Thurston County wolves

[notawolffan]

There are wolves in Thurston County. Here's my story.

I am not currently into hunting or fishing altho I used to fish with my father and brother when they were still alive. My current husband does not hunt or fish so I don't either. I came across this forum last year when I was researching wolves on the internet after my encounter.

In May last year I was doing weed control on a relative's tree farm in Thurston County. As dusk approached I heard something yipping at me from the brush about 50 feet away. It sounded like coyotes so I wasn't too worried. The sun was going behind the trees and I was about done so I packed up my stuff and left, but decided I needed to get a dog to bring with me to help keep the varmints away.

In about August I was back, weeding again, this time with my teenage son. A neighbor and his kids drove down the gravel road on quads and stopped to chat. Soon after they left, I followed a trail into the Doug fir up a slight rise. The trail went under a low blowdown, about 3-4 feet off the ground, and I thought to myself that this isn't an elk trail, no elk could fit under that tree. A little further up I saw black, tarry looking scat in the middle of the trail. About ten feet further at the top of the rise I came to a flat area in the trees. The first thing I noticed was that all the vegetation was gone, worn down to bare dirt, unusual around here. The second thing I noticed was the area was scattered with elk bones, some bleached and white, others growing moss had obviously been there a while. The third thing I noticed was dozens of piles of that same black, tarry looking scat. It looked canine to me but I don't know what bear scat looks like. I looked all around cautiously but didn't see any live animals. Because all the bones looked old I wasn't too worried, that plus the fact that I was only about 50 yards off the gravel road. I took a few more steps off to the left, then I saw what appeared to be a more recent kill, elk legs with the hide still attached. That was more alarming to me, and I turned around and left. Again I saw no animals.

When I told the property owner what I had seen he said it was probably coyotes scavenging an elk kill from the previous winter.

Labor Day I went back to the tree farm to do weeding, taking my dog with me. I got there a little after ten and tied my dog to a tree in front of the van so he wouldn't get lost while I changed into my boots and got ready to work. I was behind my van, parked in the gravel road with 40 year old Doug fir on one side of the road and a clear cut on the other. The sun was behind the trees, casting deep shadow over the gravel road. My dog was whining because he couldn't see me.

I stepped out from behind my van, getting ready to walk away, when I just happened to notice movement further down the road in front of my dog. I stared at it trying to figure out what I was seeing. At first I thought it was an elk because that's all I had ever seen out there. 'No,' I thought, 'it's too small to be an elk.' I stared some more. 'More the size of a small deer, must be a deer then,' I thought. 'No, it's the wrong color to be a deer, if it was a deer it would be brown, this isn't brown it's gray.' The movement blended in with the gray gravel of the road and the gray shadows from the tall trees. Still I stared down the road. 'Wait a minute! If it was a deer it would be running away, it's not running away from me it's running right at me, why is it running at me?' By that time it was close enough that I could make out the dog shape of its head. It was all gray, no brown, tall with long legs, lean, triangular shaped body, size of a small deer, black eyes, black nose, as it ran right at me and my dog in a straight line, never wavering, very purposeful, intent on having at least my dog and maybe me for breakfast.

'Dog shape, size of a small deer, it's a wolf!' I was stunned. I have seen coytes, this was no coyote. My hand reached for my cell phone but my luck, I had left it in my van. I thought that no one would believe me if I didn't take a picture but what to do with the wolf running right at us? I was unarmed, call me a pollyanna if you want but it's the truth. Even the people living out there don't carry guns (or at least they didn't then.)

Probably only a few seconds had gone by since I first saw the movement down the road but the wolf was still running at us and I didn't know how alarmed to be. Suddenly my casual sunny day had turned into a life and death situation. My dog was still whining, in front of the van, in between me and the wolf, tied to a tree. I confess what I did next will never win me a place in a hall of bravery. I thought about running towards the wolf and trying to rescue my dog (he was totally oblivious, had no idea the animal was hunting him) but I honestly don't think I had enough time. Instead I just ran to the door of my van and jumped inside, slamming the door after me.

I couldn't believe it when the wolf continued running unwavering, right at me. 'Why isn't it stopping?' I thought. 'Surely it saw me get in the van, surely it heard me slam the door, it must know I'm a human, why isn't it afraid of me?' I grew up in a hunting family and was always taught that wild animals are fearful and will avoid humans, but let me tell you that wolf saw me and didn't care, just kept running at me, intent on my whining dog. 'It must not know what this is,' I thought, and I hit the horn so it would realize it was dealing with human.

Instantly the wolf veered off into the trees and disappeared, leaving nothing but a small cloud of dust hanging in the air to show it had ever been there. And leaving me shaken and wondering what had just happened. I have since read it on other sites, and I will repeat it here, the wolf attack was absolutely silent, there was no sound, no warning no alarm. The sun kept shining and the birds kept chirping even as the wolf kept running right at me.

At that time I knew nothing about wolves or that they are protected. I didn't know that it would have been illegal for me to do anything to that animal, trying to protect myself or my dog.

Later when I told the property owner about my experience, he was skeptical. The next Saturday we attempted to duplicate the situation, since I hadn't been able to take any pictures. Again I parked in the road and again I tied my dog to a tree in front of my van. This time it took about 15 minutes of him whining, and this time the wolf that slunk across the road in front of me was dark gray, almost black, this time head down, he must have been down wind, the way he scurried across the road reminded me of a huge rat. This time I had witnesses who also saw it.

