Should a hiker be concerned about wolves in the back-country?
In this question, it was asked whether bear-spray was effective against other animals, such as wolves.
I know the old adage that "there has never been record of a healthy wolf attacking an adult" is not entirely true, but it seems the frequency of attacks may be sufficiently few and far between as to render it a non-issue.
So rather than give the wolf a bad rap by innuendo, I hope to get some clear answers on the risk of wolves to outdoor enthusiasts:
- Are wolves a legitimate worry-worthy threat to back-country travelers?
- What are my odds of encountering a wolf in the wild?
- What are my odds of being attacked by a wolf?
- Are there special precautions that one should take in wolf country that are different from standard bear precautions (which are often found in the same area)?
- Are some wolf-inhabited regions known to be more dangerous than others?
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3 answers
Wikipedia has very nice article about Wolf attacks on humans
Wolves will avoid people like any other wild predator that is smaller than the average human. If you come between them and their young, you should just slowly back out of that situation and heed the wolf's warnings.
Unless the wolves are threatened by you, the chances of an attack are very little. They will hear and smell you coming from far away. If you become their prey, well good luck, because wolves will come in packs. Your best bet is climb a tree or jump into water and try to swim to the other side. You will not out run them; they have insane endurance.
Always keep a fire going at night. If you see signs of wolf tracks, such as scat or dead animals torn a part, keep walking a couple of miles further.
As far as regions, I will refer you to Wolf attacks on humans again. I encourage you to read the Gray wolf Wikipedia article as well.
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Here's the Wolf Safety guidelines and procedures for British Columbia Parks, and here's backcountry advice around wolves from the Predator Conservation Alliance, they basically say that wolves don't normally pose a threat, keep 100m distance, use bear spray if necessary.
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*Are wolves a legitimate worry-worthy threat to back-country travelers?*
The short answer is no. I can honestly say I have a lot of experience around wolves. I live in Alaska and have encountered wolves here many times, as well as in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Canada. Wolf attacks are extremely rare.
What are my odds of encountering a wolf in the wild?
In most places you are very unlikely to see one because they are so wary. Your best odds in the U.S. are probably in open tundra of Alaska, or in Yellowstone.
What are my odds of being attacked by a wolf?
The odds are far less than one in a million. Not enough to be worried.
Are there special precautions that one should take in wolf country that are different from standard bear precautions (which are often found in the same area)?
Again, attacks are so rare about the only precaution I would take is staying clear of a wolf (or any wild animal) that doesn't show fear of people. The danger there would be rabies.
Are some wolf-inhabited regions known to be more dangerous than others?
With wolf attacks so rare, I doubt there are enough stats to draw any rational conclusions.
This might ease your concerns. It is video of several wolf encounters I had on a long Alaska wilderness trip a few years back.
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