Has anyone been fortunate enough to spot a wolf in the BWCA or Quetico?

Oh, yeah.

Last year, my daughter and I had a full grown female wolf walk into our camp on Seagull Lake in the middle of the afternoon. We first saw her standing right next to our canoe about 20 yards away. She saw us at about the same time, turned and jumped in the lake and swam across to the opposite bank.

I have never had an animal encounter that tops this incredible, intense, brief occurrence.





SE

While I’ve never seen one inside the BWCA, I’ve seen tons of very recent signs especially while winter camping. I once loved seeing where a big guy followed my snow shoe trail into my camp overnight and peed on my wood pile, and trotted off.

I did get a shot of this girl two winters ago just a couple miles east of the BWCA.

Thank you for sharing! That's amazing! Great photo too.

September 2022 my friend and I were setting up camp on Fourtown after being on Crooked,when my buddy sounded scared and said I think we have a problem. I looked up and there was a wolf in camp 20 feet or so away from us. I tried to turn my phone on to take a picture but it wandered off. It was amazing

Thank you for sharing. A definite trip highlight!

It was dark - so I didn’t see them as I sat by the fire - but I heard a couple snarls and howling easily within 40-50 yards of me. As it was in the direction of my tent, I hung out by the fire a little longer. Hassel Lake.

Heard them howling and found scat many times. Only spotted one once and he was a few hundred yards away but still very exciting and clear through binoculars.

My daughter and I saw one on the Gunflint Trail while driving into VCO a few years ago.

I heard them howling and found sign, but the only one I saw was crossing Hwy 61 south of Grand Marais. I did have a pack chase something right through camp while I slept one night.

I had a pack of them run though my camp about 20 years ago

I saw one swimming across Insula Lake one time. I saw one a couple weeks ago standing along the road to Sawbill Lake.

One time In the Superior National Forest by Isabella my buddy and I snuck up on one sunning in a wet swampy area. We belly crawled to within 75 yards or so if it before it finally spotted/heard us and took off. I bet I have seen 30ish wolves in northern Minnesota over the years, usually all were by themselves.

I've seen bears half a dozen times but never a wolf inside the BWCA. That's something I really need to experience!

A couple of stories though:

One year my wife and I were coming out of Moose River (EP 16) but my vehicle was parked at Little Indians Sioux North (EP 14) entry point. So, I had to walk from EP 16 to EP 14. I seriously underestimated the distance. After walking a solid hour, I decided to stick out my thumb and try to catch a ride with any vehicle passing by in either direction. The first vehicle came by: it was two children, less than 10 years old, and their grandparents. They were on their way to the International Wolf Center in Ely. They were going in the opposite direction of my travel but I asked them for a ride, and they very graciously agreed to turn around and give me a ride to EP 14. About five minutes into the drive back, there was a healthy gray wolf on the side of the road. It wasn't the International Wolf Center, but everyone was still impressed. The kids thought it was great.

Many years ago I was crossing a portage in the area of Fire Lake/Rifle Lake/Lake Three (I can't remember the exact portage but I remember the trip and area.) Anyway, somewhere near the middle of the portage was a high point on bare rock that overlooked a little swampy clearing below. I noticed the vantage point and how pretty it was and continued on the portage. I walked back for the second load. On my second trip across the portage on top of the bare rock was fresh wolf scat that definitely had not been there my previous two trips across the portage. At that point, the hair on the back of my neck stood up because I knew that there was a very strong possibility that there was a wolf watching me, but one that I could not see. I wasn't scared, just kind of awed by the possibility.

Mike

September 2022 a pack came into camp in the evening. Jordan Lake. We saw their scat on a nearby portage the next morning.

I have seen several on Hwy 527 while driving between Thunder Bay and Armstrong ON.

Two swimming on Jack Lake. One turned in my direction to check me out but turned quickly away. One near the Homer EP and two near the Isabella EP. Two along highway 61 and one 10 minutes from my house at William O'Brien State Park in the St Croix Valley. They come down the Valley on occasion from the Wisconsin pack., but leave quickly.

I have read everyone's post and I appreciate the time put into the unique stories, sightings, and experiences. I personally have not seen a wolf in the wild, and I have visited Isle Royale, Algonquin Park, and Quetico. I have only managed to see wolf prints and wolf scat. The wolf is elusive, mysterious and intelligent. Kudos to all that have been chosen for a truly unique opportunity.

@MikeinMpls Had this same thing happen to me last year on Iron Lake. My son and I were staying on Iron but we went to the portage to Crooked to look at Curtain Falls. Walked the portage to the falls, spent about 5 minutes there then started back. Came upon the scat, which hadn’t been there before and could still smell it standing a few feet away. Felt like we were being watched the whole way back.

