What Caliber For A Wolf Pack?

[Zedicus]

A Siaga 12 & a .45 would do the job nicely.

 

[jeff-10]

I am thinking a Glock in 10mm/357 Sig and a AR-15/M-4 variant.

 

[sailortoo]

wolves

As posted numerous times on this thread, about wolves do/do not attack humans. My current issue of "Range", magazine for ranchers (display until 15 February), has an article "Anxiety Through the Ages" - subtitle - In his new book, "Wolves in Russia," Will N. Graves chronicles the reasons wolves are feared by the people who must live with them. Note: "... must live with them." The livestock growers have an uphill battle with reintroduced wolves, both from loss of horses, livestock & dogs, as well as a growing threat to family members. The "do gooders" that live in down town San Francisco, or where ever, don't have to face the reality of facing both wolves and a Federal Government that is as rapacious as the wolves. Don't know much about the ID, WY, Mt wolves, these are southern NM. As to the OP question, this same article has a unique "wolf stopper" - since around 2000 BCE, Russians have used eagles to hunt wolves from horseback - an illustration from 1882 is included. How a 10-12# eagle brings down a wolf is something else, but is reported as true. So, all you need on your bike is a .50 cal. eagle!
sailortoo

 

[Ultrachimp]

Reading over this, I'd say dual handguns plus a *good* sheath knife would be good. Pepper spray might keep them at bay enough for you to get in a shot with your guns and really mess them up. If you kill 1 or 2 before they get to you, I'm pretty sure they'll break off and stop. There's no point in going after prey that's killing them before they even reach it. They're probably not smart enough to realize that you're an easier target at close range.

 

[Baba Louie]

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/12/22/alaska.wolf.attack.cnn

That link from Dec 22 CNN. "Rainbowing" pepperspray must be a new technique... but since all the gals got back safe with only one dog wounded (he survived w/ some surgery), I guess the pepperspray works for some people, sometimes.

 

[FMJMIKE]

I would want a light, handy, semiauto carbine if any kind of predator was stalking me. My choice would be a M1 Carbine or maybe a Mini-14. A handgun would be a nice backup but I would not rely on it. I personally shoot much better with a rifle. I have been shadowed by large dogs before and it is not a good feeling. I was actually harrased by a couple large German Shepards this morning. I was very happy that I had taken the time to put my Glock G-19 in my waist band. Generally I do not think wolves or dogs will attack humans but I prefer to be prepared for worse case scenarios.

 

[yenchisks]

whoa whoa way to much fire power for a big dog, a nice 22lr would do ,i seem to remember hearing of a wolf attack in canada not long ago.

 

[Gunz72]

to much firepower

a wolf is a 120 lb dog... a 22 is gonna be like a bee sting to a pack of wolves... i am thinking a 9 mm or a 40 s&w... then a gain a 45 has a ton of power, hits like a maul and you can go high cap.... i am kinda partial to a para...

i definltly wouldnt go 22lr might just p1$$ him off unless you are a great shot.

 

[yenchisks]

People under estimate the mighty 22lr ,give me a old marlin60 and the wolfs would drop ...take a 1 gallon jug full of water and a 22lr hp and it adds up to a blown off leg or blown up lungs either way dead dog...ps (unless your a great shot)a 500,000 magum won't help if you can't hit your target

 

[Slugless]

take a 1 gallon jug full of water and a 22lr hp and it adds up to a blown off leg or blown up lungs

I don't think hitting a wolf with a gallon jug of water is going to help much either.

A word of advice about the Marlin 60 - take the front sight off before you use it on the alpha male.

 

[collateral]

take a 1 gallon jug full of water and a 22lr hp and it adds up to a blown off leg or blown up lungs

I have shot PLENTY of gallon jugs of water, and plenty of animals, both with .22LR rounds.

The 22 has never done anything to convince me that its even remotely capable of blowing off a wolf's leg in one hit. If youre in a position to hunt, yes a 22 to the head would do it, but I would never EVER want to have to use a 22 to defend myself against a wolf pack!

Get yerself an SKS. I highly doubt you'd need the extra capacity of an AK. A shotty with 00 buck would put em down I'm sure.

 

[yenchisks]

ok ok lets compromise, lets go with 22mag

 

[cassandrasdaddy]

i'm reminded of a story in field and stream in the late 70's city boy newcomer in the poconos called his friend the llocal boy all excited "i just shot a bear in my trash cans. local boy goys over sees the new guy witha single shot 22 lr stevens. gets a funny lookm as he looks over good sized very dead bear. asks if "thats" what he shot it with?! "yea i leaned out the window put it in his ear and pulled the trigger. local boy expresses some concern as to the wisdom of such a move. new guy says but this is the gun you gave me! the one you said your granpa killed hundreds of black bear with!
local boys sighs and says did i forget to tell you grandpa was a trapper? and everyone of those bear had at leat one foot in a trap when he shot em?!

i've been prety impressed with how much it can take to affirmatively put down a coyote. wolves eat coyotes. i'm way to old to voluntarily bother a wolf with a 22.

