[M.T. Pockets]

Roy, I've seen wolves while hunting in Minnesota, Alaska and Wyoming. It was neat in Minnesota because they're native and part of the landscape (there are too many, but that's another topic). In Alaska it was downright exciting because I dropped $30 on a wolf tag before I flew out to camp and for about 10 minutes I was a bona fide wolf hunter. He gave me the slip.

In Wyoming it wasn't a good feeling at all, it looked out of it's element. That was in Sept. 2000 so it could have been one of the original transplants from Canada. If it had been one of the original native wolves, or a grizz, or a mt. lion it would have been exciting. He was on the trail of a mule deer doe and crossed an open area about 50-60 yards right in front of me. There was a little airplane flying around all the time, I'm guessing the wolf was collared. I can't say it added anything to my wilderness experience, it felt artificial since I knew it was trapped in Canada and dropped off here for some reason or other. This was in the Spread Creek area and I hear the elk herd has really been impacted there in the recent years.

Funny you should mention grizz, when I saw the wolf in Wyoming, I was guarding an elk I just killed & quartered. My guide rode back to camp to get a couple pack horses, he told me to get about 50 yards uphill, chamber a round and if a grizz comes fire in the air and holler. If he keeps coming, the elk is his. The rest of the week I went wtih the packers to stand guard while they quartered & packed, the bears had the gut piles cleaned up within days. I heard enough bear stories to keep me awake the first two or three nights in camp.