Another Unsuccessful Wolf Hunt or…Day out with the AR….

Spent some hours on the trail today with the new AR.  No shots but I learned a thing or two about the rifle.

I headed for an area where wolves have drifted after they attack livestock and such so I hope for a close encounter.  It was snowing heavily when I started.  Made a three hour climb hoping to cut wolf track.  I never did.  Never did on my ski track on the way back, either.  

I got on some moose and a few single deer tracks and followed them, but never found footfall of the elusive Disease.  

After last week’s shooting I was full of confidence about my ability to hit, bit alas, never got the chance.  And that is of course the major problem.

It’s interesting.  The AR instills me with a shooting confidence I never had with the AK’s, but it is not without its warts.

The main problem as I found today is the mag release.  On my Smith, the button stands proud of the fence, and at one point when I took a break, I unslung the rifle and somehow got an unintended mag release.  I’m not going to lie…that makes me nervous.  A fall on this rifle, unlike the AK, could easily result in a loss of the mag.  I’m going to grind that mag button down.







I love the mountains, and there is no day when limb and lung are stretched in them that I consider the effort fruitless.  But I realize, my neighbor’s cattle, and mine, are not better protected because of my efforts today…

Some pix;

Getting started;



Views;





My Buddy, chugging along as I climb;



Calling from a setup over a canyon;



Changing spots;



Lunch;





My gear, or some of it…pockets not emptied;



The AR;

Looks like an awesome day and a great time...If you enjoy the cold that is...

I would try to tighten your mag release a turn or two and see if that helps before you grind it down.  It the mag release bolt flush with the outside of the button?

I was going to suggest this.  Tighten it down some more.  It looks like it has a little further it can go.

 

Dude nice pictures. Beautiful scenery. You going to get some glass on that AR? I think it would def make for a better hunting rig. Keep us posted on your next outing.

awesome pics, but when did ya have time to hunt

A bad day hunting is better than a good day working.

Quick question and dont take this the wrong way. I was once a hard core hunter and by no means against hunting but how could you shoot "mans best friends great grandfather" and one of natures most perfect animals.  and I know your going to say they kill the farmers cows but whos on whos land?      I do respect your set up bro. and where the hell are you with all that snow, it was 79 in jersey today.

Where I live in MT we have about that much snow and it was snowing today as well.  Good luck on getting a wolf.  They have been killing everything in these parts.  The packs need to be reduced drastically.

wolverines!

excellent photo EVR.

i would try tightening the mag release a few turns and see if that fixes the issue

Looks like an awesome outing, even without a wolf sighting. Definitely some rugged country.  

And a lefty shooter to boot!

Jealous

Really, "I was once a hard core hunter" stay in NJ.............Sully

Wolves kill everything!  Not just what they need to survive but much more. The hunts are to control population the same as with any animal. There have been hunts for the last 2 years and population of wolves still grew more than desired.

I wonder if the OP posted pics of his cattle after the attacks, if MJR73 would feel the same?

And people want to save em'......WTF,

i used to hunt a lot.  and i see nothing wrong with hunting wolves, but i myself could not do it.  wolves and bobcats are no-go's in my book, idk why. haha.  

What happened to the Armalite? Did you buy two ARs? If so, sweet.

Cool pics. Looks like a great time.



I see several people have posted this solution, but I don't see anybody telling you how to accomplish it. To do this, push the mag catch button down all the way.  All the way. You will see the magazine catch protruding from the left side of the rifle. Turn the magazine catch to screw it in. You may need to use a small allen wrench or something to push the magazine catch button down below flush with the right side of the receiver to get the magazine catch to protrude enough to clear the left side of the receiver to screw it down.

lulz. hardcore hunter...

MJR73, quick question... what part of the country did you hunt "hardcore"..

also Is a hardcore big game, varmint, what.... I want to see one of these hardcores. I picture a hardcore to look something like a jackelope.

What gear is needed to get into hunting hardcore?

How much do taxidermists charge to mount a hardcore?

OP, I suspect a bad day out there much like a bad day fishing beats a good day at work, any day.

Beautiful country.

Could you please tell me about that knife with your gear if you will,  it looks interesting.

Thanks for the pictures, OP.

I think wolves are awesome, and I don't mind being around them, but I'd hunt them given a chance.

As for the knife, it is a sticker I made.  I make all my own fixed blade knives, bolos, parangs and such.  I also make all my own leather gear; holsters, scabbards, slings, etc.  The G19 holster has a combination chest holster and belt holster, it riding on my belt yesterday.

Guys;  As usual......!!!

THANKS so much for the tip on the mag release...I just did it and will give it a workout and adjust as necessary.

