1 Feb

Between last night and midday today, Middle Pack (MP) traveled from Grace Harbor, presumably along the south shore, to an area just SE of Halloran Lake.  Here, we observed MP traveled slowly and stopped frequently in wolf tracks that had been previously laid.  With their noses to the groundThe entire pack investigated with intense and vigor various portions of the old wolf tracks.  These behaviors suggest possibly that the tracks were laid by wolves not belonging to MP.  This hypothesis is consistent with having observed the tracks of wolves traveling along the base of Siskiwit Bay.  Perhaps the reason we can never find Paduka Pack (PP) is because they have been busy conducting extra-territorial forays deep into MP territory.  For now, this is largely speculation.  This country is a long ways from what we beleive to be PP territory.  Tempered with skepticism, speculation will guide what we look for and where we look for it in upcoming hours and days of flying.

   As they traveled through very thick country, MP, seemingly by accident, stumbled right into a pair of moose.  In the tangled mess of cedar and downed trees, MP had no serious chance of attacking these moose.  With relatively little concern the moose, almost causally left the scene.  By nightfall, MP having continued NE, had made their way to Hougton Ridge.

      East Pack (EP) spent the entire day curled into tight little balls beside the few bits of bone and hair of the moose carcass they discovered 8 days ago.  Probably, EP has not eaten in Having not eaten in The only thing holding the pack here is the expectation of confronting the pack that made this kill, should they ever decide to return.

     For about an hour, Don turned large gentle S-turns between the Greenstone Ridge to the north shore, from Desor Lake to Harvey Lake, as we studied the landscape for signs of Paduka Pack.  We’ve only seen them twice this winter.  

    For days the sun has been filtered through thick overcast.  The light is dispersed and cast equally from all sides.  Nothing casts a shadow.  The trees, rocks, snow appear as the creation of an artist unable to paint perspective.  Our concern is that the flat light hides nearly all wolf tracks.  Our only hope is to notice the wolves themselves.  In addition to effort, we’ll need good fortune to help us find PP.  At this time, she is apparently unwilling to lend us this favor.  

    For much of the day, CHP remained at their kill site.  By late afternoon they began traveling SW.  Along the way, they re-visited the site where they had previously wounded a large bull moose.   Judging from the tracks, the wolves found no sign of that moose.

    Late in the afternoon, Rolf and Don found Paduka Pack, and not exactly in the place we’d have expected.  They were scent-marking points along the south shore of Siskiwit Lake at the SW end.  This is certainly land we’d have expected to be MP country.  We’ve certainly seen MP here in the past.  By nightfall, PP had cut northwest straight across the Greenstone Ridge back to country where they ought to feel more at ease.

 

2 Feb

     At 8am as we prepared the plane for take-off, the southwestern sky grew darker and darker.  Not knowing exactly how long we’d be able to fly, we needed an efficient plan.  We headed straight for Siskiwit Bay - on a guess that we’d find MP there.  We were right.  We spotted three wolves bedded in thick forest right on the end of Senter Point, at the base of Siskiwit Bay.  We spent no time looking to see how many wolves were present.  Knowing the packs’ locations was more important than being sure that all were present and accounted for.  We flew straight to EP’s old kill site.  We were right, they were there.  Then we tuned the telemetry receiver to the frequency of the collared wolf in Chippewa Harbor Pack.  Luckily, we heard the signal right away.  But it came from the south.  Not what we expected, but we followed the signal.  We quickly found all five wolves of Chippewa Harbor Pack on the north shore of Siskiwit Lake across from Teakettle Island - in exactly the same place MP have bedded about a week earlier.  Without delay we flew straight home to Windigo and landed 62 minutes after we took off, as it began to snow.  It snowed several inches during the next few hours.

     Despite just a brief glimpse, we learned quite a bit.  MP likely has territorial disputes with both CHP and PP.  MP’s position on Senter point is unusual.  The tracks we observed yesterday along Siskiwit Bay may belong to PP, and MP may have been positioned to guard against further trespassing.  In the upcoming days, we’ll interpret other clues against these interpretations and see how they hold up.