What handgun for Wolves?

[WrongHanded]

I thought this might be a nice change of pace from the "What gun for Bears?" threads, though I do enjoy them.

I can't think of any documented unprovoked wolf attacks on humans in North America that happened within the last 100 years (but if you know of any, please share). And I don't really consider then much of a threat to people, except where food is concerned (so maybe more of an issue for hunters).

Still, the choice of handgun and ammunition will likely be different for most people than where bears are concerned. From my rememberings they often exceed 100lbs in weight (males being even larger) and have thick fur, which means projectile selection is still important. I don't know that your typical CC hollow point ammo is the best option, but I don't know that it's not either.

So what would you choose? And why?

(After this, maybe we can do a thread about "Which gun for Wolverines riding Moose?")

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

A cheap one because you might need money for a good attorney.

 

[cheygriz]

It would be hard to beat a quality 9MM auto or .38/.357 revolver.

 

[John Joseph]

00 buck out of a shotgun would be my first choice.
Around here ranchers swear by 125 grain 357 Magnum SJHPs out of a carbine for anchoring coyotes with one shot, so yeah, that too.

 

[WrongHanded]

It would be hard to beat a quality 9MM auto or .38/.357 revolver.

What type of projectile are you considering?

I do remember that a few years after the reintroduction to YNP, there was one pack that had an extremely high number. And after checking just now, the Druid Peak Pack at one time had 37 members. Obviously this in far from typical, but a high-cap semi auto is sounding better and better.

 

[John Joseph]

deleted. Not enough coffee this morning!

 

[cheygriz]

Decent lightweight JHP.

They're not hard to kill.

Never had any problem using a .22 mag on coyotes.

 

[Kabic]

Wolf Incidents have happened somewhat recently...if I read the article correctly a .380 stopped the attack but did not result in an immediate dead wolf.

https://www.outdoornews.com/2015/11/12/second-wolf-incident-reported-at-colburn/

 

[bassjam]

For brown bear, I get the need to carry a large caliber handgun. For black bear I think the need is marginal at best. For everything else I think your typical man-stopper load will work fine.

I guess if I was REALLY concerned about wolves I'd opt for something with a high capacity since they tend to operate in packs, in reality I'd just carry whatever my normal EDC is: a j-frame or single stack 9mm.

 

[JTQ]

I can't think of any documented unprovoked wolf attacks on humans in North America that happened within the last 100 years (but if you know of any, please share).

I remember the story of this Alaskan jogger that was killed by wolves

https://www.adn.com/outdoors/article/wolves-killed-alaska-teacher-2010-state-says/2011/12/07/

Wolves are pretty much people-ish size, so any round chosen for personal protection should be just fine for wolves.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

How hard are dogs to kill?

Any high cap 9mm or larger caliber gun will do.

 

[WrongHanded]

How hard are dogs to kill?

Well, I actually don't know. I'd assume it depends on the dog, but I'd guess pretty easy with any service caliber. I wonder what it would take to stop one immediately. Whilst it's moving around you, with others, and perhaps so much is going on that CNS shot placement is asking a bit much.

On the other hand, wolves not having the same mental attitude as aggressive dogs generally seem to exhibit, perhaps just wounding one would put it out of the fight.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Well, I actually don't know. I'd assume it depends on the dog, but I'd guess pretty easy with any service caliber. I wonder what it would take to stop one immediately. Whilst it's moving around you, with others, and perhaps so much is going on that CNS shot placement is asking a bit much.

On the other hand, wolves not having the same mental attitude as aggressive dogs generally seem to exhibit, perhaps just wounding one would put it out of the fight.

Pack mentality is an interesting thing when canines are in hunting mode. Injuring one or a loud noise is no guarantee that the others will flee.

It may take several shots and and several wounded or killed dogs to drive a pack off.

As with all things, bigger is better for stopping power. I would prefer a 40 caliber, but 9mm should suffice. Most wolves don't break 100 pounds.

Though their strength to size ratio is quite high.

 

[98Redline]

9mm out of anything that shoots it would be fine.
As commented above, pack hunting is a thing so more rounds is better.

 

[Mn Fats]

Airplane bottles and electrical tape.

 

[Fiv3r]

My dad had this old mutt, Brodie. Bro was a black lab/chow mix and the two things he loved most were kids and little dogs. Just a big ol baby.

