The Outcast

Thanks Evita

Yes Rose, the colours of our wolves vary a great deal. One of the other wolves mentioned in the story was a very light grey, the other was dark brown and black, with a white patch on one shoulder. When wolves move in, coyotes, about half this guy’s size, move out. Too bad the pictures of the other wolves and their encounters were a little too far for my zoom. Thanks also for the favourite.

Thanks very much for both the compliment and the favourite, Rob. Too bad I didn’t have a camera like yours that day. (Soon I hope.)

Thanks very much Charlene for both the encouragement and the favourite. I probably should have pointed one more detail here. Note that there is a mark above his paw on the front right foot.(Viewed large) My theory is that he was in a fight with the new Alpha male and he was forced out of the pack. The videos I took shows him limping and favouring this leg. I should warn you though, that I have many theories that hold no water at all. :-))

Thanks C, for your compiments on both the photo and the story. I may not have been clear but he did survive that winter but I don’t think the next. I have more distant shots of him trying to join up with the others during following summer, but without success. As you said, without the pack, chances for survival are very small.

Dottie, thanks. Please read my answer to ccwri and then to dolphindancer, maybe you’ll laugh.

Thank you very much for your compliment, so here is more. He did survive the winter and one day in the spring my dog Duke, who was 14 at the time and arthritic, caught his scent near the horses and decided to chase him. As I said, he was quite arthritic and not too swift but determined. He headed out into the front pasture at full speed. (His full speed that is.) I saw this, and took off after him yelling to stop. I was afraid that the wolf might kill him should they meet. My sister-in-law sees me disappear behind the barn yelling and runs off to tell my wife. So now there is the wolf, Duke after him and me behind, all running across the field. I get winded and have to stop, Duke gets so excited he has to stop and have a poop and my wife catches up to us in the car. The wolf stops, turns around and seems to wait until Duke finishes his business and then all three of of us start up again. Neither Duke nor I last very long this time, but out of nowhere two of the wolves from the pack show up and our guy disappears after them. It was like a scene from the Keystone cops. What a laugh.

Thanks very much. Maybe it will help improve the image of wolves, and balance out the negative image that Hollywood portrays.

Thanks Mike. You’re right, there are many sightings of species that are supposedly gone from a region. You were so lucky to have seen a panther. Never leave home without your camera….Thanks for the visit.

No, only my pride and my wind, and Duke slept for about a day after all that excitement. LOL

No juju, wolves have only once been known to attack a human. Although I must admit that one night I was out for a walk, he was coming up the lane when I was going down …. I turned around, whereas usually it’s the wolf that turns. They are very interesting animals.

Thanks very much John. I only had one bad year with wolves and my cattle, but I blame that on a low deer and groundhog population.

Thanks Antanas, your compliment is truly appreciated.

Thanks Emily, for both the compliments and the favourite. It pleases me that this poor fellow’s tale has been so well received. I’m sorry though that some shots with him at the hay feeder are not good enough to post and share. I might fill in a few details of the story though. (Next time the creative juices are flowing:-))

Thanks poupoune, much appreciated.

I think he’d find me a bit too old and tough. LOL

Thanks Jeff.

Thank you Sally. I’m at a loss for words on being chosen as Shining Star on Bits and Pieces. (I’ll have to have some coffee and a bit of time to think of an appropriate piece for my reply.)

Thanks very much Angel. It’s quite something hear at least a half dozen wolves howling maybe a couple of hundred meters away, and the horses calmly eating and standing around. Shara was eating on one side of the hay feeder and the outcast was was howling on the other. It truly was, at least for me, a rare and bittersweet encounter.

Thank you very much for your kind words oscar. I read your great poem which now accompanies this photo on the Bits and Pieces home page. I have described the story of my encounter with this wolf as bittersweet; I believe the same word applies to your poem. Most appropriate.

Thank very much for the compliment and the favourite ding. Here’s a bit more. When Duke and I were both stopped, me winded and him pooping and the wolf waiting, there was an electric fence maybe 10 meters away. For those that don’t know about them, they are a high voltage, low amp single wire fence (About 8,000 volts) that acts as a deterent for livestock to head for greener pastures. As I regained my wind and Duke finished his business I thought I could grab him before he found a way through the fence. This is when we both took off again but this time I’m actually trying to grab Duke. Now we are both running back and forth along the fence, Duke trying to find a place to pass without getting zapped and me trying grab him before he gets through. I’m getting winded again and have enough energy left to make one last lunge for Duke just as he ducks under the wire. I just miss and he is off again in hot pursuit of the wolf again.(Who has been watching all this.) Now it’s my turn not to get zapped crossing the fence. My wife had arrived moments before and she has joined the fray as well. I finally crawled under the fence but quickly realize I’m too far behind now (and winded) so Judi and I just watch, unable to do anything. It is at this point a couple of other wolves show up and Duke finally gives up too (winded and Arthritic). As I said above, it was like a scene from the Keystone cops.

It is responses like yours Kat, that make it all so worthwhile and rewarding. I’m sure many on RB at times get frustrated with their work and progress, so when they get a response like you just gave here, it brightens their life and artistic endeavours. I know it does with me. Thanks very much Kat and at the same time…you’re more than welcome. :-)

It worked Kat, Very good and thanks. (Kat cropped and did things to the photo that I have no idea how to do.:-))

Thank you for the compliment .

Thank you very much Bev. I really appreciate your complimentary reply and the educational content. I really enjoy hearing about other areas of the world, probably as much as the photographs. Thanks for the insight into dingo behaviour.

Thanks for the visit and your kind comments. Something like what we witnessed that winter will probably never happen again. Lucky us is right. This year it’s coyotes, the wolves have moved out. (But they’ll be back someday.)

Thanks Alex, kind of thought you might like it.

Thanks Al, although it’s too bad I didn’t have the camera I have now. (But in a way, the story makes up for it.)