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Voyageurs Wolf Project

@VoyaWolfProject • 51,729 subscribers

The official Twitter account of the Voyageurs Wolf Project, which studies wolves in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem, MN.

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Though this video might not look like much, it shows something pretty remarkable. This footage, which we captured this past September on the Kabetogama Peninsula, is the first confirmed observation of lynx kittens in Voyageurs National Park (and one of only a few observations of known lynx reproduction in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem). Although lynx have been observed/documented in the park sporadically for several decades, there has never been evidence of kittens in the park (i.e., a breeding population of lynx). As a result, most lynx in and around Voyageurs are likely transitory individuals (predominantly males) roaming large area. From 2000 to 2004, biologists with the National Park Service made a concerted effort to study lynx in the park. They only documented the presence of one male and one female, and concluded “lynx were either transient or present at a low density”. Another study from 2007-2008 in and around Voyageurs National Park using trail cameras and snow tracking did not detect the presence of lynx. However, they noted that there were some sightings of lynx outside of the park with one unconfirmed report of a female lynx with a kitten observed to the west of the park. The researchers concluded that “even though patches of high-density snowshoe hare habitat exist in the Voyageurs National Park area, the low density of snowshoe hares at the landscape level would not support resident lynx”. Based on this research and some subsequent work, researchers with the park concluded in 2015 “it does not appear that there are currently resident lynx”. In fact, the researchers in 2012 concluded: ‘only three confirmed observations of adult lynx have occurred within the boundaries of VNP since 2001”. Obviously, studying these elusive animals in places like Voyageurs has historically been difficult because trail camera technology was not what it is today (or did not exist). However, trail cameras have provided a great tool to observe and understand lynx in places like Voyageurs. Skip forward to today: we now routinely get numerous observations of lynx each year in Voyageurs National Park as well as outside the park. Many observations are likely of the same few individuals wandering around, though, based on physical appearances, it seems we are capturing observations of more than 1 or 2 lynx. That said, in general, our trail camera data generally supports the conclusions of the Voyageurs National Park researchers. Most lynx likely are transient individuals, and certainly lynx are at low densities in and around Voyageurs. Nonetheless, this observation of a lynx with two kittens shows that lynx can reproduce in this area, though such occurrences are likely rare. One observation of reproduction is not evidence of a self-sustaining resident population but it suggests it might be possible. Anyway, this finding just highlights how our trail cameras, which are deployed to study wolves, simultaneously capture rare and valuable data on other wildlife species that have been traditionally difficult to study. Sources: Route et al. 2009. Status of Canada lynx in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, 2000-2004. National Park Service Report. Moen et al. 2010. Lynx habitat suitability in and near Voyageurs National Park. Natural Areas Journal. Moen and Windels. 2015. Lynx Habitat Suitability. Voyageurs National Park Website.

Though this video might not look like much, it shows something pretty remarkable. This footage, which we captured this past September on the Kabetogama Peninsula, is the first confirmed observation of lynx kittens in Voyageurs National Park (and one of only a few observations of known lynx reproduction in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem). Although lynx have been observed/documented in the park sporadically for several decades, there has never been evidence of kittens in the park (i.e., a breeding population of lynx). As a result, most lynx in and around Voyageurs are likely transitory individuals (predominantly males) roaming large area. From 2000 to 2004, biologists with the National Park Service made a concerted effort to study lynx in the park. They only documented the presence of one male and one female, and concluded “lynx were either transient or present at a low density”. Another study from 2007-2008 in and around Voyageurs National Park using trail cameras and snow tracking did not detect the presence of lynx. However, they noted that there were some sightings of lynx outside of the park with one unconfirmed report of a female lynx with a kitten observed to the west of the park. The researchers concluded that “even though patches of high-density snowshoe hare habitat exist in the Voyageurs National Park area, the low density of snowshoe hares at the landscape level would not support resident lynx”. Based on this research and some subsequent work, researchers with the park concluded in 2015 “it does not appear that there are currently resident lynx”. In fact, the researchers in 2012 concluded: ‘only three confirmed observations of adult lynx have occurred within the boundaries of VNP since 2001”. Obviously, studying these elusive animals in places like Voyageurs has historically been difficult because trail camera technology was not what it is today (or did not exist). However, trail cameras have provided a great tool to observe and understand lynx in places like Voyageurs. Skip forward to today: we now routinely get numerous observations of lynx each year in Voyageurs National Park as well as outside the park. Many observations are likely of the same few individuals wandering around, though, based on physical appearances, it seems we are capturing observations of more than 1 or 2 lynx. That said, in general, our trail camera data generally supports the conclusions of the Voyageurs National Park researchers. Most lynx likely are transient individuals, and certainly lynx are at low densities in and around Voyageurs. Nonetheless, this observation of a lynx with two kittens shows that lynx can reproduce in this area, though such occurrences are likely rare. One observation of reproduction is not evidence of a self-sustaining resident population but it suggests it might be possible. Anyway, this finding just highlights how our trail cameras, which are deployed to study wolves, simultaneously capture rare and valuable data on other wildlife species that have been traditionally difficult to study. Sources: Route et al. 2009. Status of Canada lynx in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, 2000-2004. National Park Service Report. Moen et al. 2010. Lynx habitat suitability in and near Voyageurs National Park. Natural Areas Journal. Moen and Windels. 2015. Lynx Habitat Suitability. Voyageurs National Park Website.

