Books have been written about them; they are the focus of countless stories; you can often hear them on a clear, cold, winter night; and you often see their tracks if you frequent the bush. And you may occasionally see one if you live here in the north.
Yes - I'm talking about wolves!
To-day was one of those rare opportunities, late in the day, when we saw a beautiful adult gray wolf out on the ice pan. It was about two thirds of the way across the lake, in the direction of where Payne's Creek enters the lake. Erect pointed ears and a beautiful bushy tail about 18" long, it sauntered across the lake, looking all around it as it moved.
Putting our spotting 'scope on it, we saw however that it was very unique - it had a missing front left leg!
But that didn't hinder it as all we could detect was a mild gait as it moved.
Last week, I watched a group of ravens milling around what appeared to be a carcass out on the lake. I see today that the carcass is still there. I haven't been able to identify it, but until I do, I can only assume it's the remains of a deer. It's not uncommon for wolves to chase deer out onto the ice in order to be able to catch them. And it's fairly common to find sites on the lakes where wolves have killed and eaten a deer.
Seeing the carcass and seeing the gray wolf today makes me think that perhaps the wolves are going to be active around Loon Lake this winter!
The next few weeks will provide some interesting watching and studying...
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