This morning in the paper there was an article about a potential wolf sighting in the central Oregon Cascades. And there was a photo, too. Pretty amazing and thought provoking. We know that the wolves are slowly making a comeback in Oregon. We have a friend that has seen them in areas that we frequent. But this is the first hint of a wolf making it this far west. Their current range has been limited to the northeastern area of the state. And some of the folks over that way aren't happy about them arriving there...
We have had the good fortune to have encountered a variety of animals in the wild. We have seen everything from deer, elk, moose, sheep, goats, cougar, lynx, bear, fox to even a badger, to name a few. But we have not seen a wolf. And we have not seen Bigfoot!
Old Bigfoot is a creature of such lore that you just want to believe it is true. And there have been a few times that I have sure felt it might be.... Years back when Tramp 1 and I were dating, we used to take off snowmobiling in the Cascades of central Washington. Mind you, we were both just students and could not afford a snowmobile. But Tramp 1's older (and wilder) cousin had access to an extra machine and off we would go, into the dark of night. I never knew where we headed - I just held on for dear life! Then we would arrive somewhere high in the mountains and the fellas would dump me off in a copse of trees, where I would build a fire and make cocoa, hot toddies and sometimes a pot of awful food while they were gone, riding far out of hearing range. And I would get scared!!! But only when I got smart enough to realize that I had no idea where I was, no way could I walk out through such deep snow and that no one else knew where we were. What if the fellas didn't come back for me??? It was then that I began to believe in Bigfoot! With all that alone time in such a remote place, it felt spiritual. While I felt totally alone, I didn't - it was as if there was a presence out there - a very eerie presence!! I would look out across the deep snow, glistening under the star-studded sky and listen to the deafening quiet. Not a sound, not a soul but me.... and maybe Bigfoot!!
Through the years, I have built up my tolerance for being alone in the woods. It has helped me hone skills of observation, listening and tracking. The need to expand my boundaries started when I was left in hunting camp alone all day. I had to get out and see what I could find. And when I found my first bear alone, I left the area very quickly! Once, while hunting in Washington state I hiked around Bumping Lake and through a portion of the William O. Douglas Wilderness alone. Now, when Tramp 1 is hunting, we often split up in the morning with each of us spending our day hiking in different directions and then meeting up back at base camp at night to share news of our finds. Looks like we will be including watching for a potential wolf sighting on our list of activities while out in the woods.... And I still hope there is a Bigfoot out there somewhere, too!
What about you? Have you seen a wolf? Do you believe in Bigfoot?
2 comments:
The WDFW finally confirmed Washington is home to Wolves as far west as Twisp. I have a friend that claims to have seen them in Skykomish. For years they denied their existance, I think someone finally called their bluff and said they were going hunting for "big coyotes."
I am reasonably sure I've heard them over at the Yonderosa. I'm frequently serenaded by coyotes but this was not like any coyote I've ever heard.
I haven't heard or seen any bigfeet. or is it bigfoots? I bet they'd make good neighbors.
Well I don't know if I do believe in bigfoot or not--I don't see why not. My son saw something the other night when driving from a rural area in S.Carolina, he said it appeared to be a little bear. You never know what you'll see in wild areas. Of course right now I'm still living in the 'wilds' of Charlotte N. Carolina. (city of about 1/2 million) I woke in the night when the next door neighbors dog was barking--he never does at night. I put on all the lights and peered out windows thinking perhaps someone was trying to get tools from our jeep--we often leave them in there after working on the new place.
I didn't see anyone. I am thinking though-- I prefer two things to being 'all alone' a dog and a gun. ;) That goes as well for the city as for the wild. There's more than one kind of 'wolf'
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