Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

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Sam Ubl
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Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby Sam Ubl » Tue Sep 26, 2017 4:14 am

It was my last day in bear camp located in the northernmost reaches of the state, NW Wisconsin. Each day I would approach my stand sites weighted down with gear, fresh bait, my bow, and a Ruger Red Hawk .480 revolver on my hip. Morning hunts called for a 4:00 A.M. departure time to beat the bears to the bait. The mornings became harder as my body grew weary after days of hunting hard and packing in and packing out of the big woods in 90-degree heat. On this final morning, I set the revolver down on the bench seat as I kneeled down to lace up my boots. I grabbed the camera bag and threw it over my shoulder, grabbed the two camera arms and scooped up the 5-gallon pale of fresh bait in the same hand, my bow and flashlight in the other hand, and set out under the moonlight. The hike gets long hauling so much gear, especially when you have to balance everything to avoid making noise.

I was following an ATV trail my good friend had made while baiting this particular site for me throughout the tail end of summer, which allowed me to avoid heavy flashlight use and potentially spooking game. With 50 yards left to the turn-in trail leading to the bait site, I flicked the light on to expose the source of brush moving just ahead of me. I froze in my tracks, a shot of adrenaline surging through me in a way I had never felt. There, before me, stood a Timber Wolf a mere 30-35 yards away. I have seen more coyotes than I can count up close and personal, but this was a wolf and unmistakably so. Its round face and large body stood motionless with ears perked high and eyes fixed on my presence like a hawk on a field mouse. I slowly lowered the bait pale with the flashlight aimed at the wolf, and reached for the revolver on my hip, but all I felt was belt - I had forgotten the gun on the bench back at camp.

Unsure what to do next, I pointed the flashlight at myself and spoke, "I'm a human," in a soft voice, still in hunt-mode and trying to avoid commotion. In the short time I turned the flashlight on myself, the wolf had already closed a few feet, and continued to advance towards me as I pinned the light back on it. The steps it took were cautious, but bold in the same instance. To say the moment was unnerving is somewhat of an understatement, it was unsettling to a degree much deeper than nerves.

A breeze kicked up and blew right towards the wolf, stopping it in its tracks. Still separated by nearly 30-yards, I decided my only option now was to attempt to scare it off with my voice. I loudly yelled this time, "Get out of here! Get!". For nearly 20-seconds we stood there staring at one another before the wolf turned slowly to it's right and trotted with long strides into the timber just off the ATV trail. I swear its backline had to be close to the height of my waist.

I stood there for several seconds listening to the branches crack as the wolf got further away until I felt comfortable it was not coming back for a second look. I took that moment to close the last 80-yards to the bait site where a pre-hung ladder stand was already in place. Once there I stopped and listened, once again, to hear if I had been followed. It was silent. I spilled the fresh bait into the hole and covered it with the large stone and logs, quickly got to the base of the tree I would be sitting, and scaled up the first few rungs of the ladder quicker than a rabbit escaping a brush fire.

THE MORNING GETS WEIRDER
Once on the stand, I hear subtle sound of an animal approaching the bait site. It's been roughly 5-minutes since I had settled in and I was still in the process of securing the camera arms to the tree. Under the moon I saw the source, a distinguishable white stripe lurking below me - and then I smelled it. A skunk was now digging its way into the bait, meanwhile, I was in the final steps of seating the cameras and turning on the external mics. That's when things got weird...

Approaching from my walk-in trail, a creature was approaching the site, breaking sticks and rustling brush with every step it advanced. My immediate notion was, "BEAR!". This is what I came for, he was coming in, now all he has to do is stick around a couple hours for daylight.

Once the animal closed inside of 40-yards, or so, I heard growling. Not loud aggressive growling like a cornered dog, but a low harmonic deep and unsettling growl that seemed to bellow from deep in the animals gut. And then it barked! It barked with a sound that sent chills down my spine. The bark was unlike anything I had ever heard, as if I could hear spit coming from the animals mouth. Then another bark. And another! Soon the animal was within 15-yards from the base of my tree. I believe the animal was attempting to ward off the skunk by the bait site, but I can't imagine a bear to make a sound like this. What could it be?

