I am going to be optimistic in the fact that I will draw one of the coveted MN wolf tags. So lets talk what I want to load for them. If I don’t do a rug it will be a full body mount. So the pelt is a priority. I don’t know if a solid bullet is the way to go but I definately want a slow expanding bullet for complete pass through with little exit wound damage. I was thinking Trophy Bonded Bearclaw or Swift A Frame in my .243.
Although this is probably against better judgement, I’m bringing out the .300 Mag to make sure I take him out quick and cause some major damage.
The last thing I want to deal with is an injured wolf coming after me!:o
And I figure that a good taxidermist could cover up any damage to the pelt that I would cause.
Dad asked me why am I shooting such a light caliber. It got me thinking. I wonder what rifle I should/want to take.
7mm STW
.280 Rem
8mm Mag
.270
.243
.338 Win Mag
Hmmm. Choices choices.
Justin, the 300 Win Mag should be fine. Just choose something in a heavy bullet like the Swift A Frame or Trophy Bonded Bearclaw.
I’d choose the 280, but simply because it’s always been a caliber I would like to add to my collection. I’m thinking .223 for me with the same load I’d shoot a coyote with. Although, I do wonder if it’s a legal caliber for wolves??
.243 with the right bullet placement would be more than enough to bring down a wolf. Good Luck to everyone
If I get drawn I’ll probably up jump up to a 220gr.
The area I plan to hunt is in the BWCA and is quite thick and nasty so i’m thinking of going a little heavier to bust through some brush if I need to.. I’m picturing close quarter shots under 100yds so bullet trajectory shouldn’t be a factor.
I would go with the .270 that’s just me. 
The bonded bear claws in the 300 blow deer up in my experience.
I think gu choice depends on how you plan to hunt them. If your going to be hunt open areas with long shots id bring a big gun. I will be appling for a tag as well and have been doing some research. They say the .30 caliber is a good choice for long ranges.
Im with you as far as not wanting to do hide damage. Ill be hunting a lot of different areas so ill have my .22-250, 30-06, and my .300 ultra mag. the 22-250 im working getting some different loads not sure if i want a bullet that is going to explode on impact and hope for minimal damage or shoot a heavy dense bullet to pass through. The 06 will be 180gr barnes mrx and the .300 rum will be a 200 gr something still working on getting that gun dialed in.
Barnes X 100gr out my 25.06 
please please please let me get drawn!!!
Wow, I’m shocked at the huge calibers that are being considered. Maybe not HUGE, but I haven’t seen many pelts that are in great shape after a 140 gr .270 hits a bone on the pass through. Granted that is compared to shooting a 35# coyote.
My father’s uncle made a small fortune during the height of the wolf bounty programs and swore by a Winchester 25-35. His statement to me on his “wolf gun” was that hit’m low behind the shoulder and you’ll only have one big hole to sew up. After shooting a few coyotes with him with my 22-250, he sure wished he had my gun for wolves. He said the pelt damage was much less with my 55gr 22-250 than his 25-35. Now, if I shoot a coyote high in the shoulders, I have a big hole. But a quartered shot from behind the shoulder is nearly an instantly dead dog with a quarter sized exit hole. I’m very sure that a 22 traveling nearly 4000fps (muz) will do about the same on a 90# wolf
A lot of variables here. From what I am reading and what I already know I have a pretty strong feeling if I get a chance on a wolf it will be between 100 and 400+ yards.
Justin, I would suggest you find a nice big rock outcropping overlooking a swamp, blowbown or clear cut and call. I love the country you are talking about but the odds of seeing a wolf in that thick cover is slim.
I agree with Randy guys. Smaller calibers are more than sufficient. A big male wolf will weigh in at 150#. Shooting the bigger calibers is OK but I would make sure you are shooting the right bullet. I have never shot the Bearclaw out of a .30 caliber rifle but we did load it in the .284 (7mm STW) and pushed it along at 3400 ft/sec and we never could get it to expand or slow down. At 100 yards we pushed the bullet throuh three 5 gallon buckets (full of water) and our mock deer chest cavity. Of course experience is worth its weight in gold.
I may load the .280 for this job (just cause I like it so much). However I think the .243 is the right gun for the job……..AND it currently has a 0 body count. The .243 needs to draw blood.
So the choices get tougher. I narrowed it down to the .280 and the .243. Looking at the Nosler Partition 140gr (3000 ft/sec) and the Barnes TSX 100gr (3100 ft/sec) they are basically the same trajectory out to 500 yards (with in 2.5″ of each other). At 500 yards the .280 delivers 1120 ft/lbs of energy while the .243 delivers 800 ft/lbs of energy. Both are more than enough for a big wolf. Decisions decisions.
I’ve been talking with a good friend about this all morning. We keep going back and forth between the 22-250 and the 25.06.
You guys are funny! 
Sounds like a shot size discussion for grouse. 
I applied and if I do get one, I am on the fence between my 22-250 or .270, but highly leaning towards my .270
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Sounds like a shot size discussion for grouse.
Grouse are easy, 3.5″ turkey loads.
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Quote:
Sounds like a shot size discussion for grouse.
Grouse are easy, 3.5″ turkey loads.
Kooty, your funny Everyone knows to use FED PW102BB ULTSHK 10 13/8 STL 25/10 so that they are cleaned out by the time they hit the ground.
Well that depends. Everyone knows the later the wolf season the less foilage so your shots will be further so increase size!
If I had a .25-06, I’d sure be tempted to use that. However, seeings I do have a .243 and a .270, I’d have to be torn over those two choices…… and probably leaning toward the .243. If I want small grain weight, I can still get it in a .243. Hornady SST’s in 58gr V-Max….. 3925fps! I forget what the 95’s come out at but I’m thinking its still around 3100fps.
Why not buckshot?
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Why not buckshot?
Because a 400 yard shot is 10X more likely than a 20 yard one.
If you can get close enough, yeah! 
Where in the “range” are you going to find a 400yd shot?
What am I missing?
Even in the flats around Upper Red Lake, the “bog” has no opening for a 400yd shot because of tall grass and brush. They don’t stand as tall as a deer and not every wolf weighs 150lbs…..
The only way I could see a clear 400yd shot on a “dog” would be a picked hayfield that would cover a quarter section of land.
I’m picturing these dogs up in the arrow head region across to Red Lake area. Are people actually seeing them in open fields of the NW part of the state?
Again, not to be a smartazz……I’m just asking.
I can’t speak for MN, but here in WI I called one into this field. Could of easily had up to 700 yrds of shooting. (the grass was cut for a tree planting and as a distance ref. the two round bails are 270 yrds from me) Not trying to compare the landscape – just the fact that a wolf that isn’t spooked will travel an open field.
I fully expect to kill a wolf crossing a swamp/bog or clear cut while I shoot from a rock outcrop overlooking the clearing. I have shot many deer in the 300-400 yard range up in the BWCA area.
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