Sunday, December 20, 2009

wolf tracks


In my field guide, tracking animals in the snow it says that wolf tracks are 4.5" to 5.5" long. This one is 8 inches. That must be a large wolf.
As a spirit guide the wolf is guardian.
The wolf is roaming the Mendenhall meadows keeping me safe.

Don and i roam the meadows too today. In a total different spot as where we got our Christmas tree last week. The mendenhall river comes from the north of us. Our subdivision, where we live, in the bend, where it turns east. So there are a lot of meadows close to us. Today we drive into a farmer's road and keep going. Before the meadow dropping down a steep hill. Other years i have been exploring here quite a bit. And i know of another road at the end of this meadow, going to the next.
Nobody has traveled here this winter, but Don hears me out and lets me find it. As this road hasn't had a lot of traffic on it the last few years. The going is a little scratchy, good thing we are driving our 35 year old Chevy. We come to what seems to be the end, but i know it is continuing, it's just a tree across the trail. It's an old dead poplar, which is easy to move.
And indeed we come out by the next meadow. all the meadows we roam today are lined by a nice ridge on the North. The old beach line. The ridges, having southern exposure, are almost devoid of snow. And that is a good thing, because the way in is the only way out we know of. The truck spinning up the hill, i am ready to jump out and give it a push :) but we make it!I have to admit, due to Don's off-road driving skills.


It's Jupiter and the moon tonight. Jupiter is not visible when i took this picture, but right now it's an awesome pair!

8 comments:

janet copenhaver said...

Wow that is some wolf track. We had a feral cat sneeking around today. I didn't see it but hubby did, so he says, lol. I couldn't find any cat tracks amongst the deer and dog tracks. I'm looking at the moon right now. It's just above the sangres and almost horizontal. Don't see Jupiter but will get the glasses, skies not perfectly clear at the moment.

jozien said...

Hi! Jupiter is one width of a hand to the left

CiCi said...

That's a great picture showing your hand next to the wolf track. It is interesting to hear of your adventures. Good thing Don is a good driver and you both have the spirit of adventure.

dogsled_stacie said...

Interesting about the wolf, on Sat. night I heard howling like I've never heard before outside, towards Kusawa, not far from my place at all. It was only one animal, and I knew it wasn't the coyotes, they're much higher pitched and there's usually a couple of them. This howl was just eerie but fascinating at the same time. The dogs went nuts and I remember thinking "I wonder if it's a lone wolf..." and now wonder if it's the same wolf! He (or she) is huge!!!!

jozien said...

Hi Stacey, that's where we saw the prints, just east of your place. We have a guard, watching over us!

Bryan and Vikki said...

Alot of southern states people call Coyotoes Wolves. Here on our lake the footprints are around 8". It is wonderful to hear them but watch out for your dogs. The wolf will wage it's tail and jump and play and then kill your dog. Three years ago they killed 15 dogs from a Taku River Tlingit subdivision of 30 homes south of Atlin.

RachelW said...

Wow, what a moon! The wolf track is wonderful, too. But really, it's the moon I'm lusting after.

jozien said...

Bryan and Vikki, i don't see wolf sign or wolfs too often, and we had never seen a print that big. You must have some big wolves out there, i think lots of things bigger at your place, really. I don't have dogs, and my cats well they have survived here for 14/15 years, they know when to climb a tree, and we have on occasion rescued them from the tip of a tree.:)

Rachel thanks! I love the moon best when it's just a sliver.