The “big moon” evenings have been spectacular this week, illuminating the forest while the night animals prowl. Summer will soon be a memory as we inch into my favorite season. Cold nights and hot days are normal fare for August on the Gunflint Trail, and perfect camping weather. Judging by the lack of BWCA permits, I am not the only one who shares a passion for camping under the bright starry nights of August.
Nature is tightly connected to the phases of the moon, both above the water and below. Walleyes feed at night during big moon phases, while the above ground predators like wolves and owls take advantage of the extra light.
Rachelle anxiously called me out to the front porch to hear some wolves that were howling and yelping within close proximity of the snowmobile trail behind our property. Naturally, I jumped from bed, descended the staircase with the precision and speed of an Olympic downhill skier, navigated through the kitchen in the dark without stubbing my toe, to the sound of silence. “Too late, they must be eating now,” Rachelle says as I stood on the porch in my underwear hoping to hear some carnage, but no such luck.
Wolves and dogs certainly have many similarities, but recently I was asked if I had ever heard a wolf bark like a dog, to which I replied, “No.” I would assume they could bark since they are canines, but I cannot say that I have ever heard one bark. My neighbor who lives a few miles away, heard a loud bark a few minutes before seeing a wolf appear from the woods. I told him that I have heard wolves growl, yelp, and howl but never bark.
I did what any semi-journalistic outdoor columnist with little time would do, and discovered a video on YouTube featuring some barking wolves. Google is so much easier than the Dewey Decimal System. There were actually a few different videos that featured barking wolves, which I am sure is no surprise to anyone that has ever used YouTube. If it has happened, it is on YouTube.
The wolf pack was barking and playing like canines do, which is not very surprising to Rachelle and me. We used to see wolves playing in our yard in the winter months, oblivious to our presence inside the house. They would play for a while, then take a mid-day siesta in the same fashion as their domesticated relatives. So there is your answer Rudy Whimmer— wolves can bark like a dog.
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com or call 218- 388-0315. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
Leave a Reply