Wolf attacks on humans are extremely-rare, but they do happen from time to time. Most wolves in the United States can be found in Montana, the Upper Midwest and Idaho. However, they inhabit forested areas that also ideal for us if we’re forced into a wilderness survival situation. Let’s take a closer look at wolves, and what we can do to minimize the chances of experiencing an unfortunate encounter.
Wolves are Shy Predators
Wolves are highly-intelligent, travel in packs, and can conduct coordinated attacks on large prey. However, they are also shy, especially when it comes to humans, and they will go to great lengths to avoid encounters. They are most-likely to strike if they feel threatened or if humans become an annoyance on their territory. In fact, most attacks are instigated by wolves who think that humans are trying to steal their food. The last few attacks were caused when the human tried to rescue their dogs from the jowls of hungry wolves who thought they scored an easy meal.
You’re the Alpha
Like dogs, wolves live in a world that is governed by a strong hierarchical structure, and they will tend to follow the alpha in the pack. The alpha tends to be the largest wolf, and it can be a male or a female.
When it comes to an encounter with wolves, you have to become the alpha and convince the wolves that you are someone they don’t want to mess with. This involves things like standing your ground, making your profile as large as possible and behaving in a way that shows them who is boss. This is a lot easier said than done, but this is also the best line of defense when it comes to diffusing a threat before it turns into an attack.
In fact, there is a good chance that if you can stand your ground with the alphas in the pack, they will simply lose interest and walk away. On the other hand, if they feel that they have some kind of tactical advantage, they are more likely to strike without hesitation. Consequently, it’s important to be ready to face aggressive wolves with confidence, a lot of bluster and a lot of noise even if you’re terrified at the moment.
Stay Calm and Walk Away
If you find yourself surrounded by a pack of wolves, the best thing to do is stand up, face the alphas, make eye contact and slowly back away. The idea is to diffuse the situation by making yourself look like a formidable opponent who doesn’t want any trouble. In most cases, the wolves will start to back off as well. If they don’t, then you will need to stand your ground and mount a defense. Start clapping your hands, yelling, throwing objects or firing your weapon if you have one. Taking a stick and slapping it against the ground or lunging it toward the eyes of the alphas will also help to establish your dominance.
If you do get attacked, it’s important that you never give up fighting. Beat the wolf, strike at the mouth, gouge the eyes or pull the ears. If you have a knife, stab it. If you have a rock in your hand, use it to smack it. In a worse-case scenario, a wolf may need to be beat down to the point where it knows that that an attack is not worth pursuing. You will be injured, you will be hurting, you will be bleeding. However, the more you can actively-fight back will shorten the duration, and hopefully the severity, of an attack.
While attacks are rare, you want to be prepared in order to have the upper hand nonetheless.
These are just some general guidelines to remember if you ever encounter wolves in the field. Learn more about wolf behavior, along with what steps you can take to minimize the chances of provoking an attack the next time you end up in wolf country.