Ahh, the glamor of nature photography . . .

[Steve Foss]

So for every sharp image with good eye contact from the birds and animals of the world, there are many like this.

I was on my way out the Echo Trail this morning to photograph orchids when someone driving the other way and about to pass me must have recognized me and gesticulated wildly.

I wondered what that was all about, but about 200 yards after I passed him I noticed a black wolf trotting down the road. I pulled off the lens cap, slowed, disengaged the camera/lens from the monopod and pulled over, even as the wolf nonchalantly trotted into the ditch.

She didn't look back until I shouted "hey, wolf!"

Then she was behind a branch, so all I got was this image. That's the way it goes far more often than the other way.

I can tell you with some certainty that this is the same wolf I photographed about 10 miles away as the crow flies last fall.

On a side note, there is a person on Moose Lake Road that continually feeds wolves meat in her back yard, and this wolf is one of the ones who seems to come there regularly. My research indicates that most encounters between wolves and humans that have ended up with aggressive wolf displays toward people (including attacks and at least one human death), involved wolves that were habituated to being fed by people and became aggressive when they came in close to humans who had no idea, and who of course did not feed them.

Do I think wolves are noble creatures who should be idolized? Absolutely not. Do I think it's silly to habituate them to expect food from us? Absolutely.

My hope is that this wolf won't hurt anyone.

[Dbl]

Dang! Cool to see though!

[Catmendo]

Good story Steve! If each and everytime we nailed down a subject, never making an error, or in other words we were always successful in every attempt we made, life would be boring. I often relate the same thoughts regarding angling. If every time we caught a trophy fish (regardless of species) what would be the point.

You never captured the wolf the way in which you might have wanted on this occasion....but there's always the next time and when you do have success, you'll appreciate it that much more!

Thanks for sharing my friend!

[buzzsaw]

Yep, I agree with you Steve! A great photo op, but probably not a very good idea to do.

Good story! How are the ticks and skeeters up there this year? I was all over the north shore last weekend and got destroyed!

[finnbay]

Have to agree with you, Steve. Same story with bears. Had a neighbor that used to feed a bear pancakes off her back steps every night at six. One night the bear wasn't happy with the number she had to give and it tried to walk passed her into the house. She swung a broom at it, and it swung back. Thirty some stitches later she decided to give up the practice!

[Steve Foss]

Thanks, guys!

Ken, that's a wicked story. Man, she's lucky she wasn't mauled to death. Bear probably just fought back after thinking it was being attacked.

Stu, I'd be a bit more upset at missing the shot if I hadn't gotten full figure photos of this very wolf from about 15 yards away last fall.

Mike, the skeeters and black flies are pretty bad up here this year. Yuck! Ticks are mostly gone, though.