The essential idea with wolves is that rocks aren't gonna kill them, but they're actually pretty handy for getting yourself out of trouble. You can throw them to distract wolves or even get them interested in nearby deer instead of you, which is super useful when you're trying to stay alive.

If you're looking to actually take down a wolf, you'll want proper weapons for the job. The bow and rifle are your best friends here, especially if you can land those headshots, and the flare gun works great for both scaring them off and dealing damage if you're accurate. Maybe interesting - keeping a torch or some flares handy is actually brilliant since wolves hate fire, and it gives you a perfect chance to line up your shot while they're growling and hesitating.

For close encounters, which trust me you'll want to avoid if possible, having a hatchet or knife ready is crucial because they're your best bet during those scary struggle moments. A really effective strategy is using fire to your advantage, like dropping a torch or setting up a campfire between you and the wolf. Sometimes you can even get clever and chase some deer toward a wolf then take your shot while it's distracted. Just remember, rocks are for buying time and creating opportunities, not for trying to take them down - save that for your actual weapons and you'll have a much better chance of surviving those wolf encounters.