Howls with Wolves, Pt. 2

[AustinBoston]

We went to the International Wolf Center in Ely, MN on Saturday, where we had reservations for their Wolf Communication program.  This is different from their Wolf Howl program, where participants try to get the center's captive wolves to howl.

The program starts with a presentation on ways wolves communicate through scent, body and facial postures, touch, and voice, then we got to go out into the field to try to get wild wolves to howl.  There were 15 of us in the van, and we talked and asked questions on the drive out.  We were told that there would be three stops, and at each stop, five people would be allowed to howl.  We had to be completely quiet.  Wolves are used to vehicle noises, but human voices disturb them.  Once the van door opened, all talking had to stop.  We were told that they got responses about 40% of the trips, so less than 15% of the stops would get a response.

PJay and I were among five "howlers" (one ended up not joining us, so only four actually howled) at the first stop.  We needed one to howl first, followed quickly by the rest of us.  Each of us could make three howls, then stop and listen.  We would get a second try about two minutes after the first.

PJay volunteered to be the lead howler.  We had only begun our howl when some were already hearing a response.  They were no more than 150-200 yards from us - one of the closest responses that the interpreters had ever heard.  It raised the hair on the back of my neck.  Apart from an occasional bear on the side of the road, this was as close as I had ever knowingly been to a large predator, and we were deliberately trying to (and succeeding to) get their attention.

Our second howl got much less response, more of a yip-like barking.  Then we left quietly.  Afterwards in the van, the interpreters said they thought the wolves sounded particularly annoyed that we were there.

Neither of the other two stops produced a response.  Odds are, those wolves were in a different part of their large ranges this night.

The next night (Sunday), as we sat around the campfire, we all heard from across the lake, perhaps a half mile away, a group of wolves give a howl.  It was a thrill to know that these wild predators are out there, doing as they have done for thousands, perhaps millions, of years.

And we touched them with our voices.

Austin

[Kelly]

I have chills just reading this, AB.  Sounds like an awesome weekend.

That's a possible plan for us for next summer ~ only we'd go for a week instead of a weekend.  Where did you camp?

Glad you got to see the Spirit Deers ~ I really enjoy their company.

[AustinBoston]

That's a possible plan for us for next summer ~ only we'd go for a week instead of a weekend.  Where did you camp?

We stayed at a place called Moose Track Adventures.  They have six cabins and four campsites.  Watch for a review coming to a web site near you.

As far as the IWS...how would your son like that idea?  It seems he was pretty worked up about coyotes last fall.

Austin

[mulerider]

That sounds like a great adventure AB.  Although I'm not sure I would like to be a part of it.  All of my life I have had an irrational fear of wolves. I used to have reoccuring night mares when I was young. Reading your posts gave me the shivers just thinking about.

Does anyone remember a movie based on the book "Never Cry Wolf"?  A great story and I even enjoyed the movie....it still gave me the shivers, though.

[Kelly]

As far as the IWS...how would your son like that idea?  It seems he was pretty worked up about coyotes last fall.

Austin

Good point!  I was thinking more along the lines of heading up that way and staying at Bear Head Lake State Park while exploring the area.  I think he'd love to see the Wolf Center, the Soudan Mines and by the time we get there the Bear Center should be done.  I think we could find at least a week's worth of age-appropriate things for all of us to do.

[AustinBoston]

Good point!  I was thinking more along the lines of heading up that way and staying at Bear Head Lake State Park while exploring the area.

We wanted to stay at Bear Head Lake SP, and there had been sites while we were planning, but they were all gone by the time we made our decision.  Several people (Including SpiritDeer) said Fall Lake was also great, and I did look at Fall Lake, but there was some reason that was not going to work (I don't remember what).

Austin

[Azusateach]

I lived in MN when I was in high school, and was really involved in Girl Scouts (early 70s).  We used to camp in the Boundary Waters, and one winter when were were up there I swear a wolf followed us as we snowshoed around the lake.  At one point I shined my flashlight into a thicked & was greeted by a set of very bright, large eyes.  HAD to be something big, and I'd like to think it was a wolf.

That trip was one of the most memorable trips I've ever taken.  Sixteen years old, with a bunch of other teenagers (and a couple of adults), basically in the middle of nowhere in the middle of a Minnesota winter.  We walked across a frozen lake, and stopped half-way across it, laid down on it & just watched the stars.  I've never experienced anything like it since.  

I like wolves -- actually, I love them.  I have several paintings of them in my house by an Alaskan artist named Joh Van Zyle.  Got them when I went to Alaska many years ago.  There's something about their fierce independence, but total commitment to a group, that really "gets" me.