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Anyone who has walked around the Northwoods a lot in winter knows the feeling...

Anyone who has walked around the Northwoods a lot in winter knows the feeling...

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Some incredible footage of two wolves killing a beaver this April in Estonia. Now, you might be wondering: why on earth are we sharing a video captured more than 4,000 miles away on a different continent? The reason is to illustrate that beavers are important prey for wolves in a variety of ecosystems across the Northern Hemisphere. When we share our research on wolf-beaver interactions, folks sometimes think wolves hunting beavers is a unique quirk of the wolves in our area, not something that happens in many other areas. But the reality is, across large expanses of North America and Europe, beavers are important prey. For instance, studies have found that beavers constituted a substantial portion of the diets of wolves in many areas including Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Northwest Territories, Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, and Alaska. Obviously, the extent to which wolves rely on hunting and killing beavers likely depends on many factors such as the size of beaver populations and other prey populations. However, the lack of research on the topic leaves the question unanswered. Indeed, the relationship between wolves and beavers has received very little attention because it is a difficult relationship to study, and because most wolf-prey studies focus on how wolves hunt, kill, and impact socially-important ungulate species like moose, deer, elk, and caribou. For more than a decade, a large focus of our research has been to understand the complex and fascinating relationship between wolves and beavers. Such work is without a doubt the most intensive research ever undertaken on this predator-prey relationship. Although our work has provided many insights, we have many questions to answer still, some that will take many more years to answer. The answers to these questions are not just relevant to our small little corner of Minnesota, but to a large swath of the northern hemisphere where wolves hunt and kill beavers routinely. To continue this research, we need donor support because donors are one of our biggest sources of funding. If you value this kind of research and want it to continue, please make a donation here: Lastly, huge thanks to Janek Joab who captured this incredible footage and allowed us to share it on our social media. Absolutely incredible stuff!

Some incredible footage of two wolves killing a beaver this April in Estonia. Now, you might be wondering: why on earth are we sharing a video captured more than 4,000 miles away on a different continent? The reason is to illustrate that beavers are important prey for wolves in a variety of ecosystems across the Northern Hemisphere. When we share our research on wolf-beaver interactions, folks sometimes think wolves hunting beavers is a unique quirk of the wolves in our area, not something that happens in many other areas. But the reality is, across large expanses of North America and Europe, beavers are important prey. For instance, studies have found that beavers constituted a substantial portion of the diets of wolves in many areas including Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Northwest Territories, Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, and Alaska. Obviously, the extent to which wolves rely on hunting and killing beavers likely depends on many factors such as the size of beaver populations and other prey populations. However, the lack of research on the topic leaves the question unanswered. Indeed, the relationship between wolves and beavers has received very little attention because it is a difficult relationship to study, and because most wolf-prey studies focus on how wolves hunt, kill, and impact socially-important ungulate species like moose, deer, elk, and caribou. For more than a decade, a large focus of our research has been to understand the complex and fascinating relationship between wolves and beavers. Such work is without a doubt the most intensive research ever undertaken on this predator-prey relationship. Although our work has provided many insights, we have many questions to answer still, some that will take many more years to answer. The answers to these questions are not just relevant to our small little corner of Minnesota, but to a large swath of the northern hemisphere where wolves hunt and kill beavers routinely. To continue this research, we need donor support because donors are one of our biggest sources of funding. If you value this kind of research and want it to continue, please make a donation here: Lastly, huge thanks to Janek Joab who captured this incredible footage and allowed us to share it on our social media. Absolutely incredible stuff!

