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Oregon Wolf Pack On Video

Wildlife biologists capture footage of the largest wolf pack in Oregon since extirpation

Go ahead and add Oregon to the list of states with established wolves: Wildlife biologists have captured video footage of the largest confirmed wolf pack in the state—10 in all, with as many as six puppies. Roaming wolves have been returning to the state since the late 90s, but this den established by a 4-year-old, Idaho-born alpha female B-300 seems to indicate that they've chosen this section of Forest Service land in the Wallowa Mountains as their home range.

The video taken by the Imnaha Wildlife Management Unit near Joseph, Ore., clearly shows gray and black wolves moving upslope in a canyon against thick, fresh snow: Read Full Story...

Friday, November 20, 2009 in: Nature and Wildlife, News and Events

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Return of the Prairie Grizzly?

Montana's grizzly populations steadily move east to former plains habitat

When most people picture a hulking grizzly, they envision him roaring in a remote mountain canyon, stalking salmon beside an Alaskan river cutting through tundra and willows, or possibly answering questions around the BACKPACKER office. The probably don't envision him (or her) tromping about in the wide open plains of Middle America.

But historically, prairies formed much of the grizzly's former range (Lewis and Clark ran into a few), and it looks like they're trying to go back. This season, both scientists and ranchers have spotted and tracked "unprecedented" numbers of grizzlies moving east into the plains, more than 100 miles from their recent range in the Montana Rockies.
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Thursday, November 19, 2009 in: News and Events, Nature and Wildlife

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Ask A Bear: Can Boat Horns Scare Bears?

Got a burning ursine question? Ask our resident bruin expert in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Q: I think a small boat horn would be as effective in dealing with bears as would say bear spray, also
it could be used if you get lost to call for help, and it also can be used to a limited degree to defend
yourself. I'm not sure but I believe Alaskan salmon fisherman use them for protection against you (bears). —James McCandless, via email
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Tuesday, November 17, 2009 in: Ask A Bear, Nature And Wildlife

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Ask A Bear: Is Submerged Food Safe?

Got a burning ursine question? Ask our resident bruin expert in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Q: Does sealing food and sinking it in a lake or river create an odor barrier that will prevent you from finding and partaking of my food? —John, via email

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Tuesday, November 10, 2009 in: Ask A Bear, Nature And Wildlife

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Ask A Bear: Do Bears Really Like Toothpaste?

Got a burning ursine question? Ask our resident bruin expert in our new weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Q: Of course I hang my food when I camp—not just to keep you out of my dinner, but also because lots of other critters would jump at the chance of eating my famous Open Fire Burritos. What I want to know is if you're actually interested in my toothpaste and beeswax candles. I know plenty of campers who worry about such things. Am I a fool for using my toothpaste as a pillow? Are you going to bite my head off in order to be minty fresh for your hot date? —David "Preacher" Sullivan, via email

A: David, you should never underestimate the lengths I will go to in order to impress a date... Read Full Story...

Tuesday, November 03, 2009 in: News and Events, Nature and Wildlife, Ask A Bear

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Coyotes Kill Folk Singer

Up-and-coming Canadian folk singer killed by coyotes while on tour

This seems like a sad first: Coyotes apparently killed a 19-year-old Canadian folk singer while she was on break from tour in Canada's Cape Breton National Park. Taylor Mitchell, an up-and-coming Toronto musician touring Canada's Maritime provinces, was hiking along that park's popular Skyline Trail when two coyotes ganged up and attacked her. Other hikers chased the animals away, but Mitchell later died of her injuries in a Halifax hospital.

Coyote attacks are exceedingly rare, with most incidents involving young children. Injuries rarely surpass a few bites. Officials aren't sure what provoked this attack, though they don't suspect rabies.

"They may have snuck up on her and knocked her over before she even knew what happened," (park biologist Bob Bancroft) said. "They may have been youngsters. They just may not have had a lot of experience, or they may have just capitalized on a situation where a young person was acting vulnerable and very frightened by their presence."

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Wednesday, October 28, 2009 in: Nature and Wildlife, News and Events, Survival

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Ask A Bear: Scare A Marauding Bear?

Got a burning ursine question? Ask our resident bruin expert in our new weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Q: While sleeping this past summer, what I thought was a bear entered my camp. After the initial fear passed, I wondered: Should just sit quiet in my tent, or attempt to scare the bear away? —Steve, via email

p.s. I chose to leave the tent and scare the bear away, which turned out to be a tree stump.

A: Wow—that was a close one, Steve. You ever seen a tree stump victim? You'll wish I mauled you instead.

As for me (get used to this answer): It depends. Read Full Story...

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 in: Ask A Bear, News and Events, Nature And Wildlife

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Trail Tale: Encountering A Wolfpack

A Midwest reader runs into a full wolfpack in Isle Royale National Park

Can you spot the wolves?

Sometimes a reader comes to us with a backpacking tale that reminds us all of why we venture into the wilds in the first place. While on an 8-day trip through isolated and rarely visited Isle Royale National Park, Nina Asunto ran into an entire pack of wolves coming down her trail. (She had a lot of luck, but read our Isle Royale wolf-spotting guide to better your chances).

I'll let her tell the story:

"There were at least five wolves on the trail ahead of us. Afraid I would scare them away, I crept forward as quietly as I could. (...) Before I had caught up, he witnessed two wolves dart into the woods from the trail. Three were still there, and of these, a big gray one was clearly the leader. He looked directly at us and stepped forward on the bridge. It looked to us like he was ensuring that his pack could cross the bridge behind him into the safety of the woods while he kept an eye on us. Another gray wolf ran behind him into the trees, then a tall brown one moved forward to stand behind the first one. The two of them simply stood there and watched us.

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Wednesday, October 21, 2009 in: News and Events, Nature and Wildlife

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Ask A Bear: Will Music Attract a Bear?

Got a burning ursine question? Ask our resident bruin expert in our new weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Q: Would listening to music on a portable speaker (like an iPod thingy) while sleeping attract or deter bear visits? —David, Austin, TX

A: Well...that depends on what you're listening to, David. If it's something by Grizzly Bear, Panda Bear, or Minus The Bear, I'll probably leave you alone. But if it's Miley Cyrus, I swear to Ursa Major I'll chomp you good. Read Full Story...

Tuesday, October 20, 2009 in: News and Events, Nature and Wildlife, Ask A Bear

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Bad Bison Blood

Biologists fight to protect the buffalo herds of Yellowstone and Wind Cave National Park from interbreeding cattle

Recent blood tests indicate that there are only two pure public herds of bison in the U.S.—one in Yellowstone, the other in Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota. All other wild herds exhibit some genes from cows, the unfortunate legacy of mixed herds on the prairie and 120-year-old experiment to create "cattalo" (which, while clearly wrong, sounds delicious).

Bison with cow genes look exactly the same to you and me, and while there's no certain evidence that cow genes create any adverse effects in bison, some research shows bison with no cattle ancestry are bigger, better suited to digesting wild grasses, and less prone to disease than hybrids. Scientists contend that those two herds are the closest thing we have to the original herds that roamed the Great Plains before Europeans arrived, and preserving that remains a priority.

“It’s the closest thing to what used to wander the prairies for thousands of years,” said Tom Farrell, chief of interpretation for Wind Cave National Park. “This is the closest in going back in time and seeing what the Great American Desert was like.”

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Tuesday, October 13, 2009 in: News and Events, Nature and Wildlife

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