Have not seen one in the BWCA but a couple just outside. One trotting along HWY 61 in the middle of the night just south of Grand Portage which turned into the woods as we approached and another on the Sawbill Trail. Came across a moose kill on Isle Royale in a campsite which we elected not to stay to close to which was also surrounded by fresh sign. Reported to park rangers on our way out.

Yes, in Quetico last year.

I was on a solo, week long trip up the Man Chain. About mid-morning, I was on Saganagons Lake. I had just passed by all the islands and had just taken a left turn, heading west down the Maligne River, with the first falls portage about a mile west of me. I stopped and took a breather, just resting to soak in where I was, and I hear this rustling about 50' away from me, on the northern shore. I look to my right and out pops this gray streaked wolf. About a second later a second one, all white, pops out, nipping and playing "tag" with the first wolf. I make no sound at all, but within seconds both, in unison look at me (probably caught my scent) and the first wolf takes off. The second follows, but stops, looks at me again, and then disappears. All told, the encouter was about 10 seconds but will last a life time in my mind.

No wolves for me in the BWCA. I did see at least 2 wolves together in my yard a week or 2 before Memorial weekend this year, not sure if more were around. We watched each other for about 15 seconds before they melted into the underbrush.I’ve come across piles of deer fur with no bones left twice this spring within 50 yards of my house. They started pooping on the road at the end of my driveway after memorial weekend, next time I will post a picture, (I had guests with small dogs that they may have been interested in) I live pretty close to as north as Wisconsin gets and have seen them along the highway many times. Them being in my yard was a rare sight for sure.

Wine Lake a couple years ago: Saw a moose with a calf wading right next to shore. A minute or two later we saw a wolf that seemed to be trailing them. Coolest wildlife sighting for me in the BW.

@Tony J,
Wow!

I’ve been fortunate enough to see them a few times in the SNF near the BWCA and once in the BWCA. I’ve also had some times when I knew they were there, but didn’t see them.

On a solo a few days after ice out a couple of days into May I saw a wolf swimming on Horseshoe down on the end of the lake before you get to the portage to Gaskin. It was swimming in circles and shaking its head having a good old time. When it went up on shore it started walking along shore, I could see there were more of them. Their camouflage is amazing as it was just into the woods with no leaves yet and I could barely see it and the other ones. My dog Echo kept looking at me and then the wolf and back at me like he was saying “do you see the wolf”.

I ve seen a pack walking across Moose lake in the winter, one crossing the Kawishiwi Lake road just after the Hog Creek EP, one cross the Sawbill Trail and then stopping behind a tree to watch us with just one eye in sight peeking around it like the Jim Brandeberg photo, one on the Grade, one on the Gunflint Trail, and most recently I saw one on Shoe Lake road between the Arrowhead Trail and Gunflint Trail.

These sightings have been throughout the last 18 years.

One time I was camped on Pillsbery and there was a lot of wolf scat near camp and then when we were portaging to Allen I got that weird I’m being watched feeling right before I came to a fresh pile of wolf scat that was still steaming.

On another early May solo through Mudro a couple of days after ice out I had 2 different times, less than a mile away from each other as the crow flies I knew wolves were near and watching me based on my dogs behavior. I was single portaging and getting to the end of the portage I could hear multiple animals moving in the woods. I figured squirrels until my dog Echo attached himself to my side and was shaking and trying to get into the canoe before I even had it set down into the water. He was shaking and looking in the woods while I put the pack in the canoe and paddled away. Then 3 nights later I was camped on Sandpit and while making dinner he sat behind me looking in the woods and shaking again. He stayed attached to me the rest of the night and was always looking into the woods. This is the only campsite he’s been at with me that he hasn’t explored. The next morning on my way back to the latrine he found a chewed up beaver paw.

Yes for a couple of seconds along the LIS river eating a deer . One guy in my group saw it also and decided to yell "look a Wolf !!!" and it ran off. The guy had many issues along the trip but that was the final straw. Never invited him again.

Blatz, I feel you! ... I know that pain!

@Ducks, the individual experiences continue to amaze me. Your 18 years in the back country has been rewarding!

