Paws first

Saturday morning Jen and I got up early and headed to find a place to eat.  We ended up at the Chocolate Moose for breakfast.  I had eggs, ham, hash browns and cranberry wild rice toast.

The International Wolf Center was our first stop as they opened the earliest.

Wolf Sculpture

Jen at the Wolf Center.  It is her birthday today!  A number of years ago she was born  and once reaching 40 she declared she was going backwards instead of forward… Happy Birthday Jen!  Thank you for the adventure!

The International Wolf Center is an educational center, they understand that there is much controversy about wolves. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. 

There were only four other people in the viewing room at various times.  The wolves were out the entire time we were there.  They have a 1 1/2 acre enclosure.  All photos were taken from inside through the glass.

They have five wolves on display and two wolves in a retirement area who are not viewed except on camera.

A Northwestern Gray Wolf this guy is the largest wolf his name is Denali. He is one impressive wolf.

Great Plains Wolf or Timber Wolf…the kind we have here in Minnesota. This is Boltz born in 2012.  He was more standoffish than the other wolves.

Arctic Wolves these two are characters they are young and playful. They were born in May of 2016 in captivity in Canada. They are brothers Axel and Grayson.  (Boltz in the background.)

The other Northwestern Gray Wolf Aidan who was born in 2008. Aiden is the leader of the pack.

All of the wolves are males and they have all been neutered.

The Arctic Wolves playing. In this photo you can see how the wolves vary in color.

Arctic, Timber and Northwestern wolves. 

I really enjoyed watching the wolves and learning a bit more about them.  Did you know they only eat once a week?   At the Center they eat deer…road killed deer.  We were fortunate to see them, one of the volunteers said many people don’t see them at all as they are elsewhere in the enclosure.

Next stop in Ely Minnesota is Claws!

Wildlife

We left our driveway and saw something running.  It looked strange.  I am always on the lookout for stray dogs.  (A couple of weeks ago we returned Daisy to her owners…with a reminder to all the small children that their dog needed more attention! Daisy was walking down the center of the highway and was more than happy to go for a ride with us. ) Anyways this “something” looked like a dog…it ran like a dog.

My camera was in the case, and I had to change lenses and I had my gloves on and I knew my battery was low…how low was it?  I started snapping photos through the windshield.

Chance is watching.  Earlier in the morning when I walked him for his morning duty he pranced around like a pup and was very interested in something on the back road.  I thought it was strange… we came back to the house and got in the car and left.

As you can see it was NOT a dog.

He almost posed for a photo.  He meandered along.

The Timber Wolf gave the Bald Eagle a wide berth and took off toward the woods.  The Bald Eagle had been feasting on a road killed deer, he got up and flew away but landed close enough for a photo.  

So that was our adventure on Friday. As you can see we still have some snow, a few days ago this field was bare….it has rained/snowed since then.

Deer, Wolf and Squirrel Report

We went for a ride in the wind.  I feel sorry for anyone that is driving a high profile vehicle.  Wind gusts were horrid. The air was full of dust.

Saw three deer.

Here are two.

They look pretty good.

Saw a dead wolf in the ditch yesterday afternoon about 1/4 of a mile from our home.  The DNR picked it up.  It looked like it had been hit by a car… but it could have been shot.  I am sure the DNR will figure it out. We have noticed a decrease in our squirrel population….either they are nesting or the wolf had a snack.

The wolf could have been some Chicken BRAVE dogs problem the past few days…he has been a pill….clingy, vocal and demanding…and wanting company outside ALL the time.   

The squirrels are getting fatter or Chance is getting faster… he almost captured one yesterday.  I don’t think he had catch and release in mind either.

There was one ditch fire about 10 miles south and five miles west of us yesterday, we saw the DNR heavy equipment headed back after the fire was under control.

I hope the wind goes away and we get some rain soon.

Wistful Wednesday: Wolves

When I was in grade school.  Eddie Jokela shot a huge timber wolf.  If I recall the story correctly Roxanne and Rhonda told their Dad that a big dog was following them when they got off the school bus.  Eddie took care of that Timber Wolf.  I saw it all stretched out in a pick up box..and it was huge.  Back then..word travelled fast…especially of a wolf following children.

Recently a grouse hunter shot a wolf over by Huntersville in Wadena County.  The wolf was chasing the hunters dog.   It is legal in Minnesota to shoot a wolf if it is threatening you, your livestock or your pets. 

Wolf Season begins in early November.  24,000 applications were sent in, 6,000 licenses were issued through a lottery type drawing.

Years ago Far Guy and I saw a Timber Wolf..it crossed the road in front of us and then stood off in the brush..glaring at us.  Talk about an eerie feeling.  His stare went right through us.

I ran across this old photo.

This photo was taken in 1961 at the Skelly Station in Park Rapids.

Loren Bruce, Ray Larson and Marvin Henderson ( Far Guy’s Dad).

Far Guy’s Dad wrote all the details on the back of the photo.  This little bit of history is intact..we have who, when, what occasion and a bit of a story.

If only all old photos were marked like this one! :)

Strange Sightings

Recently Far Guy and I were driving along a back road, and saw a movement.  It was a strange looking bird.  It had a really long beak.  Neither of us had ever seen one like it before.

We couldn't figure out if it was an adult or a baby. We believe it is an adult after consulting Petersons Field Guide.  I took all the photos out of Far Guys open window..I was afraid I would spook the bird and he would run off if I got out of the car.

It is an American Woodcock, he is a wader.  We are on his most western range here in Minnesota, he is usually found east of here. In the background of these photos is a good crop of PI         ( Poison Ivy).

She who sees robins first has a Indigo Bunting at her feeders on a regular basis.  Al and Erna have a set of nesting Cardinals.  We just have Chickadees and Robins..the robins nest had another successful hatch.  This time Far Guy wanted to clean up under her nesting platform (a ladder) ..he reports that he took the ladder down and sat it on it's side..and that robins must be good nest builders because the nest clung to the top of the  ladder..so after the clean up he put the ladder with the intact nest back in place ready for the third batch of eggs.  We must be a robin nesting area.  The Bluebirds have successfully raised two batches of babies..since they took up residence behind the sauna in a Bluebird nest box.  I do not see them as much as last year.

My other baby brother and Hunter report that a wolf was sighted less than a mile from here.  Chance refused to go outside by himself one day..he was clingy and wanted company outside all day long..now all that makes sense, he obviously could smell the wolf.  We have baby turkeys in the woods, I suppose they are easy pickings for a wolf.  Chance barks at them occasionally.  We also have a set of twin fawns..supposedly they play in the driveway in the early mornings...I suppose they would make a fine wolf dinner too:)