The wolf is at the door

December 4, 2011 by The Minnesota Farm Woman

This is the time of year when it starts getting dark at 4:00 p.m. Not very pleasant, in my book. It’s dark when you leave for work and dark when you get home. The chicken coop is about 50 yards from our house. That means 50 yards of a very dark walk which seems like a mile even when one is carrying a flashlight gripped in her sweaty palm waiting for the wolves to attack. You can’t blame me for being afraid. Our first year here, I met a wildlife biologist who told me that there was a large active wolf pack living in our area. Sometimes, late at night, you can hear them howl. For those of you that don’t know, wolves are a protected species in this state, so the pack gets larger every year. Larger and hungrier, I’m sure. Our second winter here brought weeks of temperatures well below zero and a wolf who came right up to our front door and curled himself up on our welcome mat. We figured the wolf was probably injured, so on our neighbor’s advice, I called the DNR to see what could be done. The conversation went something like this: Me: “There is a wolf lying on my front porch. What should we do?” DNR Guy: “It is probably not a wolf.” Me: “There is an animal that looks like a wolf lying on my welcome mat.” DNR Guy: “It is probably a coyote. Wolves are big and don’t usually go on people’s porches.” Me: ” It is big and looks like a wolf and he is on my front porch.” DNR Guy: “Are you sure it is not a dog? Sometimes Huskies look like wolves or it is a mix.” Me: “Should I go out and ask him?” OK…I didn’t say that last part, but I wanted to. My common-sense husband shooed him off by opening the front door and pushing it against the wolf, and he took off down the road. Now you know why I am afraid. Very afraid. Each evening, as I leave the house for the long dark walk to feed my chickens, I announce that I AM NOW LEAVING TO FEED THE CHICKENS AND IF I DO NOT RETURN IN 15 MINUTES COME AND MAKE SURE I HAVE NOT BEEN EATEN BY WOLVES. He rolls his eyes. It is even worse if he is not home. Then I carry my phone in my pocket, but I am not sure what good it would do if I called 911 and reported “HELP, I AM HALFWAY BETWEEN MY HOUSE AND MY CHICKEN COOP AND AM BEING EATEN BY WOLVES!” The first year we were here he wired the coop so I had electricity, but I still had a long walk in the dark before I could turn on the switch. The second year he installed a timer, so I at least have a light waiting for me, but there are still 50 very dark yards to walk. I am thinking that next year I might ask him to install floodlights and light up the back yard like a football field on a Friday night. They would probably still be there, waiting just beyond the light. Watching and waiting. If you notice my column missing in next week’s paper you will know what happened.

Posted in Uncategorized | 19 Comments

19 Responses

on December 4, 2011 at 6:09 pm | Reply Michele

Great post! Thanks! I can’t relate to it totally, as I did not have the wolves to contend with. The darkness is another matter. I lived and worked in Germany for quite a few years, and every year I prayed to make it through the winter. Mind you, we’re not talking a about a beautiful Bavarian winter with snow-covered church steeples and mountains. We’re talking about central Germany, the Frankfurt area. Cold and gray and gloomy, for months on end. MONTHS. Just exactly as you said – up in the morning, go to work in the dark, then come home in the dark. No sunshine. This can definitely mess with your mind. I’m really glad I didn’t have wolves to deal with, just German commuters who looked as though they had been in a very bad mood for a very long time…

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- on December 4, 2011 at 7:23 pm | Reply The Minnesota Farm Woman
  
  Yes. No light can equal crabby. I take lots of Vitamin D and have my dining room painted bright yellow. Thanks for reading!
  
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on December 4, 2011 at 6:17 pm | Reply Edith

Who is on first? Now you know if you call 911, you will have to go through the same conversation as you had with DNR?! Does your phone have a camera, maybe a picture is worth a thousand words, a picture of the big guy gnawing on your well booted leg, send directly to 911 folks and copy to DNR. I see another column on the variations of what “DNR” could stand for…will stand by!

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on December 4, 2011 at 6:56 pm | Reply The Minnesota Farm Woman

hahahaha!