Voyageurs Wolf Project

92,789 views • 3 days ago

Without a doubt, our best trail camera capture yet: the first documented observation of a cougar with kittens in Minnesota in modern history. Turn up the volume to hear all the vocalizations. The footage, which was captured on March 25, shows a cougar with 3 large kittens while they feed on a deer they killed just south of Voyageurs National Park. We captured this surreal footage because we started a study to understand the survival and mortality patterns of deer in our area this winter. As part of that work, we GPS-collared several deer in the area in January. In late March, we received a mortality signal from a GPS-collared deer and found the carcass buried under a pile of leaves on a hillside—a tell tale sign of feline predation. We suspected it was likely a bobcat but thought, just possibly, it could be a cougar. So we put up two trail cameras on the cached deer carcass and 4 hours later, two cougar kittens returned to the kill. The entire family showed up that evening and spent hours in front of our cameras. In total, we captured 7.3 hr (435 minutes) of video footage of these animals. We will share more footage soon! Huge thanks to the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund for supporting the Voyageurs Wolf Project and the recent effort to understand deer survival in the area. Their support was critical to this observation—without it, we would never have captured this footage. And huge thanks to the >10,600 donors who have supported our project and enabled us to purchase trail cameras supplies. The cameras (and batteries, SD cards, mounts) we set at this kill were purchased with funds from donations.

Without a doubt, our best trail camera capture yet: the first documented observation of a cougar with kittens in Minnesota in modern history. Turn up the volume to hear all the vocalizations. The footage, which was captured on March 25, shows a cougar with 3 large kittens while they feed on a deer they killed just south of Voyageurs National Park. We captured this surreal footage because we started a study to understand the survival and mortality patterns of deer in our area this winter. As part of that work, we GPS-collared several deer in the area in January. In late March, we received a mortality signal from a GPS-collared deer and found the carcass buried under a pile of leaves on a hillside—a tell tale sign of feline predation. We suspected it was likely a bobcat but thought, just possibly, it could be a cougar. So we put up two trail cameras on the cached deer carcass and 4 hours later, two cougar kittens returned to the kill. The entire family showed up that evening and spent hours in front of our cameras. In total, we captured 7.3 hr (435 minutes) of video footage of these animals. We will share more footage soon! Huge thanks to the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund for supporting the Voyageurs Wolf Project and the recent effort to understand deer survival in the area. Their support was critical to this observation—without it, we would never have captured this footage. And huge thanks to the >10,600 donors who have supported our project and enabled us to purchase trail cameras supplies. The cameras (and batteries, SD cards, mounts) we set at this kill were purchased with funds from donations.

Voyageurs Wolf Project

1,083,551 views • 1 month ago

Interesting footage of a bear visiting a wolf den this spring—a very close call for the pups who were outside the den literally a few minutes before the bear showed up. The bear’s behavior was quite interesting as well. Almost as if it knew it had stumbled into an area it shouldn’t have. Interestingly, we have captured several instance of bears visiting and checking out active wolf dens over the years. However, we have never captured evidence that bears have killed pups, though there was once such report from Wisconsin recently. This footage was only possible because of the generous folks who have donated to our project and supported our trail camera work. We are just 38% away from our annual fundraising goal, and need your help to finish it off. If 1% of the >600,000 folks who follow our project make a small donation ($10, $25, $50), we will reach our goal. A small donation from a lot of folks generates huge support for our work. Donate at the link below and help us to capture and share more footage like this! Donate here:

Interesting footage of a bear visiting a wolf den this spring—a very close call for the pups who were outside the den literally a few minutes before the bear showed up. The bear’s behavior was quite interesting as well. Almost as if it knew it had stumbled into an area it shouldn’t have. Interestingly, we have captured several instance of bears visiting and checking out active wolf dens over the years. However, we have never captured evidence that bears have killed pups, though there was once such report from Wisconsin recently. This footage was only possible because of the generous folks who have donated to our project and supported our trail camera work. We are just 38% away from our annual fundraising goal, and need your help to finish it off. If 1% of the >600,000 folks who follow our project make a small donation ($10, $25, $50), we will reach our goal. A small donation from a lot of folks generates huge support for our work. Donate at the link below and help us to capture and share more footage like this! Donate here:

Voyageurs Wolf Project

27,152 views • 2 days ago

In all our years of research, there was one behavior we could never observe, one event we just couldn’t capture on camera, our 'white whale' you might say. But after years of meticulous preparation and planning. studying footage, reading animal tracks and sign, and becoming one with the forest, we have finally captured that which we sought: raccoons doing it. And we did not just get a glimpse—we captured a whopping 101 minutes of unfettered copulation spread across 3 days. Well, take that back, there was, what appeared to be, a 3rd wheel that interrupted some lovemaking on a beautiful sunny March day. But now that we think about it, it is more likely a youngster that walked in on its parents and is now scarred for life by what it saw. But this pair did not let that interruption deter them, they just did it for 66 minutes straight a few days later. The life of a raccoon...

