Wolves

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Dave

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Baker County, Oregon
This week some neighbors and friends were gathering some cattle out of the hills. They were about 10 miles as the crow flies from my house. A father (69) and son (43) both horse back with dogs. This fairly rough country with some trees but not forest. The son was pushing a herd. They were confronted by a very big wolf. The game dept. estimated that this wolf would weigh 200 pounds. He did have a smart phone and videoed this encounter. It pushed the cows back over the top of him. It challenged him and kept coming. It basically followed him all the way off the mountain. It barked at him. The father didn't see it but was close enough that he hear it bark. Not a howl. He said it sounded like a big mean guard dog. The son did not have a gun. He said he was looking for a tree that he could climb. If it came to it he said the horse would be on its own. All the ranchers and cowboys gathering cows are now packing and there is discussion on what to pack. It seems that they are thinking something like a 30-30. Light and narrow to fit in a saddle scabbard. Open sights because how reliable is a scope which has been banging around on the side of a horse for months. More accurate range than a pistol in the hands of the majority of people. The father in this was buying a shotgun today. He is a self proclaimed poor shot. He figures 00 buckshot makes up for some poor shooting.
 
This is a picture of my place. The wolf encounter took place to the left side of the picture about where the snow line is on the mountains.


 
Rifle definitely has more range. Shotgun is definitely more forgiving. I'd make sure my horse was comfortable with either!
 
JMJ Farms said:
Rifle definitely has more range. Shotgun is definitely more forgiving. I'd make sure my horse was comfortable with either!
There are very few horses I would fell comfortable shooting off of. My thinking is they will dismount to shoot. Long reins, a macardy (sp), or a lead rope attached to hold the horse from running off when a shot is fired.
 
I used to have a great little paint gelding (he worked for me). I swear he wouldn't have crossed open water if his tail was on fire, but I could slide out of the saddle and use him as a bench rest for my 30-30 without him flinching.
 
MurraysMutts said:
Hard to beat a good lever gun carbine in thutty thutty.

My favorite is a 357mag tho.
If I can ever get my hands on a 41....

A 357 or a 44 mag is on my list. My 45-70 govt. Just came first.
95% of the time I have one of my lever guns with when I check fences. There's just to many crazy four legged and two legged things running around.
 
Dang I miss my 45-70.
I had long barreled marlin rifle with full length mag tube. That was one accurate sucker.
We used to shoot 500 yard steel rams with it for fun.

Aaaand I'm off topic... lol
 
Yesterday I stopped at my local gun shop. I know the owner pretty well as he cowboys for a neighbor on days his shop is closed. I asked about a 30-30. How much for a used 30-30!!!!!!???? What the heck! I remember when you could buy a truck load of 30-30's for under $100 each. He did have a Sears knock off of a Winchester 94 that was some what affordable. I figure this gun will live in the gun rack on my quad. The quad gets parked in the machine shed so it won't be out in the elements most of the time. It can come into the house every now and then for a little oil and cleaning. But if it stays on the quad I won't have to remember to take it with me.
 
My "Ranch" gun that I take pretty much everywhere with me is a Rossi .357 lever-action rifle. It's a pretty decent shooter and cheap enough that I'm not crying the blues if something happened to it! You would be surprised at the impact it has on a coyote!
 
Kenny can correct me if I'm wrong but you might try pawn shops for a Marlin.Not as "classic" as Winchester but the wolf won't know the difference.
Don't get me wrong,I like the Winchester.I have Dad's 1952 model.The Marlin we have shoots where you aim it and that's what counts.
I understand the other calibers but,for a gun that needs to ride in a scabbard, I wouldn't want much money in it. 30/30 will take a deer down at 200 yards.It should be plenty for a wolf.
 

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