NightEyes

I was busy sawing some lumber up with my bow saw. My arm was starting to ache from the effort, so I stopped, lay the saw down. I was rubbing the muscle of my arm when Babe, my border collie, started barking frantically.

Usually when Babe bark's its just a little woof, but this time her bark was frantic and demanded my attention.

My head whipped around to view the direction she was looking. I could feel the hairs on my neck rise as I knew by her bark that there was something close by.

As I scanned the trees in the direction Babe was facing, my heart lurched in my chest! There watching me was this most Alpha of Wolves.

He is gorgeous, with silvery, grey shiny coat and the most penetrating yellowy, green eyes.

He was standing broadside so I could view the length of his majesty. His eyes were unblinking as his focus was locked onto me. I could feel his gaze and curiosity as he tried to figure out what I was and if I was a foe.

I whistled twice to see what would happen. He merely stood there, unmoving, watching.

I hollered, he remained unmoving, watching.
I went into my shack and grabbed the only thing I could see as a form of protection (just in case), my long handled Axe. Hitting the Axe head against some wood, I continued to keep my focus on this beautiful creature.

He sat on his haunches as he continued to watch me with interest.

Not having had any experience at all with encountering a wolf, let alone knowing anything much about them, I decided that perhaps I should start my car. I watched him as I turned the key in the ignition.

He remained sitting, watching us.
I turned my stereo on, turned up the volume. That got his attention in a big way.

As he turned toward the trees, I could see that he had a round brownish,red stain on his chest, towards the left front shoulder. I could feel his pain as he tried to walk. Limping as he entered the tree line and down the incline.

I scanned the tree line, watching, listening.
I felt a sence of loneliness seep over me as I realized I had scared this beautifully wild wolf away.
I wondered if he was just over the ridge still watching me, but decided that probably he wasn't.

I went into my shack, adding some more wood to the woodstove. My mind was still reeling with the wonder of what I had just seen, but also with the caution of what might have happened had Babe not been with me. Would he have attacked?

Not knowing what a wounded wolf is capable of, I called the County Office as well as Fish and Wildlife.

Within minutes a County pickup pulled up and the man got out with his Rifle in hand. My heart leapt into my throat at the idea of this beautiful Wolf possibly being shot. If he was in great pain, and if he couldn't be treated, then I suppose it would be for the best. He was still surviving, though I'm sure he was feeding around my work area instead of hunting as he normally would.

I asked the man if he thought the wolf could be a safety issue for me. The man said he wasn't sure, but a wounded wolf isn't something he would want to have hanging around.

Off he went into the trees with his Rifle. About 10 minutes after he went into the trees, the Wildlife officer called me on my mobile phone. I explained what had transpired. He said that if the county officer didn't get the wolf to let him know. In the future if I had sightings of the wolf again, I was to call the Wildlife Officer and they would come out quickly.

My heart wonders, what is the right thing to do? This wolf though hurt, was surviving. He was doing what he had to do to feed himself. I wish I had an authority on wolves to talk to. Someone who has spent time around wolves.

The County officer came back after about an hour or so. I asked him if he had seen the wolf. He said no, but he had seen his tracks and the tracks of many more wolves as well, just over the ridge. That fact both thrilled and scared me.
The County man left to look further up the road. I saw him heading back to town about a half hour later, so I assume he didn't see any.

I cautiously watched the treeline over the next 6 hours that I was at work. A couple of times Babe's nose went up in the air. She would trot to the fence, sniffing the air, then wander along the fence line. At one time she was going to go explore out further towards where "NightEyes" (as I have decided to name him) was. I called her back, as she wouldn't have a hope of surviving if he decided to attack her.

I never saw him again that shift. I go back again this Saturday for my next shift, so I will cautiously check for his tracks in the snow again. This time I will take my camera with me.

Who knows, he may just grace me with his presence again. A big part of me hopes so, but that I am also safe.

If anyone out there has any personal knowledge and experience with wolves, I would be very grateful for any thoughts you might have.

I have taken my penname from this most facinating and beautiful wolf, to honor his being.