Wolf/Moose Drama on Crocodile Lake

Strong winds left many canoeists windbound over the past few days all over this area of the BWCA.  As the winds subsided this morning and paddlers began to make it back to the lodge, many adventurous tales were shared. 

One of the more interesting stories came from a couple who waited out the wind on Crocodile Lake.  Since early July, when the Lyzhoft family took this moose picture on the north arm of East Bearskin Lake, our guests have been reporting sightings of a moose cow and two calves.  The moose family was first regularly spotted on the BWCA end of East Bearskin Lake; more recent reports were that they were living closer to Crocodile Lake.  (Of course, these could be 2 different moose families, but the trend in sightings seemed to indicate gradual movement towards Crocodile.)

Yesterday, while waiting out the wind on Croc, a couple saw a moose cow and two calves being chased by a pack of wolves.  A large black wolf was in the lead, with two other wolves following.  Using binoculars, they could see that the wolves had already come close to catching one of the calves.  There was a large red gash on the rump of one of them.  The moose family ran along the shoreline on Crocodile with the wolves in hot pursuit.  It was quite memorable, and a bit disturbing, to watch.  Fortunately, it appeared that the moose family escaped – or at least everyone hopes that’s how it really turned out.  We’re eager for somebody to return from Crocodile soon with a photo of a moose cow and her two safe calves.