Wolves up at the House

I have just come back up to the mountain after spending several days signing the last of my 2500 Limited Edition trophy antelope books. I signed the whole printing over the last two months and at this writing there will be only about 450 left for sell. Because they are all 4-color, numbered and signed, this First Edition will be gone in less then a month. So if you’re interested in getting a copy, I strongly recommend calling the office or go online to eastmans.com and order soon. The second printing will not be all 4-color.

While driving back up on the mountain in northern Wyoming, I run into a pack of six wolves.  I believe they were playing out on a frozen pond in a courtship ritual. I stopped and took a few photos. It’s a long way off, maybe 450 yards, but you can see two of them interacting. The scuttlebutt is a lone Idaho wolf wondered into our country and took up with one of the single Wyoming females. The “wolf spotters” are giddy about another possible pack in the making. Nearly every night at least one wolf will wonder thru my country looking for game to take down.

I have two bull moose wintering on the creek next to me. Last year I had only one bull. I think he brought a friend into the area to winter this year. One bull still had its antlers so I went down and took a few photos. This is the longest I have ever seen a bull moose hold on to his headgear.  Usually by the end of January the bulls have dropped their antlers. Not this guy! Maybe he feels that keeping the bone will deter a wolf attack. I’m watching to see if wolves will kill these bulls.

Here at 7500 feet, the warm early March temperatures caused the snow pack to become hard. Then when the temperature dropped to below freezing the wolves can travel along the top as if it was solid ground. This makes it easier to catch and kill elk and moose.

I’ll continue to keep you posted on the two wintering bulls. Mike Eastman