I quickly turned on my camera, despite the blackness of the early morning hour, and recorded audio of what has been one of the most horrifying and nightmarish growls and barks I've ever experienced in the wild. I've shared the audio with over a dozen people in the last 36-hours since the encounter took place, including locals to the area, and hunters down home. Some say it's the bark a wolf makes, others suggested wolverine, and I've also heard fisher, badger, and raccoon from one other person. I've since scoured YouTube to hear the sounds of all these options, and none are identical, however, one sound byte of a wolf bark sounds awfully close, and there are times a wolverine cranks out a bark-like sound, but for the most part, each of these animals has a purr and hiss mixed with a spitting and chuckle that goes with their bark. I am going to upload the audio to YouTube and I'll share the link here, I'd love some opinions. . . Any initial thoughts?

Conclusion
I think innately we walk by ourselves in the dark through the woods with our nerves on-guard, even when we know we are the alpha predator, it's only natural. I had thought about the possibility of encounters like this one, but always thought it was my imagination creeping me out, not something that would come true. Looking back on it, the wolf was not aggressive, it did not growl, it only stared and stood it's ground until it decided it was time to move on. Still, it rattled my cage and left me with a story to tell - hopefully a story that won't repeat itself.


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Re: Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby Nocturnal » Tue Sep 26, 2017 4:19 am

Sounds like a Sasquatch Sam! You almost made history. Send it into Bigfoot guys and they can make a show out of it!! :lol:

Wish I could hear it though. Sounds like an awesome experience in the North woods!
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Re: Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby Sam Ubl » Tue Sep 26, 2017 4:23 am

I'll certainly share the audio as soon as possible. I played it for my wife on the surround sound last night after the long drive home... she wished she hadn't heard it.
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Re: Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby csoult » Tue Sep 26, 2017 4:28 am

Wow! Pretty crazy Sam. I'll bet you don't forget your gun next time! :shock:
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Re: Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Tue Sep 26, 2017 4:30 am

8-)
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Re: Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby Dewey » Tue Sep 26, 2017 4:32 am

Sounds like a fun hunt. I always like the odd crazy encounters that happen. They make you feel alive. 8-)
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Re: Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby Nocturnal » Tue Sep 26, 2017 4:33 am

Just hearing a wolf sound off is an eerie feeling. I can only imagine hearing that right under you. I wanna listen to this...
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Re: Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby Stanley » Tue Sep 26, 2017 4:57 am

That was a great hunt. We are on earth for a period of time. Some times are pretty boring other times are very entertaining.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby Octang » Tue Sep 26, 2017 5:18 am

I'm excited to hear it! Scary at the time I'm sure, but it sure makes for a great story.
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Sam Ubl
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Re: Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby Sam Ubl » Tue Sep 26, 2017 5:24 am

I received a message pointing to a short YouTube vid of a Bobcat growl and bark. It's about the closest thing I've heard to the sound. I desperately wish I had put my flashlight on it to know for certain. Certainly a variety of predators yesterday morning. I'm curious for some opinions, though.
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Re: Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby Hatchetman » Tue Sep 26, 2017 5:32 am

I'll take a stab at it....
Grey Fox

We had a pair raise pups behind our house probably 20 years ago. At night when they would be out and about with the pups one of the adults would make a series of what I'd describe as a growling barks when the pups would get too close to the house. This went on for a good portion of the summer with me never being able to catch site of what was doing it until one night when the pups actually ventured up onto the lawn and the mother fox (I'm thinking) started cutting loose. I flipped on the back lite and finally got a 100% Id of the culprit.

I've heard red fox barks and growls during trapping but it is nothing like a grey. Honestly I've never heard a grey make a sound like this when there in a trap either so it must be just a warning thing, like a doe snorting.
It is amazing how a sound like that came come out of such a small critter. It's loud and very guttural or raspy.
You'd swear its coming out of something bear or wolf size!!
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Re: Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby Net Guy » Tue Sep 26, 2017 5:42 am

Man that would send chills down my back. Can't wait to hear the audio.
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Sam Ubl
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Re: Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby Sam Ubl » Tue Sep 26, 2017 6:46 am

Best if listened to with headphones.

It's 4:30 A.M., takes place near Superior, Wisconsin, and is very remote. You can hear a dog bark in the distance. Listen closely for the low moaning growl, and then the bark.

What was it? A bobcat? A wolverine? A fisher?

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Re: Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby backcountrychronicle » Tue Sep 26, 2017 6:56 am

Sounds more like fox than anything else I can think of.
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Re: Face-to-Face w/a Timber Wolf and Something Else...

Unread postby Net Guy » Tue Sep 26, 2017 6:57 am

:o wow that is scary! How long did it last? Did the animal eventually just walk away or how did it leave? What did the skunk do?

I know it’s after the fact, but did you try to shine your light on him? My gut says either a fox or bobcat.


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