanks for sharing.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
- Hodag Hunter
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Re: Michigan UP Wolf Hunt - Round 1
Go get em in round 2.
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- DEERSLAYER
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Re: Michigan UP Wolf Hunt - Round 1
You cannot invade mainland America. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.
Isoroku Yamamoto, Japanese Admiral
Isoroku Yamamoto, Japanese Admiral
- Zap
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Re: Michigan UP Wolf Hunt - Round 1
Good stuff, Lou.
Thanks for sharing your hunting with us.
Thanks for sharing your hunting with us.
"Forged in fire lit long ago. Stand next to me and you will never stand alone".
- Jackson Marsh
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Re: Michigan UP Wolf Hunt - Round 1
Nice looking country Lou!
What are the odds on drawing a wolf tag?
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What are the odds on drawing a wolf tag?
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- Uncle Lou
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Re: Michigan UP Wolf Hunt - Round 1
Jackson Marsh wrote:Nice looking country Lou!
What are the odds on drawing a wolf tag?
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Sorry I didn't answer this sooner.
They sold 1,200 tags with a quota of 43 wolves. It was a first come first serve, so I just got to a lic sales right when they went on sale. In the first day they only sold 1,100 of the 1,200.
I did not make it back up. Season closed on 12/31 with only 23 wolves taken throughout all 3 zones.
I was up at Spot Shooter Archery getting some pike decoys yesterday and got chatting with the guys in there about going wolf hunting. One of the guys said the antis got another petition that got enough signatures to be on the ballot and will let the voters decide on stopping wolf hunting.
I am still trying to get details, but the good news is there is another pro hunting petition that just started going around. I will get more info and put up the details when I get it figured out.
- Jackson Marsh
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Re: Michigan UP Wolf Hunt - Round 1
Wildlife management should never be handled by petition.......the fight with anti's never ends.
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- BONECRUSHER
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Re: Michigan UP Wolf Hunt - Round 1
Glad you were able to catch a glimpse of those elusive sob's. We should make a long trip next season and put a Hurtin' on em .....
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Scott Hill
Nose to the wind, Carbon to the cheek and finger on the trigger
Nose to the wind, Carbon to the cheek and finger on the trigger
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