Well, I promised a while back I would post the story of this hunt, so here goes.

It was late in December, and we had stayed in the rough old cabin on site the night before. Rained all night, and damn cold.
Nobody even got out of bed but me, despite me rustling up a batch of scrambled and a package of Maple Flavored bacon.
Store bought biscuits, but I actually prefer them--Pillsbury Flaky Style! Got the coffee up, filled my Thermos cup and left for the woods.
About a 15 minute ride on the four wheeler--damn cold and wet--and then about a twenty minute walk along the creek to my stand. The 2 man ladder stand from Wal-Mart makes a heck of a one man stand. Got into position with no noise at all--felt good about the set up---no wind at all, just a little drizzling rain now and then.

Glad I had on my Gortex, dry is good on a day like this! About 10 minutes after daybreak, the chill set in, and I was doing my best to snuggle up under my coat and scarf, really glad no wind in the bottom this morning. As quiet as the woods were, it made sense I would see anything before I heard it, and so it was. I had a couple lanes cut down to the slight right of the stand, about 200 yards long. Looking down the far right lane, I saw a grey image slip buy. I threw my binocular up, and could tell it was a deer. That's about it. Another ten minutes, and I was glad I had some coffee in my pack--plus a biscuit with some bacon stuffed in it! I don't know it's technically true, but I've heard that digesting food makes you warm for a little while as your metabolism kicks in, I do know warm coffee and a biscuit made me feel warmer. I was just about to take a sip of coffee when something made me peek through my binocularsw again.

Turkey's--really sneaking by, about 125 yards out. They were acting strange, I've seen them there tons of times, but something was different about their action this morning. Really stealthful, more than usual. As they moved out of range, I felt something behind me--yeah that's right--felt something, didn't hear anything, or glance anything in the peripheral vision, just felt like something was back there. I twisted my neck around and saw a shadow slinking along.

Bobcat, damn big one. Maybe that's what had the Turkey's acting funny--he was a long way away from them though. I watched him for 8 to 10 minutes as he disappeared into the swamp on the other side of my shooting lanes to the right. The bottom opened up to the left, and just a bit of trimming had made a nice shootable area available out to that side of the stand. That's the easiest way to look from this stand, straight ahead or a bit to the left, especially being a righty, that would be the ideal way to take a shot. As the sun came up, it didn't get any brighter in the bottom, it was a cold overcast day. Stayed really quiet for the next hour, just a glimpse of a squirrel or two, that's it.

Adjusted my sitting position and changed my view a bit, and then the ghost moved. It was about 250 yards out, at the back of one of my lanes, and in some grassy swamp vegetation of some sort. BIG. Was this a deer? If so it's huge! Knew it couldn't have spotted me for any reason, but whatever it was seemed to be looking my way........I put up my Binoculars anyway, HUGE, but couldn't tell what it was! Hidden in the grass! Very gray in color, more than most deer. It was motionless for what seemed like an hour, which was probably about 3 minutes. Then it turned, it was a wolf!

Now I know, there aren't any wolves in Georgia, but damn this was a HUGE canine. He started slipping down my lane toward me. I was actually glad I had a gun....This thing froze up about 150 yards out, and was just looking around, body completely still, but head glancing to and fro, very slowly and cautiously. I could see it test the air with it's nose.
This was a rough looking beast, and there should be NO dogs on our property at all, so I was not concerened at all about shooting this thing, I just wanted to try and ID it before I did. As I was staring at the critter with my Bino's, I started to think about readying my weapon. I did. Got this thing in the scope, and just as I did, it bolted at a furious pace to the right, and crashed into something. UNREAL, what had it hit, a tree, a bush, what the.....it was taking a deer to the ground! I couldn't make it all out, but it was definitely attacking a deer! The woods erupted into a noisy thrashing, although somewhat muted by the wet ground and the rain. I could see rolling around, and then all of sudden the deer bolted free. The canine gave chase, and then the woods fell silent.

