
(2560
x 1920)
Our very first day on the
job we trapped this wolf to put a GPS collar on it
|

(2560
x 1920)
After
we collared it and took all our measurements and samples, we
administered a drug to speed the reversal of the immobilization drugs
|

(2560
x 1920)
Photo shoot as Karen moves
the wolf away from our work area as it regains consciousness
|

(2560
x 1920)
"The Hydro Line" cuts
through almost the entire park and provides a good means of North/South
transit
|

(2560
x 1920)
A lake near Basin Depot on
one of our first excursions into our study area
|

(2560
x 1920)
We followed the signals of
the McKaskill pack to this small lake and bog in hopes of finding their
tracks
|

(2560
x 1920)
Kilometer 18 on Major Lake road, one of our most traveled routes
|

(2560
x 1920)
Our tracks cut into the
fresh snow along this old logging road
|

(2560
x 1920)
Tom and Kiira as we stop to
sort out jumbled tracks of the Cauliflower pack
|

(2560
x 1920)
We followed the tracks until
they crossed a small lake, counting 5 wolves in this group
|

(2560
x 1920)
I slammed on the brakes when
I saw this small browsed tree in the sun!
|

(2560
x 1920)
I would often walk to this
dock at a nearby staff house after work in the evenings
|

(2560
x 1920)
Trying to locate a collared
moose from the Lookout trail along Highway 60.
|

(2560
x 1920)
Picture-perfect winter day near the Mew Lake campground
|

(2560
x 1920)
Tom, Karen and Kiira try to
download the GPS data off the Potter pack.
|

(2560
x 1920)
There was supposedly a kill
just out on the ice here, but it was too thin for us to explore and we
had to leave empty-handed
|

(2560
x 1920)
A fairly fresh moose kill
that
Kiira and I investigated, showing the tell-tale hemorrhaging on the
inside of the hide (indicating a kill rather than scavenge)
|

(2560
x 1920)
The Madawaska River with
hoar frost from the river steaming overnight
|

(2560
x 1920)
As part of our certification
for Ice safety and rescue we had to jump into a hold in the ice twice
and simulate a rescue
|

(2560
x 1920)
Travis, husband of "Karen
Moose" definitely provided the most dramatic and entertaining display!
|

(2560
x 1920)
We were supposed to check
out a kill on the other side of the river, but when Kiira tested the
"ice" it was found to be unsafe. |

(2560
x 1920)
Almost every week an "aerial
flight" was done to locate collared wolves and download GPS
data
|

(2560
x 1920)
Between bouts with nausea, I
was able to snap away this picture of the 8-wolf Sunday pack as we
passed overhead
|

(2560
x 1920)
A view of one of the many many lakes in Algonquin
|

(2560
x 1920)
Crossbills
like this one were a very common sight in the winter, often on the road
where their slow reaction time causes many to be hit
|

(2560
x 1920)
Myself, Kevin and Mike
preparing "beaver soup" to lure an uncollared pack into a convenient
trapping location
|

(2560
x 1920)
A Pileated Woodpecker that
allowed me to get very close
|

(2560
x 1920)
This road-killed deer was to
be used as wolf bait along with our beaver soup
|

(2560
x 1920)
Danielle and
I went on a crazy adventure to get to a moose kill, with three-hour
bushwhacking snowmobile ride to begin with. This was one of
the
calmer moments...
|

(2560
x 1920)
Kiira shows how huge a moose
is with a leg and pelvis from a kill we found
|

(2560
x 1920)
This cluster was only 200m from the road, but because the Oxtonque
river was in the way, we had to walk nearly 3km out of our way to get
there!
|

(2560
x 1920)
Crossing an open boggy spot with a group of students from Fleming
college to do deer presence transects
|

(2560 x 1920)
Gray Jays are always up for a
feeding! This one was banded, the subject of many studies and
very used to people
|

(2560
x 1920)
I couldn't walk past this
without taking a picture!
|

(2560
x 1920)
I did a deer
transect in the Pine Lake area near the end of the season.
With
milder temperatures and less snow, alot more rocky outcroppings were
visible
|

(2560
x 1920)
The ice hanging of this rock
wall made for some interesting shots
|

(2560
x 1920)
More ice pics.... I probably should have been working!
|

(2560
x 1920)
A beech tree with a
surprising amount of leaves still hanging on it
|

(2560
x 1920)
This trail went through a hardwood forest near the town of Whitney and
was close enough for a leisurely walk on days off
|

(2560
x 1920)
A view from the Barron
Canyon trail
|

(2560
x 1920)
Mike and I were to look for
a couple hard-to-fine packs in the north end of our study area
|

(2560 x
1920)
Two moose (one collared)
that Tom and I were following for scat samples
|

(2560
x 1920)
This white wolf crossed the
road as Mike and I were driving along Barron Canyon road
|

(2560
x 1920)
The wolf showed hardly any fear of our vehicle and actually trotted
along the road in front of us for a couple hundred meters
|

(2560
x 1920)
We ended
up only doing one camping trip this season, and it just happened to be
a -35 degree night! Good thing the truck was nearby!
|

(2560
x 1920)
Along an old rail bed near the
Achray campground
|

(2560
x 1920)
Unlike the day before when
temperatures were in the -20's, this day's snowmachine ride was
comfortable and enjoyable
|

(2560
x 1920)
A view across the lake from
the Achray campground
|

(2560
x 1920)
Twilight on the Spruce Bog
trail. I had the day off and needed to get outside
|

(2560
x 1920)
Leatherleaf bog north of
Basin Lake. Kiira and I were investigating one of the many
clusters where nothing was found.
|

(2560
x 1920)
Filling out the data for
this cluster
|

(2560
x 1920)
We found nothing here but in all likelihood it was a bed site as the
wolves like open areas with clear views for resting
|

(2560
x 1920)
Kevin crosses a small stream
with a homemade bridge (recycled from a nearby beaver lodge)
|

(2560
x 1920)
The grasses
next to the lake had been frozen over by a thin layer of ice.
Both Kevin and I took a few minutes for pictures.
|

(2560
x 1920)
One of the
nicest bed sites I saw all winter. This rocky ledge had a
view of
the entire area. I would have slept here too!
|

(2560
x 1920)
Always one for a laugh, Mike skated on our backyard lake in his boxers
on one of our last days
|

(2560
x 1920)
The Madawaska River north of Whitney after the snowmelt. It
was the first day warm enough to just sit without getting cold
|

(2560
x 1920)
Clark Lake, right behind our
house on one of our last evenings.
|

(2560
x 1920)
Fog covered Clark Lake as I went down to the edge for my last time
|
The
following pictures were taken by Kevin Downing, another volunteer on
the project.
|

(2560
x 1920)
Sunset over Clark Lake
|

(2560
x 1920)
Two wolves were collared in our time there and thankfully everyone got
to see one. This was Wolf 205 from the Potter pack
|

(2560
x 1920)
The ubiquitous logging trucks seen within the park
|

(2560
x 1920)
Great closeup of a Gray Jay
|

(2560
x 1920)
Kevin and Mike had a little too much fun with a carcass drop!
This is not normal.
|

(2560
x 1920)
A snow-covered stream
|

(2560
x 1920)
Mike doing telemetry
|

(2560
x 1920)
Red Squirrel and his stash
|

(2560
x 1920)
Project leader Karen and her
dog, Leo (named after a paternal uncle Leonard; or Aldo Leopold
depending on who you ask)
|

(2560
x 1920)
A bog somewhere
|

(2560
x 1920)
During the helicopter flight they saw a few wolves on the ice
|

(2560
x 1920)
This brave guy turned
against the helicopter as it neared!
|