 

[TallPine]

Well, the advantage of shooting a wolf with a .22 is that he runs off and dies somewhere else

 

[gunnerh]

I have Zero 1st hand dealings with wolves but coyotes are tough to take on with a handgun. Head on shots with .357 mag at a moving target with teeth will raise your BP real quick. I most often use a scoped mini-14 from my pick-up. I try to take a high shoulder ,then finsh off with another to the head. We run 10 to 12 head of feeder calves most months , the yellow dogs are a pest for me and my family. The bleeding heart,demo,pinko lawyer who lives down the road from me has last a good dog and a few cats to coyotes. His wife will not go out in her own back yard alone. I have offered to teach him and her how to shoot safely but not yet.

 

[Travis McGee]

Shotgun, no doubt. Thin skinned critters like wolves will go down hard up close, or take some pellet hits at longer range that will deter further attack.

 

[jimbeam]

The gun on your person is far better than the one in camp or in your vehicle. After carrying a revolver in the Wi. woods for years, (after a wolf followed me back to the cabin) I purchased a Dan Wesson 10mm. When said animal was howing at me for about 10 minutes, I decided a revolver was not the weapon to be fumbling around with in case of reloading. Still like a revolver to carry for bear (had confrontations with 3, no shots fired). As far as documentation for wolf attacks is concerned, there has to be a wolf carcass to determine if it was rabid or not, plus witnesses, etc. Everyone has a favorite weapon, but remember if it is not with you, it does not do you any good.

 

[JohnL2]

I can't believe that this thread just keeps going and going. The posts are funny. Makes me think that you guys are like Arnold in the movie "The Terminator" shooting his way through the police station.
Come on now.
Packing a lot of firepower for a stroll in the woods.

 

[usmarine0352_2005]

7.62mm and lots of it.

 

[gunsmith]

a stroll in the woods in Alaska

is different then one in suburbia, you've got Wolf, Moose, Bear and the dreaded two legged varmint.
A Wolf, determined to kill you is different then the Wolf running away from you.

As for advocating .22 for self defense against a Wolf?....bring your assault wheel barrel too.

 

[gunsmith]

I once witnessed

cops killing a pit bull that was attacking another dog.
It withstood nearly 20 shots of .38 before it died, close shots , head heart and lungs. ....it never let go.

A wolf is a giant compared to that dog, you go ahead and shoot your handgun calibers against a wolf determined to kill you.

I'll use a rifle.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Swiss Engineer's Bayonet

Well, whatever rifle you take, it should have a little pointy thing at the end for use in the event of close quarters engagement.

I'm thinking that little Swiss Engineer's Bayonet dingus would come in handy.

 

[Roswell 1847]

cops killing a pit bull that was attacking another dog.
It withstood nearly 20 shots of .38 before it died, close shots , head heart and lungs. ....it never let go.

A Pitbull in Knoxville withstood a .38 special to the head and in the news footage it was just standing there grinning as blood oozed from the bullethole just above its left eye.

Pitbulls have an unnatural ability to ignore pain and eminent death while pressing an attack. The Pitbull and the Mastiff are descendents of the Alaut Warhounds of the Ancient Scythians.
The kings of france gave trained Alauts to favored nobles as bodyguards, they sometimes fought wearing full armor and would stand on their hind legs and could crush the helmet and head of an armoured knight.
The most deadly wolf of record is said to have been half Alaut. Its name was Cortaud, meaning Short Tail.
When captured it was tried as a Werewolf, because its unusually high forehead gave it the look of intelligence and it led a huge pack on daring raids into Paris itself by finding its way through the sewers into the crypts below a cathedral.
Werewolves are also said to have shorter tails than real wolves, perhaps due to Cortauds reign of terror.
Of course how much is true and how much legend is hard to say.

BTW
Cortaud was supposedly captured by a professional hunter who used both Eagles and an Egyptian Cheetah . The Eagles harried him till he was exhausted and the highly trained Cheetah then clamped on his windpipe and choked him unconsious.

 

[Kind of Blued]

I Got It!



It's like a Mossberg 590 over an AR-15.

Don't you dare call it heavy or impractical, sally ass.

 

[kelsonAK]

When I'm out and about in winter, a single stack 45 with some good hollowpoint loads, usually 2 mags all told. I'm dealing with wolves or idiots in the winter, not zombies... Besides, I'm usually toting a .223 or a 22 for fox or birds on the snow go.
In summer it would be a 329PD in .44 with a good hard cast bear load, 2 extra speed loaders. I'm usually hiking or pickin berries or picking fish out of the subsistance net and need my hands.