Our Dear Sweet Caleb,
You are now 7 years old. Wow! Your grandpa and grandma did not call you on your birthday like we planned to do.You are such a good boy! I loved having you in Montana hunting Elk. Next year we will get one for sure. I am sending the Wolf Attack story just for you to keep. Remember the wolves coming almost close to you and your dad and Calvin by the lake?You will never have any problem in life that standing firm in the gospel can't solve.
Love you so much, Grandpa Habel
Date of this detailed report: Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Note: I arrived back to SC November 6, 2008
Montana Fish & Game Contact Person:
Victims of Wolf Pack’s “False Charge”: David H Habel, age 67, armed with 30-06
John Wieferich, age 15, armed with 270
Exact Date of Wolf Pack attack November 1, 2008 at 6:45 PM (dark)
On a recent Montana Elk hunting trip, using a friend’s land to access the Helena National Forest, I had an encounter with wolves that was most frightening. I was with Bob Taylor, a long time friend from South Carolina, Dave Wiltrout and Mike Wiferich and his twin sons, John and Jake. We had hunted in teams until dark on this particular day. John Wiferich and I were making our departure from a large meadow on the other side of the mountain, traveling through the dark forest on our way to reach our 4 wheel drive vehicles.
Though we had lights with us, we decided not to use them with the thought that we could possibly locate elk for the next day’s hunt. While on the game trail we heard something immediately on our left hand side. We looked but were unable to see anything. Being unable to determine what it was exactly, we knew that there were several animals by the sound of the crackling twigs and leaves. We stood still, and the crackling twig sounds went silent. Being unable to see or hear anything we continued on our journey to the vehicles being quiet and on guard with every step.
After traveling another 100 yards down the steep slope of the game trail we were on, a dark shadow was approaching us coming up the trail directly in front of us. John had a split second spine shot, but didn’t take it because he thought it might have been the black bear seen earlier in the day. As we stood in wonder of what animal it could be, we heard the sounds of heavy sniffing from at least 3 or 4 of the wolves, as they tried to determine their prey. The sniffing increased and rippled throughout the pack of animals. A light grey animal appeared on my right, above the trail. We then realized that this pack had circled us and we were dumbfounded by their confrontational conduct.
No sooner had we realized what was hunting us, than this pack of wolves exploded and began to charge us, and all Hell broke loose. We saw at least two rushing us from in front. They were barking and snarling, showing their razor sharp teeth. This was a situation to which no positive outcome seemed eminent. I didn’t have a clear shot because of John being directly in front of me, and it was dark. I knew firing my gun might jeopardize John, because he was right at end of the barrel. I saw the light grey wolf bearing right at me from above. I instinctively raised my gun vertically, fully expecting him to jump me from where he was. If he leaped, I was hoping he would hit my gun, then I would use the butt of the rifle on him. With no other options we stood our ground, while the two main wolves came closer and closer, louder and more vicious. Then they suddenly darted off to the sides, passing us on each side, to our left and to my right. They ran right past us, while we feared the worse yet to occur, with the wolves in place behind them.
Following this incident, we learned that this was a wolf “False Charge” that the pack did on us. To us there was nothing false about it. If we would have run we would have had the pack behind the lead wolves that were waiting for us to run, ready to bring down their prey, as we observed earlier near Park Lake.
David H. Habel
John Weiferich
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