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on December 4, 2011 at 7:15 pm | Reply Toni

Its mountain lions here. I chant as I walk to the coop in the dark. “Im really really big and you dont want to eat me”. Its worked so far. : ) I know just what you mean about them being just out of the light watching you. Its creepy. What about a motion light that would light up the way between house and coop?

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- on December 4, 2011 at 7:21 pm | Reply The Minnesota Farm Woman
  
  Yes, Ive thought of that, too, but it would be on all the time due to deer, fox, coyote, rabbits, wolves, etc. I’m glad there’s someone else who feels the way I do. whistle and sing a lot…..
  
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on December 4, 2011 at 8:07 pm | Reply Mandy Brunson

I love this post. Thank you. I wish you the best for your floodlights. If you like, I can send my electrician husband out there to install them for you.

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- on December 4, 2011 at 9:19 pm | Reply The Minnesota Farm Woman
  
  My hubby is an electrician, too. :o) That’s how I got the coop wired so quickly. Thanks for reading!
  
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on December 4, 2011 at 8:16 pm | Reply Sue Cellini

Poor thing! I’d be nervous too! I don’t travel anywhere outside at night without our trio of dogs romping around and creating enough chaos that any would-be wolf/coyote/dog would think twice about joining our circus. Would a motion sensor light on a pole half-way help out?

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- on December 4, 2011 at 9:20 pm | Reply The Minnesota Farm Woman
  
  I do need something bright halfway, I think. Little Barney, I’m afraid, would be just an appetizer for the wolves…
  
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on December 4, 2011 at 8:17 pm | Reply Sue Cellini

Hahaha, just saw the first comment!

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on December 5, 2011 at 1:17 am | Reply Jeanne

How about carrying a big stick with fire like movies. The wolves always hate the fire in the movies. LOL I can send you a bamboo citrinella torch. :)) Last week Ron walked out the back door to see a Great Horned Owl sitting on the edge of the fish pond. The creatures of the night are everywhere.

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- on December 5, 2011 at 6:01 am | Reply The Minnesota Farm Woman
  
  Hahahahaha!
  
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on December 5, 2011 at 11:00 am | Reply izzysdaughter2

I grew up on a farm near DR, which was pretty much surrounded by woods, in the 50’s and 60’s. It didn’t matter that bear, wolves, coyotes were probably rare to non-existent in that area at the time. I had a throat stopping, intractable fear of the dark. AND we had an outhouse! Fortunately , my sweet 4′ 10″ mother would always accompany me. I’m not sure why that was reassuring, but it was. I always longed for a house in town with streetlights AND indoor plumbing! For your problem, how about one of those hand held lights they use for “shining” deer? At least you could see (or not see) their beady yellow eyes! LOL

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- on December 5, 2011 at 11:20 am | Reply The Minnesota Farm Woman
  
  Oh, we have an outhouse but I am counting my blessings that I also have indoor plumbing. Good idea, and thabks fir reading!
  
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on December 5, 2011 at 11:38 pm | Reply SusieQ

Great story. You are a braver woman than I! Carry a can of wasp spray. It’s stronger than pepper spray and sprays about thirty feet, so the wolves don’t stand a chance of getting clise enough to take a chunk out of you!

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- on December 6, 2011 at 5:12 am | Reply The Minnesota Farm Woman
  
  Hey, great idea! Thanks for reading, and for commenting!
  Chris
  
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on December 21, 2011 at 9:06 am | Reply ~J

Love this one! Growing up in MN and now living in a southern state- (well practically anything is south of where we grew up!) People are shocked when I tell them about the abundant wolves in northern Minnesota that are growing to a scary over-populated state. This article is just another example.
I remember as a kid, on a cold winter night, we were listening to a pack of wolves howling in the woods that surrounded our farm after they had just made a kill. You could even hear the pups barking. It was both eerie and fascinating! I felt safe as my dad was with me during that moment, but I can remember nothing was worse that realizing you forgot a chore or left your bike out and had to run outside after dark by yourself!

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- on December 21, 2011 at 4:13 pm | Reply The Minnesota Farm Woman
  
  Yes….scary! thanks for reading and for commenting. Chris
  
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