That is basically the only thing I have to grip about {except for the Buttstock Abomination}.  I worry a bit about falling on it and losing the mag in the process.  I have wiped out a number of times of course with an AK or other rifle on my back and as for the AK the mag catch is located in such a way as you know that a fall can have no effect on it.  With the AR, the potential is there...  

Tho I'm left handed, I will leave the mag catch as a righty-only for that reason, as I do not want to risk rubbing of the catch on my back or other gear and having it depress.  No worries, tho, I figured out a method to eliminate the two-step mag release "necessitated" by being left handed.  Kind of a modification of operating the AK release.  Grab the fresh mag and hit the release with the mag or hand while seating it.  Doesn't take as many steps as releasing it first.

Playing around with the mag catch I see I can actually depress the button farther than the screw.  I may just do this on ski trips in order to prevent release as much as possible.  I don't want to carry two mags if I can avoid it...tho I may anyway if I get some tracer, especially a low-cap mag as a backup.  Anyway, I see that the screw then can be depressed to actuate the release without all the surrounding button being exposed to impact.



The rifle was used, incidentally, because of the weather as I set out.  It was blowing hard, snowing heavily and using a scope in such conditions is often a pain, with visibility limited anyway.  I was looking for wolf track, and any I found would be fresh in the driving snow, but, none.  I set up and called over a canyon anyway.  Later in the day the snow slowed down and then more or less stopped.
 
There's a lot of truth to what Willz says about being in the mountains, tho the nature of what we are facing here takes some of the joy away.  It is an emergency and the lies and propaganda of the "industrial" environmental movement continues to impact politics as we face the consequences.  Just last week over south of Salmon a wolf chased a deer right by a woman getting out of her car IN THE CARPORT attached to the house. They both passed one foot away from here and then the deer ran plumb into the fence in the backyard and the wolf killed it there. USDA flew the area the next day and killed the wolf. Elk population has deminished by 25,000; cause, wolves.  Stock depredations all over the state.  Millions each year lost to the Game Departent.  Outfitters gone out of business..  Kids shut up in their homes.  The Constitution replaced by the Endangered Species Act, with the latter applied arbitrarily and capriciously.  It is time to scrap ESA.  It has been hijacked by the money-grubbing fake pseudo-environmentalist organizations.   The people of this state and others, are deeply bitter about it.  For 80 years generations of Idahoans knew the blessing of a land without wolves.

To the New Jersey guy;  your argument would have some amount of moral value only if you gave the state back to the Leni Lenape indians and bulldozed your house and planted indigenous flora on the graded ruins.  AND "Reintroduced" every bit of fauna that existed there prior to White settlement...or should we go back to pre-human times?  But alas, until your argument is completely bankrupt.

Oh, by the way, tho it is of no account, really, I grew up there...left 38 years ago.

My grandfather, father, and I were all raised on farms and operate them every day.  Amongst the 3 of us we own and operate over 500 acres of farmland with close to 100 head of Black Angus Cattle, multiple pigs at various times of the year, 4 head of cattle, and over 200 chickens which we kill.  My mother owns and operates a farm and feed supply store closing in on its 20 anniversary and she only has a GED.  We are very self-sustaining.  

Too anyone who says don't kill a wolf or predator animal to me is the just like the women on the news a few years back when asked about helping bail out farmers.  She said "Why do I care about farmers, I get all of my meet and food from the grocery store."  People like that are completely clueless.  Yet, our nation jumps to help out corrupt, rich bankers and business corporations because they have deeper pockets in Washington.  I don't have to worry about so many chemicals in my food.  All I have to worry about are wormers and fertilizer from our fields, of which we select.  We have thousands and thousands of dollars in livestock and farm equipment because our way of living depends on it.  Any animal or thing that stands in the way of that will get a bullet directly to the head, whether it’s a predator or your beloved pet. (and that is happened before – 2 pet dogs killed a calf of ours and it ended they both ended up with an ought 6 round to the dome.  We asked them several times to control their dogs but they would not.  The magistrate backed us 100% because WV state law backs us as well.)  

Although not so much in my area (we deal with coyotes, deer, and varmints) wolves are a problem for farmers.  People need to realize we are at the top of the food chain for a reason.  To the person who said that, would you go to the wolf and ask him how he can stand to kill a poor innocent rabbit?  If he didn't try to kill you and if he could talk he would tell you because his life depends on it and my family does too.  And don't even tell me it doesn't.  Yes we could be like everyone else and rely on stores but if everyone in America did that in the world humans would crumble in a heartbeat.


xachary82, it costs way to much to get hardcore mounted so don't even try.


ETA:  Aimless, sorry for the rant in the tech forum.  I felt this one needed to be done.

I just bought some PMag Stubbies MidwestPX.  Since you make a lot of gear I am sure you can easily make these much cheaper.  It looks pretty easy and I will make any future ones myself if needed.  I bought them soley for low clearance hunting.  I also bought some D&H 10rd mags from 44mag.com.  I like them a lot so far.

