looking for mates
25-27 Feb
Winter Study
notes from the field
 
 
25 Feb - Last night Middle Pack traveled from the south shore and kill another moose deep within the swamps of Isle Royale’s interior.  This is Middle Pack’s third kill in the past two weeks.    
    East Pack seems to have given up their “offensive” position on Moskey Basin and traveled to Tobin Harbor.  We found them toward the northeast end of Isle Royale (see map below).
    Chippewa Harbor Pack continued to remain near their kill site.  They haven’t killed a moose in ten days.  
    Two days ago we found Paduka Pack bedded near Hatchet Lake.  We observed a pattern of trampled snow in the area that is characteristic of a kill site.  We also saw tracks of running wolves and moose.  We presumed PP had killed a moose.  We couldn’t actually see a moose carcass, but we presumed it was hidden under thick vegetation, and that we’d spot it on subsequent flight.  Well, today we were surprised.  Today, Rolf and Don saw the 4 wolves and a living, wounded moose.  The moose stood just 20 yards from the bedded wolves.    
 
26 Feb - We flew for a few hours in the morning before the wind became too much.  In that short time we found: Paduka Pack sitting tight, waiting for their moose to die.  Middle Pack roamed just a few miles from their kill onto Washington Harbor.  East Pack resumed their position on Moskey Basin.  Chippewa Harbor Pack finally ventured from their kill site and traveled a few miles to the southwest (see map).
 
 
One of the several lone wolves that we’ve seen in the past few days.  These wolves are dispersing from their packs, looking for mates.  Most of these dispersal attempts end within a few days - typically the wolves return to their natal packs without having found a mate.
MP traveled southwest and north on the 25th, and killed a moose. We found MP near Windigo on the 26th, and back at the kill site on the 27th. On the 27th, a wolf from MP dispersed to the northeast. PP spent the entire 3-day period waiting for a wounded moose to die. We found CHP west of their kill site on the 26th, but otherwise at their kill site. EP was in the northeast portion of their territory (25th), then returned to Moskey Basin (26th), and then traveled west (27th).
Most Recent Travel Routes of Isle Royale Wolves
.
.
27 Feb - For the fifth day in a row, Paduka Pack tended the moose they wounded.  East Pack again gave up guard duty on Moskey Basin and traveled west five or six miles.  Chippewa Harbor Pack returned to within 1/2 mile of their previous kill site.  
     Middle Pack remained on their kill site from two days ago.  A wolf from Middle Pack, one wearing a radio collar, dispersed today - traveling about three-quarters the length of Isle Royale in much less than a day’s time - looking for a mate no doubt.
   Rolf and I each picked up kills, one from Middle Pack territory and one from Chippewa Harbor Territory.
For most of the past week, this has been East Pack - sprawled out on Moskey Basin - just being visible to their neighbors.