My heart rate was through the roof. WOW. Felt like I should have done something, but what. Should I have shot the canine on first chance? What the hell was it really. I know a fair amount about dogs, and this thing was a weird cross of some kind, or maybe a Feral Wolf--seriously, I've heard of folks buying wolves, and then turning them loose when they couldn't really handle them. It had a very blocky head, does that mean much--I don't know--very dark features and a distincly dark grey undercoat. Yellowish eyes. BIG, I mean I thought it was big for a deer, meaning north of 150 lbs, I guarantee this thing was at least 150. Have seen a few tracks since, and some of my mates too, really big footprint, hope it goes somewhere else. Should I have shot it? In retrospect I wish I had. We don't need a beast like that on the property regardless...it was definitely an Alpha predator.

Sat in the woods for about 20 minutes after, have to admit to looking over my shoulder several times when I walked out to the 4 wheeler. For a hunt where I didn't see a shooter of the pursued species, I have to mark this as one of my most interesting, intriguing, exciting and mystifying days on the hunt. I always like to know there's stuff out there we don't anticipate, but I wouldn't want to face this thing without a weapon, preferably a firearm!

When I got back to camp all of my buds were gone--it was Sunday and they had headed home, had a note to call and check in--must admit to having felt a little more 'lonely' than usual. What a weird, but neat, hunt/day in the woods. As I have said, that's why we go, cause you just never know!!!!

BTW, all the eggs, biscuits and bacon had been devoured

Good story! I think it was probably a wolf that got released from being a pet. The fact that it was big enough to take a deer and was as big as a deer would give me that impression. Up here in Northern Canada, I have heard of wolves topping 250 lbs. when food is plentiful, and they are in good shape. Good on you for seeing it and being "in tune" enough with the bush to catch that whole episode. I would shoot it next time I see it if I were you, or at the very least find a Fish and Game Officer and describe what you saw. They might know if there were any critters let loose that should not have been. Hope that helps, and good hunting,
Graham

Great story Fish!! Thanks for sharing it!

Yearas ago I was competing at the rodeo in Santa Maria California, at the time I was in the hunt for leading the world standings and so somewhat of a semi celebrity.
Which is why I was invited to a party at someones house who I heard was a big game hunter who had a huge trophy room and I said sure that I would love to go.
I walked through his front door and when I turned to close the dang thing there was a HUGE wolf mounted on a stand right behind it that about gave me a freeking heart attack.
On the plaque it said it was the second largest North American wolf ever taken, and I do believe in said it wieghed 319 pounds.
I know it said at least that, if not 329.
I only met the gentleman once that night but he had a trophy room like nothing I had ever seen.
Elephant half body mount and probably well over a hundred mounts of every conceivable african animal.
I have forgotten this mans name, would anyone here know it by chance, hell he might even post here.
I will never forget the shock of seeing that wolf, I had no idea that they could possibly get that big, hell he looked like a yearling steer.

Anyway, good story and thanks for sharing it with us, I bet you do wish that you had busted him.
Make a man step pretty warily around those parts I bet.
A true wolf would probably be no threat but I can tell you from first hand experiance that the cross breed ferals, or domesticated wolves are dangerous, very dangerous.

quote:

Originally posted by bucko:
I walked through his front door and when I turned to close the dang thing there was a HUGE wolf mounted on a stand right behind it that about gave me a freeking heart attack.
On the plaque it said it was the second largest North American wolf ever taken, and I do believe in said it wieghed 319 pounds.
I know it said at least that, if not 329.

Had you been imbiding in spirited water before reading the plaque?? -TONY

"The heaviest recorded wild wolf in the New World was killed on 70 Mile River in east central Alaska on July 12, 1939 and weighed 79 kg (175 lb.)[7], while the heaviest recorded wild wolf in the Old World was killed after WWII in the kobelyakski Area of the Poltavskij Region in the Russian SFSR and weighed 86 kg (189 lb.)."

