Hunting

Big Bad Wolves

Bob McNally Avatar

By Bob McNally

Updated on Apr 20, 2021 3:45 AM EDT

3 minute read

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<strong>BIG BAD WOLVES</strong><br /> Patrick Aucoin has the No. 1 archery record for wolf in the SCI book, a remarkable accomplishment for this difficult to approach predator. His huge and beautiful animal came from the snowy reaches of Alberta, Canada, near Grande Prairie. With a score of 17 12/16s, it was taken in March 1998.

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Man's fear, fascination and affinity for wolves dates back to before recorded history. Wolf pack ferocity and tenacity, and late night howling that kept ancient man close to his fire, also bread a primeval admiration for this largest member of the dog family, and ancestor of man's best friend. The following wolf trophies come from Safari Club International's on-line record book, found at scirecordbook.org.
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This gray wolf scoring 16 12/16s is a lot to carry for hunter Yury Kudro, who took this animal with a rifle near Leningrad, Russia. It ranks No. 2 for the species by hunters in Asia.
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Noted hunter Jim Shockey claims this SCI No. 2 North American gray wolf for a muzzleloading hunter. It was taken near the Rogue River in the Yukon, Canada. Its skull measured 16 12/16s, and was taken September 14, 2006.
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This No. 4-ranked Asian gray wolf was collected in October 1996 by Nina Sorensen in Kazakhstan, Central Asia. The animal had a skull score of 16 6/16s inches.
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This beautiful black wolf with silver highlights fell to Charles Turner in 2003, during a mid-September hunt with guide Art Napoleon near the Muskwa-Prophet Rivers in British Columbia, Canada. The canine had a massive skull measuring 17 10/16s inches.
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Bowhunter Willie Krueger arrowed this beautiful wolf with Big Bear Country Outfitters in Alberta, Canada. It's the No. 2 SCI ranked bow trophy for wolves, with a 17 3/16s inch skull.
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Sergei Yastrzhembskiy looks cold, and well he should be in Volgograd, Russia, where he bagged this beauty of a gray wolf that's nearly as big as he in late February 2003. It ranks number three in SCI's European division, with skull score of 16 7/16s inches.
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Bowman Byron Sadler zipped this nice gray wolf during a hunt with guide Butch King with Wildman Lake Lodge outfitters near Wildman Lake, Alaska. The trophy ranks No. 6 among SCI bowmen, having a skull score of 16 6/16s inches.
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Jay Link downed this oversize Asian gray wolf in Mongolia during an October 2003 hunt. It measures 16 6/16s inches, and ranks No. 4 for the Asian species.
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It was a cold and snowy first week of January 2005 when Luciano Ponzetto pulled the trigger on this 15 6/16s-inch gray wolf. Taken in Belarus with guide Pavel Zhuk, it ranks 12th in SCI for European gray wolf.
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This outstanding, huge, and mostly white wolf fell to archer David Paul Tschida during a mid-June 2004 hunt to Alberta, Canada near Fort McMurry. He was hunting with Poplar Ridge Outfitters when he arrowed this 17 3/16s wolf, good enough for the No. 2 SCI bow record.
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Cliff Gustin collected this giant 17 9/16s-inch gray wolf during an April 2000 rifle hunt to British Columbia, Canada, along the Fraser River. Darrel Collins guided Cliff to this No. 4-ranked SCI trophy.
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Sergei Yastrzhembski again, this time with an Asian gray wolf measuring 16 inches, good enough for fifth place SCI in the region. Sergei was hunting with local people near Naryn, Kyrgyzstan, in October, 2003.
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Larry Fischer has the longest-standing bow gray wolf record in SCI, with this 16 10/16s-inch canine, taken near Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada in August, 1990. Robert Huebschwerlen, with Macmillan River Outfitters, led Larry to his trophy.

Wolves are back in abundance in many areas of North America. For now sportsmen must travel to Alaska, Canada, northern Europe and Asia to hunt them. Here are Safari Club International’s biggest trophies.