Isle Royale Forums

My eldest son and I were out to the island during the week prior to Memorial Day and a number of wolf sightings in the eastern portion of the park were reported. It appears that the wolf population has continued to become more prone to hanging around when hikers pass. Has anyone seen a wolf this season? Greg R.

No. I just got back and didn't see any. When I was getting my park pass and filing my itinerary in Rock Harbor last week a guy came in and claimed he saw one. He was on the trail into Lane Cove in one of those swamps you pass as you are getting closer to the campground. He told us that the he and the wolf stared at each other for just a couple seconds and then the wolf jumped off the trail and into the woods to go around him.

My wife and I were on the Island the week of Memorial Day. I have not gotten my trip report together yet but the highlight of a near perfect week was seeing a wolf at Moskey Basin. We were in Shelter 8 sitting on the rocks when a lone wolf walked out of the woods about 25 ft away. He/she walked around the cove and then disappeared into the woods. I could hardly believe what I was seeing. As someone who is a self proclaimed wolf nut this was incredible for me. I did get a great photo that I will try and post.

Looking forward to picture. You're lucky! A family of wolves ran through our campgrounds at Siskiwit Bay in '06. No pictures.

Can't wait to see the photo. I would love to see a wolf on the island some day. But, I'm sure I would need a tripod for my picture because I would probably be so pumped with adrenaline that my hands would be shaking like crazy.

Where's that picture? I've been staring at this for 2 days!

Sorry for the way to long delay, I had some technical difficulties with the picture. I hope this link works
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jt ... directlink

Nice picture.

Only heard some barking this year (morning of July 1) east of Washington Creek campground.

mdenys:

Very excellent photo. I'm sure you were pumped up. Above, you said it was only 25 feet away. How far away was it in this photo? He's looking straight at you. Did it seem like he was aware of your presence all the time, from the first moment you noticed him?

Wow!! How did you get him to stand still like that? Thanks for posting this.

He came out of the woods about 25 ft away from where we were sitting and trotted around the cove, and was about 75 feet away by the time I calmed down enough to get my camera out, on and took the picture. I think he was looking at me as I stood to take the picture. I got a few more blurry pictures as he was running into the woods. I was able to catch a few more glimpses while he was up on the ridge overlooking the cove. It was an incredible sighting that made a great trip even better.

What a great picture. I am happy for you in terms of having the opportunity to see a wolf in such a striking way. I spent ten days on the Island from late June to early July and was fortunate enough to see two young wolves along the Greenstone and to hear them howling while camped at West Chickenbone. What a great park-I cannot wait to go back again. GR

Awesome photo, mdenys! As if the Moskey Basin experience isn't awesome enough, that was icing on the cake.
During last year's trip, I remember sitting outside my shelter at site #2 and thinking that the clearing on the other side of the cove would be the perfect spot for wolves to gather. Maybe if I thought about it hard enough it might happen...

I can't wait to read your trip report.

While we didn't see a wolf. I did hear one in the distance while staying at Moskey Basin. Probably the same wolf that has been spotted near Daisy Farm. While on the island last week I spoke to one gentleman who had a lone wolf peek in the shelter at him, also at Daisy Farm. He said the wolf seemed a little thin of hip. The rangers were warning everyone about him, said there had been a sightings a couple nights in a row, and were out in force to try to scare the wolf out of the area. As much as i'd like to see a wolf i'm not sure i'd like to spot a desperate one.

I had the good fortune to return to the Island for a ten day trip in late June through early July. My companions and I heard wolves howling while camped at West Chickenbone. I and one of my friends were lucky enough to see wolves on two separate occasions while hiking on our own. My buddy saw a solo wolf up on the Greenstone early in the morning. I saw two young wolves also on the Greenstone at the start of day's hike. On both occasions the wolves ran away after only a few seconds but what a thrill. Greg Romaneck