Fish,

The property I get to hunt in Kerr County Texas, outside of Selma Alabama and the lease I am on in McRae Georgia, the owner(s) all have the same plan.

"If you are not sure if it is a coyote (in your case a wolf) or a dog, take it down as the neighbor's dog isn't suppose to be over here running my game or livestock either." And they each expect their personal canines to not run wild. However in saying that I would hope I could recognize the owner's animal and would just let him know.

There isn't any hesitation from these three land owners in regards to a canine on their property. I consider myself fortunate not having ever to have made that call as I don't want to shoot someone's pet. If I thought it was a full bred dog or was sporting a collar and/or tags I still wouldn't shoot even with permission. Otherwise I believe I would comply with the land owner's wishes.

Fred

Writer you may well be correct,, but dang I thought that I was at least sober when I arrived..
It is a strange thing though, I studied that damn wolf for at least 10 minutes and read that plaque at least three times and I would bet a lot that it indeed said 319.
I would imagine then that there is more to the story than meets the eye.
The wolf was HUGE..
I guarantee that there are going to be people that post here that will know the man I talk of.
There are not that many that have a museum of Wild animals that they ahve killed in their homes in Santa Maria California in the 80's.

As i said he had from dik-dik to Elephant and everything in between.
I do believe that he was some sort of building contractor and a very serious hunter.

Guys I can tell you for a fact that worrying about collars or trying to tell your neighbor is bad biz if you have a dog that large at large.
Unless of course you know the nieghbor well and know them to be responsible people.
I have taken a few dogs home to folks that I KNEW would appreciate it and if the doge got out it was an accident.
But I can tell you from personal experiance that most people don't really give a damn and that if you are the one that asks them, or warns them and then their dog does turn up missign or gets home with a leg shot off,, guess who they suspect.

I will repeat, collars don't mean squat except as an aiming point..
The county Sheriff here used have me jsut drop the collars off that I "collected" and then he would go write them a citation.

So unless you are SURE that you know the people will appreciate it, do NOT go say a word to them about their dogs.
As I said it can get ugly fast and I have stood looking over the sights of a rifle or pistol at three different people with guns in their hands over some damn dog that I may or may have not shot.
If they are where they are not supposed to be,, Shoot, shovel and shutup.

And another snippet from Jan., 2007. -TONY

"A grey wolf shot dead in northwestern Bulgaria and reported to be the biggest wolf ever recorded at 80 kilogrammes (176.4 pounds) actually fell far below this weight, an independent expert has told AFP.

"The male beast that was shot dead on December 30 near the town of Brusartzi weighed 48 kilogrammes," Hunting Association chief Mihail Boyadzhiev told AFP Thursday.

"Bulgaria has one of the largest game populations in Europe, including more than 2,500 grey wolves according to the latest tally."

The heaviest wolf on record weighed 79.4kg, according to The International Wolf Centre in Ely in the US state of Minnesota.

Slavcho Slavchev, who said he killed the animal near the village of Brusartzi, told BTA news agency that he shot the six-year-old dog with a single bullet to the head while lying in ambush for other game.

None of the hunters in his party had ever seen or heard about such a big animal, Mr. Slavchev said, adding that a 50kg wolf is already considered an exceptionally weighty trophy.

Do we know how large captive wolves can get?

quote:

Originally posted by Fish30114:
... a batch of scrambled and a package of Maple Flavored bacon. Store bought biscuits, but I actually prefer them--Pillsbury Flaky Style!

Hey Don, No sliced Tomatoes???

quote:

...it was a wolf!

Now I know, there aren't any wolves in Georgia, but damn this was a HUGE canine.

