Yes, I know this belongs in another forum. But I am posting it here for the information of those who lost dogs recently to Wolves. And for those who are having trouble with Wolves in their area, that only frequent this forum.
Pete: Sorry to hear about your Beagles.
Forget about those latest, greatest, whiz-bang, cartridges. Put away your .223s, and .243s, just not enough energy. I'd even put away the 30-06s, too much recoil, and too loud. Go with something tried and true, by professional Wolf Hunters. Also don't think like a flat lander. Don't think about "A Wolf". Shooting a wolf does not solve the problem, there is usually four of five left that will continue to be a problem. Think the whole pack.
25-06, enough energy to get the job done, and I mean done. Smaller rifles and they will run half way to the next county. Oh yes there is that guy who may have hit one with a .22 Hornet and dropped it in it's tracks, and now swears by the .22 Hornet. (I often wonder about the truth to stories like these) But that is not normal. Oh I've killed them at close range with a .17Hornet, but that was just a Hail Mary shot, that worked. 25-06 has enough velocity to reach out and touch something with authority. When I shoot a Wolf I don't want that animal running off, where I have to go out after it. I want it dead near where it was when I hit it. And at $250.00 to $400.00 a pelt, I don't want to lose one either.
Seldom will you get a close shot at a Wolf, my average shot is 200 to 400 yards. Also once a Wolf has been shot at and missed, over bait, or a dead animal it has killed, it will not come back. It will turn into a hot meal eater. Meaning it sill only kill, and eat, meat it has killed itself. When ever it gets hungry it will not return to an old kill. It will kill something fresh. Also if someone puts poison in a kill and it makes the wolf sick, again it will never return and eat off an old kill site. We have a lot of Wolves that only eat "Hot Meal"s.
