A new friend and food
1-3 March
Winter Study
notes from the field
Lone wolf crossing Siskiwit Lake.
1 Mar – Sometime in the past day or two while we were grounded, CHP abandoned their kill site just north of Daisy Farm. I hiked in. All that remained of a 900 pound moose was a jaw bone, one shoulder blade, and the bones of one leg. Not even a skull could be found.
Without food to hold his interest, Romeo left his family (Chippewa Harbor Pack) again. We watched him tour through Hidden Lake, Duncan Bay, and onto Robinson Bay – searching for food and a mate, probably not in that order.
Romping, chasing, tumbling, and tackling. Paws, teeth, and fur flailing in every direction. For 50 minutes the wolves of CHP socialized on Moskey Basin. Some had fun, and others were put in their place. Like never before, the new alpha female of CHP asserted herself with other females in the pack. The old alpha female continued becoming familiar with her new role (see image below).
After an intense period of socializing, Chippewa Harbor Pack left Moskey Basin, cruised through forests to Lake Mason, returned north to Lake Richie, through the swamps toward Angleworm Lake, and back to a placed that never escaped their thoughts. Among these ridges and conifers, CHP wounded a moose on February 11th. CHP passed through the area on the 18th and 19th. Today they found what they’re looking for. When Rolf and Don saw them, one of the wolves stood victoriously on the carcass.
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2 Mar - CHPP fed and slept all day at their kill site. For access to the fresh carcass, Romeo tried once again to ingratiate himself to his natal pack. By nightfall, Romeo left the area. About four miles west, Rolf and Don found him just a few hundred yards from another lone wolf. Turns out Romeo found a kill made by another wolf (see tomorrow’s entry), probably an old-looking loner sitting on top of a nearby ridge (this could be a remaining male from the old Paduka Pack).
Throughout the day we noticed more than the usual number of wolf tracks - the tracks of loners, pairs, and trios. They cut across several lakes on the Island’s east end. Some probably belonged to members of CHP, most we don’t understand. We followed most until they faded into nothing. One set took us to a lone wolf crossing the vast expanse of ice that covers Lake Siskiwit. So many questions. Does this wolf belong to a pack, or has she been living alone? Have we seen her before? If we could only know just a tiny bit of what she knows.
Chippewa Harbor Pack socializing on Moskey Basin. The old alpha female (right) has recently been replaced by a new alpha female (left). The alpha male stands, tail raised, over another wolf.
3 Mar – For a second day, the wolves of Chippewa Harbor Pack slept beneath a brilliant sun and perfect skies near their kill site.
The alpha female of Middle Pack has never seen a winter like this one – not in the eleven or so years that she’s been alive. They travel almost nowhere, and they eat almost nothing. For most of the past 20 days, they’ve been at or near the carcass of a moose just a few miles up Washington Creek. They first wounded that moose on January 30th.
This morning was different. The day began with the alpha pair mating. Then they traveled south to Lily Lake and then on into the Big Siskiwit Swamp. The wolves were headed into country that holds plenty of moose. Perhaps MP will eat a fresh meal tonight.
Romeo found a new friend and a meal. While Romeo and his friend fed from the carcass of a half-eaten moose at the base of Mount Siskiwit, another pair of wolves perched on a rocky ledge overlooking the kill site. Very likely one or both had killed the moose, but were now denied access to the site. We have no idea how long this pair of wolves have been together, but John’s observation of them joining gave the impression of a first meeting.
After having their fill Romeo followed his friend down the drainage to Chickenbone lake. They romped and rolled in the snow all the way down the lake. This is the closest social bond we’ve see between Romeo and another wolf.
Alpha female wolves are fertile for a very short period of time each year, perhaps just a few hours. As that time approached the alpha male is very attentive - perhaps, on occasion, obnoxiously so.
Ravens feed from the remains of a carcass that Romeo and his friend co-opted from another pair of wolves (left). Romeo and his friend play on Chickenbone Lake (below).