Close wildlife encounters can often happen when you least expect them and or when you
are least prepared to capture the moment. Such was the case for me a couple of weeks ago
when I was out on the Fraser River testing out various settings and the audio quality on a
new microphone. I had walked about 50 yards from my tripod mounted camera and with
cupped hands to my mouth made a number of long mournful wolf howls. There wasn’t
the slightest breeze this late afternoon and I’m sure the sound carried far and wide. After a
number of audio meter checks and more howls I was satisfied with the results so I packed
up my camera equipment and shouldered my pack ready to leave the river. Just before I
picked up my tripod I turned to look upstream and would you believe it 4 large timber
wolves were approaching me at about 100 yards distant. They had come from a small side
channel to the river. Of coarse my first thought was at least try to get some footage even
though it looked kinda hopeless as as I was expecting them to dash for the forest when they
would recognize me as human, but no they all approached within 45 yards before 2 of the
wolves headed for the bush as I drew my camera out of the pack. With no time to install the
viewfinder or microphone I managed at least to capture a few moments using only the LCD
screen before the 2 remaining ones headed back up the river. I believe my wolf howls had
drawn them in, also it might explain why the wolves never really showed any fear of me
until they were close. /LEON LORENZ
