I've had wolves follow my dogteam on trails then jump off trail soon as they seen me coming back towards them. I've seen wolves check me out from in the brush (30 yards) then take off. Most problems are with yearling wolves that are about starved. It's common for younger wolves that haven't developed the fear of humans to approach. We've had yearlings walk up our lane, sit down and look at my sled dogs who are about breaking their chains to kill the intruder. Actually, kinda cool to walk out on the porch and have a single wolf sitting 20 yards away; hungry, terrified, lonely, and just looking for a friend, ha. They have always trotted off after about a minute of wondering what I was. My son use to call them in at bus stop with a rabbit squealer in morning.
This incident is probably bear related and wolves just cleaning it up. I have seen grizz out and about in March and they are real hungry then. Very few people go outside with some kind of sidearm this time of year thru early summer. It has been above zero, been cutting birch for nx winter, have the 460 on my belt; just common sense. Some people like this poor lady teacher lack it; running down the road looks pretty stimulating to predators.
F&G has heli wolf control on order soon as we get new snow in my area. They want to clean out 80% I think, but never will attain that. Still if they kill a 100; it sure helps the moose from going extinct. They estimate 4-5 hundred in my area, but probably more.
If they would only bring back bounties, they rural people would start snaring them. Gas is 6-8 bucks a gal here; snowmachines get around 10mpg. Quite expensive.
Did you mean to say “very few people go outside withOUT some kind of firearm this time of year” instead of with some kind of firearm?
Excellent post, Eska, thanks.
Her jogging down the road triggering the wolves instinct to attack was my thought when reading the article, plus she was a small woman. It sounds like the officials may have been pretty certain that it was wolves that were responsible but were reluctant to commit themselves before an autopsy and getting proof of it.
Someone shot a griz in late Jan on Hot Springs Rd a couple years ago. Figured it was overflow.
Hope all is going well. Been -5 to -15 mostly here, not too bad and the days are longer. Before I got up I guess it was at -50 and blowing like hell.
Heard my place is covered in snow. I’m ready for spring, after my shop is up I’m getting a snow machine for next winter!