Thanks for the support and the suggestions.  Yes, I'll get some little mags. 30's are nice but having some low caps with specialty rounds in them will come in handy.

Yeah, I have an Armalite on order....should be ready first of April or so;  a A4 National Match with green.

The mag release seems to work fine as a "stud" with just the screw showing.  I actually like it that way.  For gaming with the rifle or other tactical applications the full button as easy as possible to actuate is certainly best, but for my applications...dare I say it...the Infamous Bullet Button would work.  I want that mag to STAY PUT.  I've had pistol mags eject and in the making of my holsters for left hand I make a fence inside to ABSOLUTELY prevent side pressure from actuating the mag release.  On right hand holsters I use a welt block to add a twist to the gun, similarly in function to the old M1916 Colt holster.

With the AR, it seems the solution may give me both advantages, ease in release and protection from inadvertent release.  I'll practice with the right hand in changing mags quickly.  I think it won't take much time to make it a natural motion, even with the screw-only exposed.  Two weeks ago I fell on a slope that resulted in the rifle {AK SAR2} embedded in ice and slamming against my pack frame, etc.  No worry of a mag loss there, but set up the way it was yeterday before you guys taught me how to fix this issue, I can imagine I might have been spending a lot of time on my knees searching in the snow for a lost mag.

As for predator control, that is what these guns are for.  I've killed many dogs over the years that irresponsible people dumped or cared so little for they let the run...on my place destroying our stock.  My kids were always told that there would be no complaining if any of our dogs roamed on somebody else's land and was killed because of it.  Fortunately they stay home.  The first thing I killed with my old SAR2 was a large dog attacking my chickens.  Not sure what the first thing will be for the AR.  Remember, some of us, tho not all, have guns for utilitarian reasons and they serve as such all the time.  I am no collector and I do not begrudge anyone who is.  That's fine.

No kiddin.....

Our ancestors were successful in America because they got rid of these bastards not because they gushed over them...

This new world order loves predators both two legged and four legged

Man's best friend is the wolf's worst nightmare....as it should be

nice pics and sounds like a fun day. If your concerned with wolves in the area you should be happy you didn't find any means they are not close.
I would probably be taking pictures if i saw a wolf they are amazing animals but, you of course have every right to protect your livelihood and hunt them in accordance with local laws. Fish and game usually does a pretty good job of assessing populations and determining what should be hunted. Wolves do have a positive impact on our ecosystem but it is all too easy for them to get out of control with so many fat retarded domestic animals so easy for the picking. Would be great to see us go back to open ranges with bison the wolves would have to work and suffer for their food.

I come to this site as an escape from this kind of garbage. The PETA forum is farther on down.


Great pictures OP. The only thing that could have added to them is to see one of "natures most perfect animals" laying next to your AR. Better luck next time.

Since you're worried about losing a mag, how about getting a MIAD grip. It comes with an insert where you can store a few rounds 5.56. If for some reason you lose the mag you'd at least have some ammo stored on the rifle.

Wolf =/= Dag

It always cracks me up when people cry out to save the wolves as if they are some sweet cuddly creature.

yep, you get into a wolves territory and they will even try to kill you

To each his own!I hunt over bait where it is legal and I get shit from some.I shoot predators and dont really give a shit if they die slow as long as they die and dont come back for chickens or calves.Live and let live is my policy as long as they keep their nose out of my life!

It just went up a few degrees here with all of that hot air you're blowing...

OP....Good luck on your next hunt, and please get pics of your kill.

I hope this don't go off topic here. But here in Idaho we have a bad wolf problem. There has been 30,000 Wolf tags sold and less 300 harvested very hard to hunt. Aerial hunting only killed 14 wolves in 3 days.
Here is a pic of a adult male wolf that was recently harvested.Wolf Movie

that sucker is huge dang sure wouldn't want that around my family

OP I also shoot left handed I haven't had my ar long either I find all the standard controls easy to operate. I grab magazine with my right fingers press release with right thumb pull down. I use my L palm to switch safety I'm not sure if I will even put an ambi selector on or not. I can reach forward assist with L thumb.

Better luck next hunt. Its really hard to catch a wolf out since they are nocturnal mostly. And when you do they are weary my brother-in-law missed one a few weeks back at 600 yds with a 22-250.

I have a fantastic bobcat recipe for you.

I am sure there are some N.Korean ARFCOMMER's who will supply us with the dog recipe soon enough.............

Wolves have a propensity to not only kill individual animals, they taunt and torment entire herds until they are worn down and then killed off easily one by one. Wolves are far better hunters than 99% of all wolf hunters. And that's a fact. They are beautiful, yes. But deadly, and destructive.