Now there was one thing ol Bro couldn't abide, coyotes. This bruiser of a dog (but not huge) would run coyote packs off the 50+ acres surrounded my dads place. They tried to gang up on him...once. Brodie drug the body home with a crushed neck. Even up into his early teens, that dog would hunt down coyotes. Hated 'em.

Why do I bring this long winding story up about my dads old dog? Well, a couple reasons. Brodie wasn't as big as a good size wolf, he was just ornery. Brodie never traveled in a pack. He chased groups of coyotes off on his own. Brodie was damn near indestructible.

The dog had been hit by a UPS truck and knocked unconscious, went on a walkabout and ended up 2 counties over for 4 months before my dad tracked him down, taken to a vet because we thought someone had shot him with a high power pellet. Turns out it was through and through. A .22 hit him on the chest and went out his thigh yet missed everything vital short of chipping a vertebrae. The x ray also found an old piece of #4 shot in his butt where someone took a crack at him with a shot gun and winged him a bit at some point. Good ol Bro finally met his maker when he got in front of a semitruck doing 60mph.

Ok, to the point. If a largish but not too large mutt can take that amount of punishment, I dunno if I would want to face 5 of him. If I did have to face said pack, I think I would want capacity. I don't think I would count on dropping a wolf with just one good shot. I don't think you need a 12 gauge, but a high capacity 9mm with good jhp would make me feel better.

 

[bersaguy]

Well remember, finding the right gun isn't the tricky part...its finding the silver bullets

 

[FL-NC]

Its just a dog, from an anatomy standpoint. I'm not an expert on wolves, but I would bet that hitting one and even wounding it, between the noise of the gun and the pain, etc. that comes with being shot, would most likely make a wolf split. But back to the bear thing- aren't areas inhabited by wolves generally also host to bears? Just asking- we have bears but not wolves here.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Its just a dog, from an anatomy standpoint. I'm not an expert on wolves, but I would bet that hitting one and even wounding it, between the noise of the gun and the pain, etc. that comes with being shot, would most likely make a wolf split. But back to the bear thing- aren't areas inhabited by wolves generally also host to bears? Just asking- we have bears but not wolves here.

Very often yes, but not always big bears. The states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Upper Michigan are good examples. They have lots of black bear and lots of wolves, but brown bear were extirpated long ago from those locations. A Canadian brownie may wander down now and then, but there isn't a breeding population there that I know of.

I would say the answer in those states is 10mm out of a high capacity gun like a G20, G40, Tanfoglio, or the new XDm in 10mm is the best option. Black bears and wolf protection all in one.

 

[Narwhal]

Glock 18. If I could have anything, otherwise Glock 17 with a 30 round mag, or something similar. I'm partial to the m&p 9 myself. Being relatively small, fast, pack animals I would think putting a lot of lead down would be beneficial. If you were worried about larger animals then i agree with 10mm.

 

[TomJ]

Deleted

 

[SHOOT1SAM]

...I would say the answer... is 10mm out of a high capacity gun like a G20, G40, Tanfoglio, or the new XDm in 10mm is the best option. Black bears and wolf protection all in one.

Exactly what I would choose.

Well remember, finding the right gun isn't the tricky part...its finding the silver bullets

And I would load it with...Winchester Silvertips!

Sam

 

[kidneyboy]

W

Very often yes, but not always big bears. The states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Upper Michigan are good examples. They have lots of black bear and lots of wolves, but brown bear were extirpated long ago from those locations. A Canadian brownie may wander down now and then, but there isn't a breeding population there that I know of.

I would say the answer in those states is 10mm out of a high capacity gun like a G20, G40, Tanfoglio, or the new XDm in 10mm is the best option. Black bears and wolf protection all in one.

Wisconsin has had to open a wolf hunting season to control the population and keep the deer herds where the hunters like to go. When we are in far northern Wisconsin I carry either a 357 revolver or a lever action in 357 or 44mag although I'd agree that 9, 10, 40, 45 would probably all be suitable. The wolves we see up there are pretty big.

 

[BigBore44]

I simply cannot imagine a good, expanding 9mm not being able to quickly dispatch a wolf.

 

[Jeb Stuart]

I hate the thought of killing a Wolf and have a hard time that they would attack a human. And just shooting anything in the air, would seem to scare any self respecting wolf away. If you want to kill something, kill a Coyote. They are truly a nuisance, destructive predator.