I have seen bear within the BW, but not wolves while camping. I have seen wolves while heading to/from the BW, while driving. We once were day hiking from a friends place outside Ely, on a forest road (2 adults, one dog) and a black wolf crossed the road in front of us at a walk, stopped midway and looked at us, then continued on. Super cool. Once we were approaching desperate need for an open campsite on our way out from a 10-day trip. We found an open site on Ensign, but it was a mess. I mean, everything from dirty diapers, to spilled Kool-Aid, food wraps, parts of a pack (the waist belt, which I later re-purposed), fishing poles, etc. We cleaned up best as we could. The next a.m. we had great otter-watching while drinking coffee at lake's edge. On the paddle out, the guys at the nearest campsite said the party that previously occupied our site left in a big hurry during the evening/night, reportedly because wolves came into their camp (?)! I have my suspicions, somewhat based on the remains of marijuana we found on the fire grate. My mother-in-law really wanted to have a wolf experience (she's since passed on), so we took her to the Wolf Center in Ely. We spent time there and she got to see the resident wolves. We then returned in the evening to go out and 'howl with wolves.' We got the briefing and practiced our howling. We took off in a van that ought to have been retired, with a driver that had inhaled way too much paint fumes during his day job. We headed off into the hinter land, after dark. On some far off rough rural dirt "road" the headlights revealed a pile of scat. The driver hit the brakes and hopped out and inspected. This man was the happiest human I've ever met upon finding this pile of steamy fresh wolf scat. We found a place to pull over, disembarked, and began our best efforts at howling. Pause. Sure enough, response. There we stood, on some mosquito-infested knoll, howling back and forth with a pack of wolves. I'm pretty sure my mother-in-law peed her pants with glee. Once back at the center, the dude, just for the heck of it, let out a howl in the parking lot. The resident pack responded. It remains a favorite memory of my mother-in-law, and she got treated royally by our guide.

Chessie, what a great story! Thank you very much for sharing.

Only once in the BWCA. One other time along Spruce Road off Highway 1, but not as exciting.

Our breathtaking time was on Day 8 of our 22-day trip in 1992. There is a trip report entitled "The Long Trip", and I will just quote the passage about the wolf sighting from my journal/trip report.

[To set the scene, we had broken camp that morning at what became my all-time favorite campsite on Cherokee Lake. We paddled down Cherokee Creek, portaged into Scoop Lake, then into Ada Lake, and finally into Ada Creek.]

"The portage (80 rods) from Ada Lake to Ada Creek is a big climb to a "view" in a birch forest overlooking a pond, then down again. This entire part of the trip was scenic, and I am surprised that there aren't more photos. but I do know that I was aware of having to parcel out my rolls of film. [perhaps some of you remember the days of "film"??]

Paddling along Ada Creek, just after the portage, I asked to stop so that I could photograph some iris. Since it was the end of the roll, I was hurriedly changing the film in the camera while Spartan1 was paddling. I almost asked again for him to stop. I was glad later that I hadn't, as we saw one of the highlights of our trip!

A wolf was standing on the left bank up ahead! It saw us and jumped into the water, swimming across in front of our canoe to the opposite bank, where it climbed out, shook the water from its fur, and ran into the woods. A beautiful sight, but unfortunately too far away for a photo."

(I didn't have a telephoto or zoom lens back in those days.)

We had many canoe trips together between 1971 and 2013. Lots of adventures. But as soon as I saw the title of this thread I must confess that the feeling of excitement of that morning was just as real as it was to me 32 years ago. Only once, in all of our trips, did we see a wolf!

On day 8 of our 22 day trip going from Cherokee lake to Sawbill, we had a wolf cross Ada creek in front of us. We had stopped to photograph an Iris bloom and Spartan2 had to put a new roll of film into the camera. That was when we spotted the wolf on the left hand shore. It then swam across the creek and shook the water from its fur, and ran into the woods. No picture.
Another time we saw and photographed a wolf at the entrance to Spruce road.

Spartan1

Spartans 1 & 2, thank you for sharing! The ability to recall the events of a 1992 trip in such detail, is a testament to the awe of the ecounter.

You guys should check out the Voyageurs Wolf Project here: https://www.voyageurswolfproject.org/
The things they've learned about wolves are amazing, and the pics and videos they have are incredible.

I've not seen a wolf in Quetico or BWCA, but I did see one in Algonquin. It stood on shore and watched us paddle by. It was very impressive. I've seen several from the vehicle on the way home from Quetico/BWCA trips. One was just east of Thunder Bay, Ontario. It had such long legs that we thought it was a deer at first. The other was going through the Upper Peninsula, near Seney. Still hope to see one in Quetico/BWCA though.

LifeScout: "Spartans 1 & 2, thank you for sharing! The ability to recall the events of a 1992 trip in such detail, is a testament to the awe of the ecounter. "

Not so much as you might think. It is a testament to journaling. We always had the journal (and usually the photos) and once we got home I made a book of every trip. Now that we are elderly and have retired from wilderness tripping, when we want to recall an event, we almost always can research among our books and help out our memories.