Stinkin' Wolves

[Phil Soucy]

Just a note to let you guys know that we had three dogs killed by wolves less than two miles outside of Libby on Saturday the 2nd. We cold trailed a tom all morning thinking the track was fresher than it was. It went towards the wilderness and when it came back we followed it on sleds for over a mile. At this point we had caught the dogs and thought it was pretty hot by the way they were rolling. It was three o'clock and we were staring into a big nasty drainage with restricted access on the other side. Five wolves had come out the day before and had moved south so we took a chance that we soon would regret. They rolled down into the bottom and we waited to hear the tree. They started to climb up,up over the top of the next ridge. At this point we split up. Todd, Scott, Ryker and Clyde sledded to the house and hopped in my truck and rushed through town to try to get to the dogs. John and I went back to load our sleds and meet the other guys at the gated road. I shuttled guys in and they started snowshoeing in to the dogs. They were spread out in a triangle pattern about 400 to 500 yards apart. The snow was deep and steep climbing made it a tough go. When Todd called me right at dark I was worried because the dogs were not moving and we never heard them bark since we left the other side at three o'clock.
Todd said he had found Sadie and she was killed by wolves. He started trying to make his way to Clyde's redbone, Dan when his light went dim. Then wolves lit up the night. It souded like fifty of them and they were close. At this point it was clear that we were too late. The next day, the five of us plus two good friends Gerry and his son, George showshoed in and recovered the bodies. Sadie was the first we found. She was stiff and bitten but not torn up. The we found Dan and he was in similar condition. We wrapped them up and strapped them on packframes. Roy had made it to the creek bottom before they over took him, he was opened up and some of his insides were were eaten. They must have yarded the hide off of him and ate it. I could not even help take his collars off. I am thankful to my friends who wrapped him up and packed him out. I will be posting some pictures tomorrow. I have real mixed feelings about showing our dead dogs so that may take some time. I plan on giving each dog a tribute with a photos detailing a few of the adventures we had with them. This was not how I planned on getting out of hounds, but I must admit the fear this might happed became so great in me that I refused to raise any pups the last five years. Between the wolf threat and losing my hunting partner, I do not have the desire to do this like I used to. I still have a couple of old dogs and if I get a fresh track in a safer place I may finish out the season with a couple more toms, but gone are the days of raising and training pups, catching fourty or fifty lions a year. Gone are the days when a man could put his dog on a two day old track and hear him grub for miles, and not worry himself sick where he might end up.Dan was 7 and Roy was 10 1/2, but Sadie was young and just reaching her prime. She had reached the point where she could lead a pack, catching bobcats with ease. She belonged to a fourteen year old boy that beamed when his dad would send pictures of the latest bobcat that fell from a tree. You guys will get to know more about these dogs in the future. Maybe not the best there ever was, but they sure showed us a great time.

[chilcotin hillbilly]

Phil,
I am so sorry to hear that, I have been there and know what it is like. I left my dogs over night on Saturday night as they where treed on top of a mountain at dark. I didn't sleep all night and heard the wolves howl causing me to get out of bed and head for the tree. I was over joyed to see all dogs alive and well, as I never heard a dog bark for the longest time as i walked in. That first bark was the best noise i have heard in a long time.
I am truly sorry for your loss.
Doug

[kehrer10]

Sorry for your loss Phil.

[jcutler]

That's terrible I'm so sorry to hear that. This is an occurrence that is happening way too often. I wish every houndsman that has lost a dog to wolves would send pictures in the mail to homes of the politicians that brought the wolves back for them and their families to see, might change their perspective a little.

[FullCryHounds]

I'm still waiting for one of these companies to market a new wolf call for our E callers. The sound of hounds barking treed. I'd love to be the first one to try it out and see the look on that first wolfs face when he realized he just f@&ked up.! Man I hate to hear these stories, they are getting way too common. Sorry to hear this happen to you Phil.

[chiller]

i am sorry for your loss... loosing a dog is never easy

[bighorn_hounders]

I have a question for the Montana and Idaho guys. Just a good honest question, nothing implied. Has anyone tried running 1 or 2 Irish Wolfhounds in their pack for defense. Wolves are killing hounds like they kill coyotes, for competition; but dogs of all races recognize size and dominance (except the min-pin! lol). I am just curious if the wolfhound breed, which is a huge dog and apparently bred for the purpose of roughing up the gray wolf; might work to defend a hound pack from these rascals. I wouldn't want to feed a wolfhound, but I wouldn't want to go through what just happened either. Any ideas if someone has tried this or something similar. Man I am glad I don't have to worry about wolves in my country, at least not yet.

[Trueblue]

[liontracker]

Extremely sorry Phil.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not shoot, the courage to shoot the things I can, and the wisdom to hide the bodies." unknown author

[Terry L. Zink]

Phil, I'm so sorry, We had them in where were the other day to, not far from my house, we were lucky.

bighorn_hounders, the fact is there isn't a dog alive that would be able to stand up againest a pack of wolves, no way, these wolves ( males 100 lbs to 130 lb and female 80lbs to 100lbs) are bred to kill elk and moose and the wolves do it with no problem.

[Yaak attack]

Pics

[shawn cole]

kill them all!!!!

[Brian Chorney]

Phil its heartbreaking to hear that you got hit. I've been there and know how it feels. I send my deepest sympathy to you. Sorry to her my friend
Brian

[Geohunts]

sorry for loss kill them rotten bastard

[bluedog4]

Phil, so sorry to hear about what happend, We up here deal with that same feeling in the bottom of our stomachs everytime we let go! Best Regards for you and your hunting partners.
Shane