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In all our years of research, there was one behavior we could never observe, one event we just couldn’t capture on camera, our 'white whale' you might say. But after years of meticulous preparation and planning. studying footage, reading animal tracks and sign, and becoming one with the forest, we have finally captured that which we sought: raccoons doing it. And we did not just get a glimpse—we captured a whopping 101 minutes of unfettered copulation spread across 3 days. Well, take that back, there was, what appeared to be, a 3rd wheel that interrupted some lovemaking on a beautiful sunny March day. But now that we think about it, it is more likely a youngster that walked in on its parents and is now scarred for life by what it saw. But this pair did not let that interruption deter them, they just did it for 66 minutes straight a few days later. The life of a raccoon...

Voyageurs Wolf Project

934,687 views • 5 months ago

Neat footage of a black wolf, a fairly rare observation in our area where 98-99% of wolves are gray. We actually collared this wolf (now dubbed Wolf G11E) later in the summer, the first black wolf we ever collared on our project. As we knew when we collared him, G11E was not part of a pack but rather a lone wolf wandering around, which is pretty common for 1-2 year old males like G11E.

Neat footage of a black wolf, a fairly rare observation in our area where 98-99% of wolves are gray. We actually collared this wolf (now dubbed Wolf G11E) later in the summer, the first black wolf we ever collared on our project. As we knew when we collared him, G11E was not part of a pack but rather a lone wolf wandering around, which is pretty common for 1-2 year old males like G11E.

Voyageurs Wolf Project

142,669 views • 1 month ago

Highlights from a year at the intersection of a remote hiking trail and a deer trail.

Highlights from a year at the intersection of a remote hiking trail and a deer trail.

Voyageurs Wolf Project

198,744 views • 2 months ago

Absolutely incredible trail camera capture of a coyote attacking a beaver in Connecticut. You might be wondering: “You study wolves in Minnesota, why are you posting this video from Connecticut?” The reason is because this footage illustrates why beavers are important prey for wolves in many forested areas but not coyotes…even though coyotes inhabit many areas with quite a few beavers. Why is that? The coyote tries for several minutes to kill this beaver but the beaver ultimately escapes. Unfortunately, the video was not captured on video but the beaver with his bloodied tail is on the trail only an hour after being attacked. Ultimately, this beaver is almost as large as the coyote and the coyote struggles to really move the beaver at will because of the beaver's size and strength. The coyote bites the beaver's tail repeatedly but virtually never lands a blow to the beaver's muscular body. Coyotes, unlike wolves, simply do not have the strength and size to routinely kill beavers, especially large adult beavers. Wolves, on the other hand, not only have the strength to yank beavers around but they also have the bite strength to grab the beavers body and deliver crushing blows. Killing beavers is harder than it seems because beavers have no obvious neck or easy place for a predator to latch one. They are just one large furry football-shaped hunk of muscle, which complicate the logistics of killing them with one’s mouth, especially for smaller predators like coyotes. Of course, coyotes and other small predators do occasionally kill beavers, especially smaller beavers, but it is not a common occurrence, and there is little evidence that beavers constitute a large portion of coyote diets. We want to extend our sincere thanks to the Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy in Connecticut for reaching out to us and sharing this incredible footage they captured. And big thanks to them for letting us share the footage with everyone here. Capturing an encounter like this on video is one in a million!

