Why I carry a handgun in the woods

Ahhh I could unleash some wolves in the inner city, Somehow I think if packs of wolves roamed the ghetto's you might see a banger or two less but alas, the Closest "wild" wolves to Illinois I know of are in the upper Michigan peninsula if memory serves. Actually I have been thinking my next vacation is going to be more of a nature escape type trip, Idaho is on the short list.
 
Great Pics, Beautiful creature but there must be balance

I believe we should have wolves in areas and in numbers where nature can properly sustain them.

I truly feel for the Western states where the reintroduced wolves are wreaking havoc with the elk populations, and again becomming a problem for the ranchers.

Like it or not man can't ignore Darwin's theories forever. Unfortunately the so called environmentalists don't understand this and neither do like minded judges.
 
If only wolves were still common, beautiful creatures.
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Obviously you have never been walking in the woods and had a half dozen of the beggars circling you. Or tracked a bow shot doe only to have group start howling in front, then along side then behind also. The wolves don't know that they are not the top of the food chain -- and I'm pretty sure that there will be more human kills in the next few years when (not if) they decide to show who's in charge.
 
Great story and pix! Here's my recent encounter. In the Nevada side of the Sierra. This sow had her cub and was very protective.
 

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Around where I live we have a large population of cougar and black bear. I'm not too concerned with black bear unless it's a sow with cubs. Cougar on the other hand could be a problem and they are extremely quiet so when I'm hiking in the woods or checking my spring I'm on full alert sometimes with a revolver in my hand. Nothing makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up quicker than smelling fresh cougar ****. The only wolves I've seen around were probably someones "pet", some wolves have come over to eastern Oregon from Idaho and done their share of damage to calves and sheep.
 
"The wolves don't know that they are not the top of the food chain -- and I'm pretty sure that there will be more human kills in the next few years when (not if) they decide to show who's in charge."

Wolves ARE on top of the food chain.

The only time that humans are on top of the food chain is when they carry a firearm.
 
Great wolf pic and great bear pic too!

Where I hunt we have no wolves or black bears either, but we have big wild hogs, which I have heard can also be very dangerous.

I carry a full sized 1911 .45ACP loaded with 230 gr jacketed hollow point Buffalo Bore bullets.
 
Thanks. Hope I get another one some day. I am on my way out to the same spot right now. Speaking of Buffalo bullets: I loaded one in my J frame yesterday, it was the 125 gr variety. I won't try that again. Felt like I dislocated my thumb. Great loads, super fast.
 
Nice photos (and a great story) so thanks for posting them. What an experience! Here in southern coastal New England we have abundant coyotes and according to UMass biologists they have detected the DNA of Canadian wolves in our eastern coyotes, about 1/3 of the DNA being wolf. Apparently the coyotes breed with wolves down along the northern New England boarder. They say this accounts for the New England coyotes being so much larger than those in southern or western regions of the US. Some call them Coy-wolfs here. Range up to 60-70 lbs. Last year I encountered a rather large Coyote along my back trails in a remote rural area. He came over an old rock wall and we surprised each other. I was armed but only with a Ruger Single Six loaded with Winchester 22 HP Magnums. What surprised me was that he did not seem afraid of me. He actually took two steps toward me, stopped and then two more and I was at that point standing stiff as a board with my hand on the Ruger not knowing if he would charge and hoping that he would not! Not sure if me or my Ruger would be up to it! He looked to be about 50-60 lbs. and in good shape, not mangy like some I see. He quickly loped off like they do into the woods and was gone just like that. I took a deep breath on that one. I think he was alone. Beautiful animal regardless of what some may think of them.
 
I know some of the coyote hunters that use .22 mag rifles and have good luck with them up to 100yards. I recently took a trip to Northern Ontario and found out that dogs and coyotes have been interbreeding, they are called "Coys". They are a problem up there esp. around kids.
 
A PhD dissertation from Univ. of AK was published in book form and I read it many years ago ("Hunters of the Northern Forest"). I also read some other research on pre-firearm native interaction with predators. As I recall, wolves started to fall from the top of the food chain even before firearms---but firearms certainly completed the fall.

Some native oral histories recalled that pre-firearm native hunters were worried enough about wolves that they often hunted in groups of about 3-4 or more. With spears and/or bows (maybe atlatls ?), native oral history reported that 3-4 hunters could kill several members of a threatening wolf pack. Wolves learn quickly and if the pack suffers serious losses like that, they switch to other prey.
 
Good point. Wolves do quickly fall from the top of of the food chain when humans introduce tools, even before firearms. We no longer carry spears or clubs for defense, however, without our tools, we will become prey to a variety of predators. Also, here in Michigan wolves are not hunted (legally). If we introduced a small number of tags per year, we could keep the numbers in control and reinforce a fear response (as you point out) in the animal that does not exist at this time. Great post.
 
Old Woodsman wrote: "Around where I live we have a large population of cougar and black bear. I'm not too concerned with black bear unless it's a sow with cubs. Cougar on the other hand could be a problem and they are extremely quiet so when I'm hiking in the woods or checking my spring I'm on full alert sometimes with a revolver in my hand. Nothing makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up quicker than smelling fresh cougar ****."

Get yourself something such as a large scarf that has the image of a tiger's face on it and attach it to your back so that a couger sneaking up behind you will see it.
 
"Wolves always run away when they sense you, even if it's a pack of 'em."

I bet that is true, almost always. However, you never know what an animal will do when it's approached. I would never try to give my dog a big hug while she was eating her dinner.
 
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