Elk Calf Caller - why Wolves don't come and how to fix it

[HooCairs]

It took me about 350 wolves to figure out why many times no wolves come when calling with the elk calf caller. Here is how to easily fix this.

Many wolves occur in areas where there is rocky mountain elk. When tracking a wolf pack or even single wolves in such areas, you will often see the following pattern, a few tracks for each type:
Roaming - Chasing - Roaming - Chasing - Roaming - Chasing - ...

Also many times you see elk or wolves run around and you know you didn't spook them. I have even seen this pattern recently:
Roaming - Chasing - Roaming - Fleeing - Chasing - ...

Even after they fled from me, the next thing they did was chasing. It appears wolves want to chase elk "all the time". When you see or hear wolves and call, often they don't come. When you then go check out the place you realize they preferred chasing a grown elk bull over coming to a weak elk calf, i.e. to you. Sometimes the wolves start trotting to you, only to change their mind and switch to chasing again.

Conclusion: The elk are the root cause for wolves that don't come to you!

I have stopped hunting wolves in elk areas and hunted them solely on the south-eastern map beyond the main river. There are plenty of them there. And alas, down there wolves come to your call pretty much every time. If they don't come, they probably got stuck in a set of small aspen trees or behind a rock. When you spook wolves, wait a few minutes and start calling again. Most of them return!

Long story short, if you like hunting wolves, stay away from any places with elk.

[trulight]

Good info as always HooCairs

[BucksNBuffalo]

Sorry, Hoo. Have to disagree with you on a lot of points here. The reason why wolves don't always come to the caller is because of their roaming speed. A lot of the times, let's say for example you get a call from a wolf that is near the border or your HM or halfway, by the time you get the caller up the wolf that called is already out of its effective range. And also, they do exhibit the same pack AI as others, where if the lead wolf is not interested, normally the others will not follow. Back to the roaming speed, many times I have gotten calls from wolves about halfway to me, and it seems that they are on top of you VERY quickly after a call. They move very fast at times. Basically, the best way to combat this is to watch where the wolf calls from. If it's close to you that's the best scenario. If it's further away, track for a little first until you gain some ground. Of course, there are also times when they'll chase the Rocky Mountain Elk, but once interested in your call it does not matter if there are 50 elk around, they will come to you. I actually have my best luck with wolves in the Elk areas because I know the concentration of them is high. I have observed this much much more than actually shooting the wolves. And, I use Elk as an indicator when I do hunt wolves. If I see a random Elk cow or Bull running from seemingly nothing, I know there are wolves nearby and I begin to call. Works at least 95% of the time.

[Prinz1989]

I must say my experience resembles that of Hoo.
I didn't think of the solution though.
I thought in the south east are only mule deer and a few grizzlys.
I will most devinitly check it out for wolves now. That will also get rid of the problem of elk cows comming to the call when you expect wolves.
Right now they are the most difficult species to hunt for me (aside from the polar bear because of that ones very small numbers).

[outrider]

haven't had to call wolves...i don't go out hunting them. they just show up. they call, i don't go towards their area they are calling from...i just keep going and they soon show up..i don't shoot them unless they get in front of the way i'm going...they don't attack, you can't eat them, there's no bounty on them. so why would you purposely waste a bullet on them...

[Ringalor]

Thank you Hoocairs !

[RidgeBack69]

Personally I think the chasing part of the AI should be removed. I have no interest in hunting wolves in game If I could eradicate them for my map I would. IMO they ruined one of the best maps in the game with the chasing AI.

[gas56]

It's always been stated that some Wolf calls are out beyond you're calling distance, and thus will have no effect if you're not within' the calling distance when you call back.
Always get within closer calling distance and it seems that the Wolves will always come to your call. If the call doesn't register on the HM than that wolf call is out of distance.
If you can hurry to the area without spooking them where you last heard them call because you can distinguish the direction of the call.
The equation is being faster than the wolf before it moves out of range again and carry a TS along for when more than 1 wolf shows up so you will be ready with your bow.
I would like to see more immersion between animals in the game because it makes a great aspect of realism that comes along with it.
Wolves roam a wide area over the map as with the Elk and I wouldn't want to limit my hunting experience to a smaller portion without trying
different strategies in hunting them.

[CodeBlue]

Personally I think the chasing part of the AI should be removed. I have no interest in hunting wolves in game If I could eradicate them for my map I would. IMO they ruined one of the best maps in the game with the chasing AI.

I totally agree!

[HooCairs]

10 wolves in 54 minutes. They always come to the call in this no elk area.
https://www.thehunter.com/#profile/hooc ... n/74265442