Roderick Phillip and three hunting partners were at a bonfire. After about a week out along the Kuskokwim River near Kalskag, they'd already bagged a bull moose. It was after 2 a.m. on the night before their last day on the hunt. The 35-year-old Phillip went down by the river to look for moose. He didn't have his gun.
When he saw the white figure trotting toward camp out of the corner of his eye, Phillip called out to his companions.
"As soon as I hollered, 'Wolf! Wolf!,' the wolf turned towards me and started running," Phillip said. "I kept my eye on it while I was running towards them and not even 20 feet from where I was sitting it caught up to me."
The animal lunged at his face, then bit him on the leg, and the two ended up on the ground wrestling before his brother killed it. Phillip didn't know it then, but the animal was rabid.
It's the second time in recent years a rabid wolf has attacked people or animals in Southwest Alaska. In October 2007, a pack of wolves -- at least one of which was infected with rabies -- ransacked dog kennels in the Yukon River village of Marshall, killing a half-dozen dogs.
Is that just about the scariest story you have ever read about wolves?
You know usually wolves in the wild are very timid creatures and stay far away from humans. But rabies turns Dr. Jeckyl-wolf into Mr. Wolf-Hyde.
Of course I am just joking about the wolf control program promoted by our ex-Governor as having anything to do with this situation. Wolf attacks on humans in Alaska, just like every other place in the world, are extremely rare. There was a frightening incident right here in Anchorage back in 2007, but the focus of that attack seemed to be the dogs with the people and not the people themselves. And there was another rabies outbreak in 2008.
Personally I have yet to see a wolf in the wild. I have seen a few bear, a coyote or two, and even a fox, but no wolves. I would still like to, but after reading the news article linked to the title of this post I hope I am not out in the middle of nowhere when it happens.
(And don't bother correcting me concerning my headline. I know that Palin never shot wolves from a helicopter or anything else. According to Levi it is highly doubtful she ever even went hunting.)
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Sorry to be OT here, Gryphen. But I just read on the front web page of the NYT's (it was not in today's print edition) that John Edwards is about to man up to fathering that baby girl. Remember all the flat out lies all along the way. AND, the aide who signed the affidavit saying he was the father, well his book proposal is out there and the Times read it. He totally turns on Edwards. Even claims Edwards asked him to get a doctor to doctor some DNA in order to prove he wasn't. Now, what have you got for us, Gryphen?
ReplyDeleteOFF TOPIC but i thought your readership will get a kick out of it. lets send it to all our TEABAGER friends and relatives:
ReplyDeleteI pledge to eliminate all government intervention in my life.
I will abstain from the use of and participation in any socialist goods and services including but not limited to the following:
* Social Security
* Medicare/Medicaid
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* Police, Fire, and Emergency Services
* US Postal Service
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* Air Travel (regulated by the socialist FAA)
* The US Railway System
* Public Subways and Metro Systems
* Public Bus and Lightrail Systems
* Rest Areas on Highways
* Sidewalks
* All Government-Funded Local/State Projects (e.g., see Iowa 2009 federal senate appropriations)
* Public Water and Sewer Services (goodbye socialist toilet, shower, dishwasher, kitchen sink, outdoor hose!)
* Public and State Universities and Colleges
* Public Primary and Secondary Schools
* Sesame Street
* Publicly Funded Anti-Drug Use Education for Children
* Public Museums
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* Public Parks and Beaches
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* Unemployment Insurance
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* Socialist Byproducts of Government Investment Such as Duct Tape and Velcro (Nazi-NASA Inventions)
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* Clothing Made from Crops (e.g. cotton) That Were Grown With or That Contain Inputs From Government Subsidies
If a veteran of the government-run socialist US military, I will forego my VA benefits and insist on paying for my own medical care
I will not tour socialist government buildings like the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
I pledge to never take myself, my family, or my children on a tour of the following types of socialist locations, including but not limited to:
* Smithsonian Museums such as the Air and Space Museum or Museum of American History
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* All other public-funded socialist sites, whether it be in my state or in Washington, DC
I will urge my Member of Congress and Senators to forego their government salary and government-provided healthcare.
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I will boycott the products of socialist defense contractors such as GE, Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Humana, FedEx, General Motors, Honeywell, and hundreds of others that are paid by our socialist government to produce goods for our socialist army.
I will protest socialist security departments such as the Pentagon, FBI, CIA, Department of Homeland Security, TSA, Department of Justice and their socialist employees.
Upon reaching eligible retirement age, I will tear up my socialist Social Security checks.
Upon reaching age 65, I will forego Medicare and pay for my own private health insurance until I die.
SWORN ON A BIBLE AND SIGNED THIS DAY OF __________ IN THE YEAR ___.
The most dangerous rabies carrier on my land are armadillos.Not that they usually bite anything.Of course,they also carry leprosy so I might be more afraid of an armillo with rabies and leprosy than a wolf with rabies.At least I would expect to be wary of the wolf.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17798-polar-bears-run-riot-as-ice-melts.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news
ReplyDelete"You can almost hear Sarah Palin cocking her rifle. As climate change causes sea ice to shrink, the number of "problem" polar bears appears to be increasing."
Is it possible the rabid Sarah Palin infected the wolves? Seriously, what is causing the wolves to get rabies? I hope the anti-wolf people are not deliberately infecting them as an excuse to eradicate these beautiful creatures.
ReplyDeleteGryphen,
ReplyDeleteI've had the experience of seeing timber wolves in the wild many times. In fact on land I own in northern Minneosta their is a wolf pack in residence, while they don't pay rent :) they certainly never bother us when we are there.
Way of Peace -- that was great! I am going to spam all of my wingnut, evangelical, hypocrital friends and relative with that list as payback for all of the "evil liberal" propaganda they regularly send to me. Can't wait for the reaction...LOL
ReplyDeletePleaase Gryphen, reiterate again and again that this is an isolated story of wolves attacking humans which can be counted on the fingers of one hand. And please, your comments about hoping to see your first wolf when you are not isolated from civilization is very unhelpful. You would be at much more danger meeting a pitbull or an Alaskan teenager.
ReplyDeleteI have seen numerous wolves in the wild and I know what I'm talking about. And furthermore, I would be 100% certain that you are repeating a legitimate story. To me it doesn't ring completely true.
Sarah Q.
I have to agree with Sarah Q. If the wolves have rabies its b/c the packs have been destroyed by aerial hunting and taken the healthiest and strongest leaving the rest open to get diseases. And if there is not enough caribou/moose for them this will also happen.
ReplyDeleteThe animal lunged at his face, then bit him on the leg, and the two ended up on the ground wrestling before his brother killed it. Phillip didn't know it then, but the animal was rabid.This sounds like BS here, the animal lunged at his face (scary)but bit his leg. And then the fierce struggle and his friend shots the worlf...BS.
Anyway, wolves can get rabies, bats, cows...vaccinate your dogs and cats. If a vicious or strange acting dog or wolf approaches...DON'T RUN!!!
If your bit, get to a hospital to start anti-rabies shots. The only way to prove a animal has rabies is to quarantine for 10 days or euthanize it and have its head analyzed by the health dept. Someone's Dog was killed earlier this year b/c a bogus test said the dog had rabies!
If you see a dog,bat, anykind of animal acting strange do not approach it.
Most of these animal will exhibit strange behavior during the day. Rabies is not common, but does happen.
Gryphen don't be afraid of Wolves :) Especially Spirit wolves...!
Namaste...