Absolutely incredible trail camera capture of a coyote attacking a beaver in Connecticut. You might be wondering: “You study wolves in Minnesota, why are you posting this video from Connecticut?” The reason is because this footage illustrates why beavers are important prey for wolves in many forested areas but not coyotes…even though coyotes inhabit many areas with quite a few beavers. Why is that? The coyote tries for several minutes to kill this beaver but the beaver ultimately escapes. Unfortunately, the video was not captured on video but the beaver with his bloodied tail is on the trail only an hour after being attacked. Ultimately, this beaver is almost as large as the coyote and the coyote struggles to really move the beaver at will because of the beaver's size and strength. The coyote bites the beaver's tail repeatedly but virtually never lands a blow to the beaver's muscular body. Coyotes, unlike wolves, simply do not have the strength and size to routinely kill beavers, especially large adult beavers. Wolves, on the other hand, not only have the strength to yank beavers around but they also have the bite strength to grab the beavers body and deliver crushing blows. Killing beavers is harder than it seems because beavers have no obvious neck or easy place for a predator to latch one. They are just one large furry football-shaped hunk of muscle, which complicate the logistics of killing them with one’s mouth, especially for smaller predators like coyotes. Of course, coyotes and other small predators do occasionally kill beavers, especially smaller beavers, but it is not a common occurrence, and there is little evidence that beavers constitute a large portion of coyote diets. We want to extend our sincere thanks to the Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy in Connecticut for reaching out to us and sharing this incredible footage they captured. And big thanks to them for letting us share the footage with everyone here. Capturing an encounter like this on video is one in a million!

Voyageurs Wolf Project

121,811 views • 1 month ago

Don’t be deceived! This wolf used its good looks and cute behavior to move in close, and then just when its victim had let down its guard, the wolf launched a vicious and merciless attack. Luckily, this victim is a survivor and only sustained some flesh wounds...nothing a little bit of plastic surgery can’t fix.

Don’t be deceived! This wolf used its good looks and cute behavior to move in close, and then just when its victim had let down its guard, the wolf launched a vicious and merciless attack. Luckily, this victim is a survivor and only sustained some flesh wounds...nothing a little bit of plastic surgery can’t fix.

Voyageurs Wolf Project

234,533 views • 3 months ago

Northern Minnesota feels like it is getting a bit wilder. Footage from just a few weeks ago. This does not appear to be the mother of the kittens. Folks tell us all the time how much they enjoy our trail camera videos, and our typical trail camera video is viewed >100,000-200,000 times and liked by 4,000-5,000 people. We simply need folks who enjoy our content to make a small donation ($10, $25, $50) to our project at the link below to help us cover the costs associated with keeping 350-400 trail cameras going year round. Quite literally, if a small percent (2-3%) of folks who enjoy our videos make a small donation to our project at the link in the comments, we reach our fundraising goal and it allows us to keep sharing wild moments like this with everyone for free! Think about it: most people regularly pay $10-20 per month for Netflix, Hulu, etc. so those companies can create endless content and make money. All we are asking for is $10-20 a year to help us cover our costs, and keep this work going so we can share it with everyone. Of course, the main point of the cameras is wolf research (and now, a little cougar research on the side) but cool footage of wildlife is a byproduct of having so many cameras out. So help us out and donate here:

Northern Minnesota feels like it is getting a bit wilder. Footage from just a few weeks ago. This does not appear to be the mother of the kittens. Folks tell us all the time how much they enjoy our trail camera videos, and our typical trail camera video is viewed >100,000-200,000 times and liked by 4,000-5,000 people. We simply need folks who enjoy our content to make a small donation ($10, $25, $50) to our project at the link below to help us cover the costs associated with keeping 350-400 trail cameras going year round. Quite literally, if a small percent (2-3%) of folks who enjoy our videos make a small donation to our project at the link in the comments, we reach our fundraising goal and it allows us to keep sharing wild moments like this with everyone for free! Think about it: most people regularly pay $10-20 per month for Netflix, Hulu, etc. so those companies can create endless content and make money. All we are asking for is $10-20 a year to help us cover our costs, and keep this work going so we can share it with everyone. Of course, the main point of the cameras is wolf research (and now, a little cougar research on the side) but cool footage of wildlife is a byproduct of having so many cameras out. So help us out and donate here:

Voyageurs Wolf Project

43,946 views • 18 days ago

More footage of the first documented cougar family in Minnesota in the past century. Volume up for the full experience. More to come soon! Our goal is to learn as much as we can about these cougars in the coming months. But we could really use some help covering costs associated with this research. For instance, we collected 9 scats at this kill and they are on their way to a lab for genetic analysis to try to get individual genetics and determine what western population the mom and dad originated from. Genetic samples cost ~$55-70 per sample, depending on the type and quality of the sample. Your support helps us cover costs like this, and gives us the ability and resources to study these individuals, and any others out there we might learn of. By donating at the link below, you directly support this research. Plus, the support helps us have the capacity to send in any samples we collect in the coming months.Once we have results, we will share with everyone! Notably, we also analyze the genetic samples from every adult wolf we collar, pup we tag, or dead wolf we come across. That work has been supported ENTIRELY by folks donating to our project, and the results have provided a wealth of information on wolf pack and population dynamics. And this work will only continue if generous folks continue to support our work. E.g., a $70 donation ensures we can get the genetics of a wolf. So please donate to our annual fundraiser to support our research, help us cover these costs, and keep this research going! Donate here:

More footage of the first documented cougar family in Minnesota in the past century. Volume up for the full experience. More to come soon! Our goal is to learn as much as we can about these cougars in the coming months. But we could really use some help covering costs associated with this research. For instance, we collected 9 scats at this kill and they are on their way to a lab for genetic analysis to try to get individual genetics and determine what western population the mom and dad originated from. Genetic samples cost ~$55-70 per sample, depending on the type and quality of the sample. Your support helps us cover costs like this, and gives us the ability and resources to study these individuals, and any others out there we might learn of. By donating at the link below, you directly support this research. Plus, the support helps us have the capacity to send in any samples we collect in the coming months.Once we have results, we will share with everyone! Notably, we also analyze the genetic samples from every adult wolf we collar, pup we tag, or dead wolf we come across. That work has been supported ENTIRELY by folks donating to our project, and the results have provided a wealth of information on wolf pack and population dynamics. And this work will only continue if generous folks continue to support our work. E.g., a $70 donation ensures we can get the genetics of a wolf. So please donate to our annual fundraiser to support our research, help us cover these costs, and keep this research going! Donate here:

Voyageurs Wolf Project

51,635 views • 23 days ago

Probably one of the coolest moments we have had in the field…stumbling upon wolf pups sleeping at the entrance of their den which was a huge old beaver lodge. On this particular day in early May, we were searching clusters of GPS-locations from a collared wolf in this pack to find where it had killed prey. The wolf was a subordinate male wolf and had only spent a few hours on the edge of this beaver meadow so we assumed he was just resting here. I.e., there were no indications, based on the wolf’s movements, that this was a den. We hiked along the meadow edge for a bit and as we got close to where the GPS-locations from the wolf were, an uncollared wolf popped up out of the grass by the lodge about 50 meters away and ran into the forest. That seemed far too coincidental…what are the odds that the GPS-collared wolf had been in this spot a few days ago and now, when we arrive there was a different wolf here. As a result, we immediately started to think the lodge could be a den. We approached the lodge and pulled out our phone to record what we observed. We rounded a side of the lodge, approached the entrance, and we found these 4 pups sounds asleep. What a wild few moments. Of course, we thought this was especially interesting, in part, because the wolves were using a massive beaver lodge—i.e.., the home of one of their primary summer prey—as a den to raise their pups, which then would go onto to hunt and kill beavers as adults.

Probably one of the coolest moments we have had in the field…stumbling upon wolf pups sleeping at the entrance of their den which was a huge old beaver lodge. On this particular day in early May, we were searching clusters of GPS-locations from a collared wolf in this pack to find where it had killed prey. The wolf was a subordinate male wolf and had only spent a few hours on the edge of this beaver meadow so we assumed he was just resting here. I.e., there were no indications, based on the wolf’s movements, that this was a den. We hiked along the meadow edge for a bit and as we got close to where the GPS-locations from the wolf were, an uncollared wolf popped up out of the grass by the lodge about 50 meters away and ran into the forest. That seemed far too coincidental…what are the odds that the GPS-collared wolf had been in this spot a few days ago and now, when we arrive there was a different wolf here. As a result, we immediately started to think the lodge could be a den. We approached the lodge and pulled out our phone to record what we observed. We rounded a side of the lodge, approached the entrance, and we found these 4 pups sounds asleep. What a wild few moments. Of course, we thought this was especially interesting, in part, because the wolves were using a massive beaver lodge—i.e.., the home of one of their primary summer prey—as a den to raise their pups, which then would go onto to hunt and kill beavers as adults.

