God indeed blessed me this summer (1998). I never thought that the wolves would have moved so far down in the territory, but they did! It was truly amazing.
Here is a little bit of background information just to iron out any folds: the wolves of North America had been killed off and forced back to a territory with a boundary just roughly 100 km north of the US/Canada border that also runs parallel to that border. That is where the wolves are and will probably stay unless thay are allowed to reclaim their lost land. This line also runs just under Algonquin Park, Ontario. My cottage is located just under 100 km West of Algonquin and (as I had checked out on maps) just a few kilometers below the wolves' territory. (history on wolves can be found in my essay too) I knew that I would never see a wolf at my cottage. I was out of the range.
I guess I should pick up a copy of the latest wolf territory map, because there was a wolf at my cottage this summer!! Me being the junior biologist that I am, immediately began a study of the animal. Of course I had absolutely no formal education as how to study a wolf, but I had just finished reading "Trail of the Wolf" by R. D. Lawrence and after reading his book I had a basic idea of what kind of things I should be doing. The following paragraphs contain my journal entries; a record of what happened that incredible night as well as the days that followed. In between I may or may not add some comments.
Saturday, July 25, 1998
First sighting of the wolf;
approximte time: 9:45pm (EST). My sister was walking to the
bunkhouse when she heard something large moving in the bushes.
This drew the attention of my mother. They both saw it in the
light of my sis' flashlight. I came out to see it and took the
light, for I had a better angle. A pair of bright eyes were seen,
followed by the wolf's side and legs, as well as its head. Gender
was undetermined; I will name it Fenris if it is male, and Mais
if it is female.
Indeed it was an incredible experience. I was sewing the strap back onto my watch and my sis was freaking out outside. Then I heard," It's a wolf!" and I got up and bolted to the door and ran outside. I was standing by the end of the back deck towards the woods and I took the light and crouched. I could see it almost perfectly, but it was in the woods and there were a lot of branches and bushes. It stood next to the compost heap that was behind our cottage. The wolf walked away. I howled at it but received no reply. It came back while we were in the cottage. I came out to hang up my wet towel and I heard it in the bushes. I shone the light on it and it left me again.
Monday, July 27, 1998
After laying down peat moss yesterday
(Sun, July 26, '98) I have a large print approximately 3
1/4" long and 2 1/2" wide. It appears to be a print
from the front foot. Three large divits torn up from a patch of
moss behind the cottage. Sizes: 1) 6" long, 3 1/2"
wide, 2) 2 1/2" long, 3 1/2" wide, 3) 6" long,
4" wide. No sighting of wolf as of 7:05 pm. - - - Time is
7:35. I have reset the "footprint trap" by smoothing
out the peatmoss and spraying it with the hose (mud will leave a
better print). I hope the wolf returns tonight; I will check the
"trap" tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 28, 1998
New prints this morning. Front and
back pawprints are visible; as of 3:00pm. what appears to be the
front paw is 3" long and 2 1/4" wide. Back pawprint
cannot be found/determined. Due to the size of the single print,
it's slightly smaller than the one I found yesterday. - - -
3:04pm. Possible hind print found on trap #2. It measures 3"
long and 2 1/4" wide. This concludes my theory about the
lone print from trap #1 compared with the one from yesterday. No
additional divits in the moss. No sighting as of 3:07pm. It is
now 9:12pm (and pouring rain). I have patted flat the peat moss,
another print measuring 2 3/4" long by 2 3/4" wide was
discovered on trap #2. Hopefully the wolf will leave more prints
but it is doubtfull in this weather. Time is 10:58pm. No wolf
today. Time for bed.
It was very upsetting to know that the wolf would come at night or some other time and not when I was there to see it. I went out looking for it all the time but I never found it or any trace of it; only the footprints that it left around my cottage. I asked my dad to bring up some plaster of paris so I could make some molds, but I never actually made one. I'm regretting that now sice I may never see another wolf there again for a long time.
Wednesday, July 29, 1998
7:38am - new wolf print on trap #2.
It measures 2 1/2" long and 2 1/2" wide. Looks like
another hind foot print.
Thursday, July 30, 1998
The foxes (2 new ones) returned
tonight. The wolf must have moved on, Perhaps it will return in
August?
That was really hard for me. My only thought as to why the foxes had returned was that the wolf had left. Without a more dominant predator in the area the foxes would come out and hang around the cottage like they did every day. I was sad to say goodbye to the wolf.
Thursday, August 6, 1998
Two wolf howls heard at 8:42pm and
8:56pm. Sounded like the call of a loon but it was long and drawn
out, lasting possibly 1-3 seconds or longer.
Here is the information that I was able to gather about the wolf:
Accumulated Data on "My Wolf"
Sex: unknown
Given Name: Fenris/Mais
Colour: gray, brown
Front paw: 3 1/4" long, 2 1/2" wide
Back paw: 3 - 3 1/4" long, 2 1/2 - 2 3/4" wide
Est height: 25 - 27 inches (compost heap = 20")
Est Length: average length for an adult wolf: 4-5.5 feet long
Est Weight: possibly average for an adult wolf
Here is a picture that I found that
looks just like "my wolf":
This is the end of my wolf study. I would love to share further details of my experience as well as my study. If you would like to learn more then please feel free to e-mail me!