After doing research on the internet, I now believe that what was yipping at me in the spring was a wolf pup. Probably the whole pack was there and I just didn't realize it. And the clearing with all the bones and scat must have been the rendezvous site where they brought the pups. The wolves must have been scared away by the sound of the quads driving by. If I had come across that site any other time it could have been disastrous.  And Labor Day, when the wolf came running at me and my dog? There are a hundred different ways that could have gone bad. If I hadn't happened to see it, if I had shrugged it off as a bird, if I had been further away from my van and unable to get to its safety, the wolf would have killed my dog, right at my van. There is no way it would have let me back in, it would have been defending its kill. The nearest house is half a mile away up and over a hill and I doubt it would have let me make it that far.

I do not have pictures of the wolves. I do have pictures of what I believe are wolf tracks, and wolf scat. And this spring I went back and took pictures of the rendezvous site. It was not being used at the time, the trail was dim and there were no droppings or recent kills. The property owners don't want me to report this to the state and I can't say I blame them, so I haven't. But I believe people deserve to know what's out there.

[billythekidrock]

Without an exact location I have to call bs on this story.

[dinker]

Report it it will save more wilf life and live stalk from being killed and if you dont report it wolfs will get worse and over populated and next time you or someone you know could be dinner for them

[pianoman9701]

I'd love to think there was a pack of wolves in Thurston Co., but it's not likely. It'd be great for people on the west side to have something in the game they've fought so hard for. However, if they really were there, you should be able to go back to that site and collect DNA evidence if nothing's happened there to disturb them. You should do so. Also take photos of tracks with perspective and be very careful about your dog getting close to the area because of the risk of him being infected with granulosis parasites. Handle the DNA material - scat or hair or both - very carefully so you don't become infected.

These could also be "escapees" (read: released), from Wolf Haven.

[Special T]

So if you can't report it, tell us where its at, or have proof, why post about it?

If you want more info on wolves there are a couple of other sites that are preety good.
http://www.lobowatch.com/
http://www.northwestwolfsightings.org/

There are also some good Face Book pages. Save western wildlife is one of them.

If you really want to do something about it, document the taking of scat samples and submit them to the WDFW, keep a seperate set from the same dropping to have independely verified. WEAR A MASK and Gloves!

[headshot5]

First welcom to the site.  I am not trying to put you down, but without some proof, it is a hard sell.  Yes, I know for a fact there are wolves in Western Washington. In this case, all we have to go on is your story. 

Now, look at everything you have written substitute the word "bigfoot" for "wolf."   Then read through it.  Without pictures, your story has very little credible background.  I am not calling into account your integrity, only noting that when someone posts a story on the internet, without some tangible proof (pictures etc), it will be subjected to ridicule by others.  If you have pictures from your encounter please post them up. 

All we have is an anonymous, story (internet story) that could have come from a bad trip on mushrooms, too much weed spray etc.  Especially since the landowner wants to keep it hush-hush.   

Now I appreciate your encounter, though some of the details seem a bit strange.  If all of it is true, you are pretty lucky you did not lose your dog. 

[jackmaster]

Black tary scat  sounds like cougar. Of course it wouldn't surprise me to find out that there are wolves around there

[bearpaw]

Welcome to the site and thanks for your post.

I am actively trying to encourage people to post wolf sightings so we can keep WDFW accountable with reported wolf sightings. It's WDFW's job to investigate sightings and they do put an emphasis on areas with repeat sightings. We should encourage every sighting to be reported, when there is a pattern of repeated sightings in an area then efforts can be concentrated to verify the existence of wolves in that area.

THANKS very much for taking the time to report what you saw.

[pianoman9701]

Welcome to the site and thanks for your post.

I am actively trying to encourage people to post wolf sightings so we can keep WDFW accountable with reported wolf sightings. It's WDFW's job to investigate sightings and they do put an emphasis on areas with repeat sightings. We should encourage every sighting to be reported, when there is a pattern of repeated sightings in an area then efforts can be concentrated to verify the existence of wolves in that area.

THANKS very much for taking the time to report what you saw.

  Welcome.

[DoubleJ]

My question is, if you went back out with a witness for a second time to "duplicate the situation", why did you not bring a camera that time?

Welcome, and stay awhile and help us catch wolves

[pianoman9701]

We have a new member, DJ. She's been given some advice on how to document this. She may well do it. Welcome her to the site.

[KenPCPilot]

other options putting up trail cams and reporting it to WDFW.  I have not had any postive interactions with WDFW when I reported very suspicious poaching activity.  I felt like they wanted a video name address and phone number of criminals.  Tarry ropey scat is cougar from what I have personally observed. 

[merlo105]

People she is telling you what she seen true or false there is always that possibility, Now what if that was your kids playing in that area and had seen the same thing would you just sit there and call BS, yeah there is no hard evidence but I doubt she is the kid who is sitting there crying wolf. I dont doubt there are wolve's in thurston county. Yes with Evidence it shows facts but fact is could have happend to anyone of you. Please talk with wdfw and tell them your story...

[PolarBear]

My neighbor killed a wolf a few years ago at my back fence line.  It was trying to get one of his calves.  It turned out that some local yayhoo was raising wolves to release into the wild and a couple got out.  I heard of one other that was killed as well.   There are several individuals and groups who raise wolves here in Thurston County and they do occasionally get out.

[RoyBoy]

sweet pretty soon they will be running threw yelm, roy, graham