Wildlife agents encourage wolf precautions

  • Published
  • By A1C Jack Sanders
  • JBER PAO
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Members of the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Wildlife Conservation team are asking base residents to increase their personal safety measures and responsibilities regarding safety from wolf.

According to wildlife agents, due to past incidents with local wolf packs there is a need for those venturing outdoors to take safety precautions.

"If you're going to go walk your dog, minimize your time in remote areas," said Herman Griese, Wildlife biologist with the 673d Civil Engineer Group. "Those trails through the woods are appealing and have great scenery that runners like, but you might want to stay to a well-used road."

Griese reminds everyone that when walking pets like dogs, which in the past have been the focus of wolf attacks, to keep them on a leash.

"We just had an incident involving wolves recently over by Fish Lake, but thankfully that individual was able to avoid harm and I think that's partially because he had control of his dog," Griese said.

While encounters with wolves are rare for most base patrons, the chances of a wolf encounter dramatically increases when taking those remote scenic trails.

Wildlife biologists suggest taking walks with groups rather than walking alone. Carrying some deterrent can also reduce risks. Air horns or bear spray are what Griese recommends.

"It's important to be observant when you're on those trails. Some people like to run with those ear buds and music playing, and that can get you in trouble," Griese said.

Those base patrons who do enjoy evening jogs or walks with their dogs on questionable trails might do well to take an example from Leo Remiger's encounter.

"My dog acted goofier than normal, I thought she was excited about a squirrel, turns out she saw a wolf instead," said Remiger, 611th Civil Engineer Squadron.

"This particular night we were on Fish Lake Road, not more than 500 yards from where we parked the truck, when the dog scented the wolves. I stopped, thinking she wanted to run around the trees looking for squirrels," he explained.

"I saw the first wolf on our back trail, sitting on the road watching us.

Then I saw another in the meadow or tall grass. He must have seen that I saw him and started moving toward the road and the first wolf."

Remiger encountered four wolves in total that night, but said he wasn't alarmed, as he is used to seeing tracks and a wolf or two on that trail.

"We walked toward them; they didn't pay any attention to us," Remiger said. "So I figured they were just curious and we turned around and started to walk the rest of our regular walk. I went about 20 yards and turned around to look at the three on the road.

"They were all there in the same spot," Remiger said. "As we were stopped, I looked to my right into the tall grass to see if there were any ahead of us or if we could see any of them moving. I was thinking this was the Elmendorf pack and thought there were (more) of them in the pack.

"I didn't see anything and I was gabbing with the dog when I heard a noise just off to our left," Remiger continued. "We were facing the three on the road that had been behind us. And low and behold, when I turned, there stood the fourth one, halfway up the embankment not 20 feet from us. We looked at him, he looked at us, head down, ears up - just curious.

We walked toward him, stopped, walked toward him, stopped, and finally when he decided we were close enough, he just took five steps into the woods and was gone from sight.

"He made a little noise and we then noticed him, all he did was stamp a foot in the snow," Remiger said. He was on an embankment and could easily have taken the dog had he desired. But I don't know that they were anything but curious."

Remiger said the most remarkable thing about the wolves was they disappeared like ghosts.

"You would watch one, then turn to see the other two and all of them were out of sight. It was like you imagined the entire incident," he explained.

Remiger's incident is a clear example of how easily anyone could run into trouble, Griese said. He said, to keep the safety tips in mind and anyone can keep themselves safe.

Remiger handled his situation without fear, but how well could most people handle the situation, Griese asked.

For more information on wolf safety visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website at www.wc.adfg.state.ak.us/index.cfm?adfg=wolf.main.

Griese said anyone who encounters wolves or other potentially dangerous wildlife should call the Security Forces Dispatcher at 552-3421 immediately to get in contact with a wildlife conservation agent.