Bibsoutdoors
Survivalist
We have wolves in the northern forests of Wisconsin. It is just fascinating to hear them howl, bark and whimper at night and in the mornings. They do get close to camp sometimes but that's it.Wolves really haven't been a problem though there are 9,000 wolves and coyotes in the Province. The species of wolf would include Great Lakes Boreal, Easter and Grey.
What has become a concern is the black bear situation.
The black bears on the other hand are devils.
It was 11:30 at night our second day camping in an established camp ground in one of the forests in northern Wisconsin. I was sound sleep in my hammock with my wife and dog sleeping next to me in a tent.
All of a sudden I heard this loud angry prehistoric noise just on the other side of my hammock facing the woods. I woke up my heart was racing my breathing became rapid before I even got my eyes opened wide. (I'm sure they were wide opened!) Then came a second blast with the same noise even louder than the first(no grunts barks or growls) I became more frightened than anytime in my entire life. If this thing decided to go through me laying in my bear burrito, my wife and dog were next in line. Before I had any idea what I might do a third and final blast of pure anger came and went right through my soul. Suddenly I heard a thump thump and off it ran into the woods breaking branches as it went. I recovered somewhat and called to my wife to see if she was ok. No answer from her, I listened and she was still sound sleep, same for the dog. I couldn't believe what was going on.
Next day I looked to see if I had accidentally set up on a game path or something, I saw nothing. I found scat and broken tree limbs not more than five yards away from my hammock.
I don't know what scared the bear or even if it just scared itself but I was thankful and shaken. My wife could hardly believe the story I recanted. I will admit I had difficulty sleeping the rest of the week we spent there.
Later talking with another camper, he told me black bears come into established camp sites for easy food and get hostile (even attacking people) to get at it.
After we got home I spoke with a retired game warden. We told me black bear attacks were actually high and increasing but as a warden he was NOT allowed to report these attacks or any form of bear aggression unless someone was physically injured or killed. The fear being people would stop going into the woods and camp sites or worse (as far as the wardens were concerned) they would start carrying firearms into camp sites.
Honestly, I was so frightened for my wife, dog and myself I have never fully recovered. When we go now it's always in the back of my mind, maybe closer up front than just the back.
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Bibsoutdoors