The news on this is sketchy, but I’ve heard rumors are building about two wolves or hybrids that had been circling parked vehicles on the highway at Fairfield, ID. That is a small town on the Camas Prairie about 30 miles SW of Hailey, ID.
The canids were said to be skinny and acting aggressive, but disoriented. Eventually one was hit on the highway and when the driver tried to check out the injured animal the other one advanced on the driver. The sheriff was called and the uninjured canid advanced on him too, and he shot both.
I was told that Idaho Fish and Game checked them and determined they were starving hybrids with no hunting skills.
No doubt anti-wolf folks will make this into a big bad wolf story if possible, so I thought I’d put it up despite the sketchy nature of the story. Of course, I can’t say with complete assurance that they weren’t wolves. There are wolves in the adjacent mountains.
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On Monday the 25th around 4pm I encountered three wolf like canids along hiway 20 just East of Fairfield. They were trotting al;ong the side of the road. As we slowed down one came into the road and walked right up to the front of my truck showing no signs of fear. One was white, another grey and the third was grey and brown. The third reminded me of a Shepard. At first we thought they might be wolves, but they thinner than what I would expect. The look on their faces was that of a dog looking for its owner. We decided they were dogs.
On Saturday the 30th my wife and I were float tubing at Magic Resevoir early that morning when we seen the third wolf hybred. He was walking along the shore line and seemed to be in fairly good health. He was not afraid of us as my wife was close to the shore and he went into the water and started swimming towards her. He was non aggressive and looked alot like a german sheperd but had bone piercing yellow eyes and alot of dark red hair behind his ears. However he did trot like a wolf does and had his tail straight in the air. When we got out of the water at Lava Point we noticed him on a small island where we watched him swim back across to Lava Point where we were on the beach. He walked up to me within five feet and just looked lost, hungry and scared. By this time a bunch of folks on boats and rafts were by the shore line looking at him where he then calmly walked up the hill and out of site. The talk among the boaters were of different opinions as to wether or not he was a full wolf or a hybred. My opinion is that he could have been full but certainly domesticated, he could be easily construne as a wolf shepard mix. If it was a hybred then he was an extremely high percent. I dont think he would hurt a human as he had a chance to get me and my stringer of fish but if hungry enough which he certainly looked he may go after smaller cats or dogs. By the way the fishing was great ! Used a “Halloween Leach” trolling the shore line with sinking fly line. 23″-25″ Rainbows
Sounds like someone dumped them off, it’s sad. Oh, and fishing is good at Roseworth too…
I had a neighbor that raised those pesky hybrids. They moved to Idaho and took their hybrids with them. I wonder if there would ever be cross breeding in the wild.
That’s one reason they take samples of most of wolves the capture to collar, especially if it looks at all unusual. They haven’t found any. Ralph Maughan
Thanks for all these posts giving eye-witness accounts. We all appreciate it.
It seems that the details about the three canines and their origin are still unclear.
One was hit by a car, hurt, and a packmate apparently came to its aid. Both canines supposedly showed agression toward a human who called the law and the animals were done in.
What are really the facts?
I know people who freak out when a poodle walks toward them. There are people who simply don’t like anything that looks like a dog.
The story seems to be that three wolf-like canines were apparently abandoned and left to starve.
These animals were “pesky”? It’s not their fault.
Rather — humans were irresponsible. Anyone who would abuse or abandon any pet, should be taken out into the countryside, without food, water or shelter and left – preferably in winter – to see what it’s like.
Any news of what’s happened to the third animal?
I am sorry that someone didn’t take action to call the Humane Society or an Animal Shelter and perhaps the animals could have been helped. I took on an abused and abandoned canine and it is an extraordinary animal who shows every day how thankful it is to be rescued.
There’s some saying about how a society treats its animals shows how it treats other human beings.
I’ve noticed that people who don’t like dogs or wolves, aren’t a barrel of fun to be around.
As far as I know even a DNA test cannot give any percentage of wolf to dog ratio as it is all canine DNA. Unfortunately as a wildlife rescuer I can say wolfdogs are more dangerous then pure wolves. I hear about wolfdogs biting people all the time, just a few monthes ago a woman was killed in Pennsylvania by her captive pack of hybrids. The story sounded like they were protecting a litter of pups. She was killed and partialy consumed in her urban neighborhood where she lived. Wolves mature anywhere from ages 2-5 and the same is true with hybrids, so by that time they have developed some hunting instincts (not skills) and have become well habituated to humans. This makes them extremely dangerous to the owners as well as the neighbors.I hope this is a lesson to all who think having a wolf or wolfdog is romantic!