Some folks actually believe there are no Black Panthers in S.C. too. Doesn't matter how my have been seen by reliable folks, some just have a bit too much Granite between their ears to believe things they don't understand.

quote:

He started slipping down my lane toward me. I was actually glad I had a gun....This thing froze up about 150 yards out, and was just looking around, body completely still, but head glancing to and fro, very slowly and cautiously. I could see it test the air with it's nose.

It was Trigger Time.

quote:

Yellowish eyes.

Huuummmm?!?!?!

quote:

BTW, all the eggs, biscuits and bacon had been devoured

Thanks for a great story.

Several years back when I ran a hunting lease I had some of the hunters tell me that they were seeing Hyenas on the place. I told them to shoot the damn things. I still don't have a Hyena skin.

Everybody always sees whole families of Mountain lions playing around in the sunshine but I don't have a Cougar skin either. I can't find any tracks or other evidence. I guess I'm just hunting all wrong.

Alan

I agree with others that it could have been a wolf released by someone. A friend of mine used to have two wolfs and while they were descent pets, they can flat out be mean!

On another note, we once found a large dead K9 on our place that was the size of a mature german shepard. A great deal larger than any yote I've ever seen or heard of. I called a biologist and asked if there was any chance a wolf could have been in these parts, he said no. I then asked if a yote could possibly get as large as a mature German Shepard, he said in some cases they can get as large as a mature GS and that he was very confident the animal in question was a very large yote.

Reloader

Hell, there's a lady up the road here that found a dead, mangy Coyote on the highway, proclaimed it as a "Chupacabra" and sold about a jillion t-shirts with "Summer of the Chupacabra" on them. She had it DNA tested and was on TV in San Antonio . The scientists said it was a Coyote but she claimed it was still a Chupacabra and sold more shirts.

There are giants of every specie, but mostly these evolutionary experiements fall without too much addition to the gene pool.

Alan

I do recall a wolf shot in the foothills in southern alberta being weighed at 205 lbs, officially, was in the papers about 7yrs ago I think, a large black male. That is by far the biggest I have ever heard of, 160lbs is a large wolf for any where, and if full of meat could 30 lbs I suppose.

I see any dogs in the woods and they are dead, real quick like, i hate the bastards, yotes, feral dogs, cupbracabra, it dont matter. They only want one thing and thats the same thing i want!

Thanks for the comments guys, it surely was an interesting morning in the woods.

The more I think of it, I do agree with those of you that said smoke it. It did not have a collar. I really wonder what kind of a canine takes live deer typically, I guess coyotes do, but this thing would have been a world class size yote for sure--my true thought is Feral Wolf or crossbread canine of some sort--or may be there is nuke plant somewhere around they haven't told us about, and it was a super-yote.

HC, some 'maters would have been the capper, but that time of year all you can find in our grocery stores are the 'hothouse' maters, force grown so to speak, and cottony--yeccch.

You know it's interesting, sometimes you go on a hunt, and it's something you would never expect, not much to do with your goal--big buck in this case---and it makes for one of your neatest memories.....I love it!

Fred, I do like your landowner's position on the matter BTW

I saw one of are wolves out close last week when I was working got to with in about 20 feet before it jumped off the highway in front of my cruiser. It was a good size one Iam guessing around 120lbs. I had a lab/gs cross when I was a kid that weighed that. This wolf had more leg for sure. Dam battery on my camera was dead other wise I would had a good pic.

No wheres as big as the mounted monster I saw up at the vistors center in Tok AK I belive that ones in the 180 class but its been a long time sense I read the plaque.

I real don't think it would have to have been a released wolf Wisconsin wolves have been found hundreds of miles away from then normal haunts.

As for monster yotes They are most likely dog yote crosses.

Hi: A few years ago we come across some young hunters all in a flap because they had shot a giant wolf that was following them. I think they were just scared and thought it was following them but anyway we went for a look and it really was very large but it was like a tall slim wolf and the long hair growing in for winter season gave him the large appearance. Both of us guessed that he would weigh close to 150lbs after lifting the carcass but at first look he did look bigger.