Need help killing them? I have my own rifle, and I'll travel.

What ammo do you use to hunt wolves? I am assuming that is in 5.56. I have an M&P 15 and love it.

5.56.

That and other common varmint calibers are used, and really, any of the AR calibers would be fine tho where they are most easily hunted {down south} the longer ranging calibers get the nod.

They are VERY difficult to hunt.  VERY.  Almost impossible here. Better and easier to kill down south in the open.  They are elusive, highly intelligent and have superb sight and hearing.  They are highly prolific.

The government hunters use .22-250, .25-06 and .270 mostly.  Few are shot by WOLF hunters, most are taken incidentally, bumping into them while elk or deer hunting.  That is going to change as our elk seasons are shortened and wolves catch on.  In terms of cause of mortality by humans, most are trapped or shot from the air in control actions.  The latter is impossible, more or less, in our country here due to dense timber and mountains.

Our elk, and the elk culture that has developed here, are doomed.  After the elk are gone, wolves will take more and more livestock.  Few children walk extensively as they did before the advent of motorized travel, or they would kill children as they did by the hundreds in Central Europe, Russia and Finland as documented by various researchers in the era 1600-1900.

Look up the word "disease" in the dictionary and no organism on earth better serves as a one-word example than "wolf".  As for looks, they are beautiful, but then, so is small pox under the microscope.

From 1915 to 1940, the Federal government waged a war against these canids in the attempt to support a devastated livestock industry in the West.  In 1923 ALONE, the Federal government through the Bureau of Biological Survey agents {not counting cattleman and sheep growers associations, Counties, University Agricultural extension agents and just plain individuals} placed 3,567,000 poison baits over 284,000 square miles of the West in the effort to control wolf and coyote populations.  AND IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1930 THAT WOLVES WERE CONSIDERED CONTROLLED AND NOT UNTIL THE 1940'S THAT THEY WERE CONSIDERED EXTIRPATED. The same work conducted in '23 was conducted year after year.  That is what it took to get rid of the Disease.

No, the insanity of modern ignorance in politics, treasonous anti-American "Green" Leftists and simply the masses of misled urbanites ensures we will have wolves for the next generations, and their devastating impact to Americans as well.  Yes, wolf loving and support for wolf introduction is TREASON in my opinion.  No better than bomb making on behalf of Islamist terrorist cells embedded in the USA.  How is it not?  It destroys American's livelihoods, culture, recreation.  It terrorizes people over vast regions of the nation.  The Pro-Wolf Movement and Islamist terrorism work hand-in-glove.  Both seek the destruction of American culture.

And by the way, back on topic, as a tool of wolf killing, there is nothing wrong with a good, accurate AR with a ten or more shot magazine.  In fact it is a perfect tool for the man that wanders into a rendevous spot {summer pup assembly location}.  Low recoil, lots of bullets.  Accurate.  Hard to beat it.  Suppressed would be better yet.

God help us.

I think you would really like a couple of ten rd mags for winter. smaller and easy to carry. with two you may get lucky and get 19 wolfs and have one bullet to get you home. You may even try drilling a hole in one of the mags near the bottom and attach a para cord or something to the mag and gun but attaching to the gun somewhere may cause a bit of a problem with the loose cord but you would still have the mag if it came out again.

I enjoy your posts. Keep it up.

same here...............go get'em!

Man he's Good looking animal, but big as a horse.  OP I love that knife and would like to hear more about how it was crafted.  It is a beautiful piece.  I bought a small fixed blade in NM made out of a file that I liked.

It was muggy and hot this week down in Alabama.  I wish that it was just cold enough for flurries sometimes.

Hi and thanks.

I am not sure where knives can be discussed here but if you PM me I'll tell you whatever you want to know.  

We use my knives and parangs for trailmaking {miles to maintain on the ranch here}, hunting, butchering, camping, fence-clearing, fishing, etc.

I'd like to get a beatup M7 M16 bayonet with a functional mechanism and see if I could use the mechanism to make a long, heavy-bladed M16 Bolo bayonet.  A concept idea anyway...  Just a toy but it would be kind of cool to have.

As for the sticker;  Line 'em up, Tap-Tap-Tap with the Glock before they can scatter, and stick...

great movie! worlds largest Elk herd 19,000 down to 4500. good stuff in that movie $$$$$$$$$$$$ loss to ranchers!

State trappers so busy with wolves the coyotes are now devasting the sheep.

it's simple! put bounties back on the yotes!

I too enjoy your thread so far.It shows you can use the AR15 for "practical or tactical"use.I hope you keep posting here not only about your adventures with the AR,but other things as you have touched on in this post.If it gets moved to hunting,survival,outdoors section I hope to know so I can still find it.Keep up the good work.

Look at this to adjust the mag catch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hj3i_AUsk0&feature=related