A wolf not shot

By G. George Ostrom

Must have been late October 1965 when my brother Ritchey, father-in-law Bill Wilhelm, and I were riding horses over a pass north of Harrison Creek at Sargeant Lake. We were hunting elk just outside the Bob Marshall Wilderness, near where I had shot my first elk and had guided Bill to a nice bull in 1959.

While crossing an opening on the hillside just east of the lake, I dismounted with haste, pulling the 'ol ott six from the scabbard as I went. A huge white wolf was standing broadside on the far bank of the lake and obviously had no idea we were in the area. We were down wind and off to his right side. My initial reaction was that of a young man who had been raised on a ranch and taught that the only good wolf was a dead one. Although I had seen a few wild wolves in the Hog Heaven hills north of Niarada, this was the first time I'd ever seen one close-up while holding a powerful rifle.

Rested the gun across a handy log and looked through the scope with the crosshairs coming to rest on the wolf's high shoulderÉwhat a magnificent sight he was. The more I looked the more I became entranced. Ritchey said in a low voice, "If you shoot him brother you're going to spook all the elk in the country."

"Ritchey, it goes against all we've been taught butÉI am not going to shoot that wolf." A mighty yell came from my throat and the wolf instatntly vanished in the forest. "I'm glad you didn't shoot him George. That was one beautiful critter."

Got to thinking about that spine tingling minute from long ago after reading the latest reports about modern wolf management. The governor of Idaho wants to have hunting season and shoot about five hundred of the 650 wolves in his state, when the Feds turn over management to his administration and "delist" the big canines. Governor Butch Otter may sound off once too often about his plans and Idaho will be in the same situation as WyomingÉwith the Federal Fish and Wildlife remaining in charge.

In Montana, our politicians have so far managed to speak softly, keep a level head and not get the Feds teed off, so there well could be a state control within the next year or so. Current plan is to offer hunters a chance to bag surplus wolves and wolves preying on livestock. Suppose I'd have no problem shooting a wolf that was killing my prize calf but I know it wouldn't be much fun. For sure Ð will not be putting in for a wolf permit, especially for one up around Sargeant Lake in the South Fork.

Just remembered another thing from that wonderful 1965 hunt. The night before the wolf, we camped beside a game trail in the meadow south of Sargeant Lake. Had made a small lean-to with a piece of canvas over a down log and the three of us slept in bags with heads just inside the low open end. It snowed a foot that night, soft fluffy stuff and it had stopped about four in the morning. Getting up a little after six to start a fire I noticed fresh animal tracks came right up to the very edge of our shelter. Clear sharp imprints in newly fallen snow showed the curious beast had stopped with its head less that two feet from the heads of three snoring hunters. Though I didn't get to actually see it, that is closest I've ever been in the wilderness É to a live grizzly bear.

Ended last weeks column by suggesting there would be lawyers involved in the case of a 28-year-old woman who died from drinking too much water in a recent radio sponsored contest at Sacramento, Calif. For those of you who don't follow that kind of news stories I can tell you the lawsuits are being filed.

Question: Do you know why the North Dakotan kept smiling during the lightening storm?

Answer: He thought somebody was taking his picture.