Voyageurs Wolf Project

236,864 views • 4 months ago

Awesome footage of a wolf pack erupting in a howl on top of a frozen beaver lodge this past winter! You can hear the howls of the adults and the yipping of the pups, which sound kind of like coyotes. Literally, the only way we keep our 350-400 cameras going year round, capturing footage like this, is via donations. So, if you enjoy our trail camera footage, please donate to our annual fundraiser at the link below—we use these funds to purchase more trail cameras, buy batteries, SD cards, locks, mounts, etc. The trail cameras not only capture cool footage we can share but also provide us with invaluable data to study and understand pup survival, pack dynamics, and many other aspects of wolf ecology. You can support our work here:

Awesome footage of a wolf pack erupting in a howl on top of a frozen beaver lodge this past winter! You can hear the howls of the adults and the yipping of the pups, which sound kind of like coyotes. Literally, the only way we keep our 350-400 cameras going year round, capturing footage like this, is via donations. So, if you enjoy our trail camera footage, please donate to our annual fundraiser at the link below—we use these funds to purchase more trail cameras, buy batteries, SD cards, locks, mounts, etc. The trail cameras not only capture cool footage we can share but also provide us with invaluable data to study and understand pup survival, pack dynamics, and many other aspects of wolf ecology. You can support our work here:

Voyageurs Wolf Project

42,356 views • 24 days ago

The pups of the Cranberry Bay Pack in a remote area of Voyageurs National Park. The den included a large area at the base of a large balsam fir that was surrounded on one side by really thick deadfall…which makes for a pretty impenetrable den. We tagged, weighed, and sexed all 6 of the pack's pups, and will use trail cameras for the remainder of the summer, fall, and winter to understand how many of these pups survive. To do that work, we need your help. Our trail camera research—and all the cool footage you see from our project— is almost entirely funded by annual donations. So please support our research and outreach efforts by donating here:

The pups of the Cranberry Bay Pack in a remote area of Voyageurs National Park. The den included a large area at the base of a large balsam fir that was surrounded on one side by really thick deadfall…which makes for a pretty impenetrable den. We tagged, weighed, and sexed all 6 of the pack's pups, and will use trail cameras for the remainder of the summer, fall, and winter to understand how many of these pups survive. To do that work, we need your help. Our trail camera research—and all the cool footage you see from our project— is almost entirely funded by annual donations. So please support our research and outreach efforts by donating here:

Voyageurs Wolf Project

31,862 views • 20 days ago

We put a camera here over a year ago, unsure if it would be a good spot. Always lots of trial and error with cameras when trying to find good spots where wolves like to travel. But, it was a beautiful setting in some conifers along a small creek and we figured wolves would likely would travel through this more open terrain along the creek. Turns out, this was a pretty good spot. And it wasn’t just wolves that used this scenic stretch of forest as you can see. In total, we have captured more than 1,500 videos of wildlife on this camera in the past year or so (8.3 hours of footage). Most videos are of snowshoe hares and deer but wolves (the Half-Moon Pack) cruise through the area periodically as do most of the other forest predators. This 3 minute video is just a highlight reel of some of the most interesting footage. Big thanks to the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resource Trust Fund for their continued support of our work. That support allows us to share this footage and our findings with millions of people each year!

We put a camera here over a year ago, unsure if it would be a good spot. Always lots of trial and error with cameras when trying to find good spots where wolves like to travel. But, it was a beautiful setting in some conifers along a small creek and we figured wolves would likely would travel through this more open terrain along the creek. Turns out, this was a pretty good spot. And it wasn’t just wolves that used this scenic stretch of forest as you can see. In total, we have captured more than 1,500 videos of wildlife on this camera in the past year or so (8.3 hours of footage). Most videos are of snowshoe hares and deer but wolves (the Half-Moon Pack) cruise through the area periodically as do most of the other forest predators. This 3 minute video is just a highlight reel of some of the most interesting footage. Big thanks to the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resource Trust Fund for their continued support of our work. That support allows us to share this footage and our findings with millions of people each year!

Voyageurs Wolf Project

238,081 views • 6 months ago

The largest pack in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem this past winter: the Blackstone Pack. Nice of them to give the camera a few nibbles on their way by! If you enjoy videos like this, we need your help because almost all of our trail camera work is supported by donors. This footage was literally captured because of donors. We simply need folks who enjoy such content to make a small donation ($10, $25, $50) to our project at the link below to help us cover the costs associated with keeping 350-400 trail cameras going year round. $30 purchases batteries for a camera, $200 purchases a new camera set-up. Think about it: most people regularly pay $10-20 per month for Netflix, Hulu, etc. so those companies can create endless content and make money. All we are asking for is $10-20 a year to help us cover our costs, and keep this work going so we can share it with everyone. Of course, the main point of the cameras is wolf research (and now, a little cougar research on the side) but cool footage of wildlife is a byproduct of having so many cameras out. So help us out and donate here:

The largest pack in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem this past winter: the Blackstone Pack. Nice of them to give the camera a few nibbles on their way by! If you enjoy videos like this, we need your help because almost all of our trail camera work is supported by donors. This footage was literally captured because of donors. We simply need folks who enjoy such content to make a small donation ($10, $25, $50) to our project at the link below to help us cover the costs associated with keeping 350-400 trail cameras going year round. $30 purchases batteries for a camera, $200 purchases a new camera set-up. Think about it: most people regularly pay $10-20 per month for Netflix, Hulu, etc. so those companies can create endless content and make money. All we are asking for is $10-20 a year to help us cover our costs, and keep this work going so we can share it with everyone. Of course, the main point of the cameras is wolf research (and now, a little cougar research on the side) but cool footage of wildlife is a byproduct of having so many cameras out. So help us out and donate here:

Voyageurs Wolf Project

11,340 views • 6 days ago

An interesting snippet of a wolf chasing a deer earlier this winter—the wolf was 6.5 seconds behind the deer. In particular, we found the bounding/leaping of the wolf as it ran intriguing. We have captured many hunting sequences like this on camera but have not observed one where the wolf was leaping like this. And that one leap was a pretty big one. We don’t know how the hunt played out after this brief observation.

An interesting snippet of a wolf chasing a deer earlier this winter—the wolf was 6.5 seconds behind the deer. In particular, we found the bounding/leaping of the wolf as it ran intriguing. We have captured many hunting sequences like this on camera but have not observed one where the wolf was leaping like this. And that one leap was a pretty big one. We don’t know how the hunt played out after this brief observation.

Voyageurs Wolf Project

78,571 views • 3 months ago

Some of our best footage of lynx over the past year or so. Seeing their huge fluffy paws and overall ethereal appearance never gets old...

Some of our best footage of lynx over the past year or so. Seeing their huge fluffy paws and overall ethereal appearance never gets old...

Voyageurs Wolf Project

90,863 views • 4 months ago

This old, moss-covered log was a popular place in the fall! The allure of the log caused some bears to temporarily lose their minds and the log paid the price for it! The wolves and some other forest critters were not too far behind the bears! At one point, a bear thought about making a very naughty decision with our trail camera, but amazingly, the bear showed incredible restraint and maturity. In fact, it is plain to see that the bear, upon approaching our camera, entered a deep state of introspection, self-reflection, and clarity, during which the bear realized it needed to turn away from its former destructive habits and enter into a new life of peace and pacifism. Very rare behavior for its kind. The wolves in the video are the Whiskey Point Pack. The one missing part of its ear is the breeding female and the other one scent-rolling in the daylight is a subordinate wolf Anyway, we hope this video brightens your day just a smidge!

This old, moss-covered log was a popular place in the fall! The allure of the log caused some bears to temporarily lose their minds and the log paid the price for it! The wolves and some other forest critters were not too far behind the bears! At one point, a bear thought about making a very naughty decision with our trail camera, but amazingly, the bear showed incredible restraint and maturity. In fact, it is plain to see that the bear, upon approaching our camera, entered a deep state of introspection, self-reflection, and clarity, during which the bear realized it needed to turn away from its former destructive habits and enter into a new life of peace and pacifism. Very rare behavior for its kind. The wolves in the video are the Whiskey Point Pack. The one missing part of its ear is the breeding female and the other one scent-rolling in the daylight is a subordinate wolf Anyway, we hope this video brightens your day just a smidge!

Voyageurs Wolf Project

397,990 views • 2 years ago

This camera was in the woods for almost 2 years (2021-2023)...this is the "highlight reel"! We got footage of virtually every large carnivore in northern Minnesota aside from the “black cougar” that some locals claimed to have seen and the famed but elusive ’squatch.

This camera was in the woods for almost 2 years (2021-2023)...this is the "highlight reel"! We got footage of virtually every large carnivore in northern Minnesota aside from the “black cougar” that some locals claimed to have seen and the famed but elusive ’squatch.

Voyageurs Wolf Project

384,293 views • 2 years ago

Still probably our luckiest trail cam video ever: the Paradise Pack parents chasing a black bear away from their pups at the den. Not only did we get this on camera but we got it from 3 diff. angles! Something you would never see in our area without trail cams!

Still probably our luckiest trail cam video ever: the Paradise Pack parents chasing a black bear away from their pups at the den. Not only did we get this on camera but we got it from 3 diff. angles! Something you would never see in our area without trail cams!

Voyageurs Wolf Project

360,877 views • 3 years ago