Have you ever seen a wolverine in the Lower 48?

[7mm-08]

Totally envious of those who have seen a wolverine in the wild, which I would dearly love to do. Two ten-day DIY archery caribou hunts in Alaska didn't result in a sighting either.

 

[.204smokechaser]

Yep in 2 states in the lower 48 and it’s fun doing surveys in the winter looking for em.

 

[roosterdown]

Twice. Once in CO in 1994, me and a buddy watched one for about 30 minutes in the krummholz at about 12,000 feet in the Sangres. State wildlife folks caught wind about it a couple years after the fact and interviewed us; buddy is a well-known biologist and his testimony stood up. The State folks told us there were no known breeding pairs, but that the occasional wanderer would come through...

And more recently, on a January pheasant trip in ND close to the Missouri River - saw one walking through the snow and driving wind in a farm field like it was any old Tuesday.

Neither were marmots, badgers, bears or fishers. Very cool & exciting to see.

 

[Ridley]

Twice. Once in CO in 1994, me and a buddy watched one for about 30 minutes in the krummholz at about 12,000 feet in the Sangres. State wildlife folks caught wind about it a couple years after the fact and interviewed us; buddy is a well-known biologist and his testimony stood up. The State folks told us there were no known breeding pairs, but that the occasional wanderer would come through...

And more recently, on a January pheasant trip in ND close to the Missouri River - saw one walking through the snow and driving wind in a farm field like it was any old Tuesday.

Neither were marmots, badgers, bears or fishers. Very cool & exciting to see.

As a biologist in California…when I first started my career my boss told me, “If you ever see a wolverine don’t tell anyone unless you have photos, hair, or blood samples…I’ll accept your blood and scars as evidence as well.” Ten years later (see my earlier post in this thread) I got to help CDFW set up camera traps for one. We got hair and photos.

 

[Carr5vols]

Does zoo count?

 

[MNGrouser]

I wish. Never a wolverine. I was lucky enough to see a lynx once. The local CO told me there were a few different lynx sightings that particular winter in Northern MN.

 

[Alaska92]

 

[Alaska92]

 

[johnnycake]

Saw one in the Hamm's Fork area of SW WY in 2011

 

[Q child]

Nope, only in my home state.

 

[Darryle]

Please tell me someone posted this or I am going to be disappointed

 

[bullnose]

This was big news in the "Wolverine State" in 2004: https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna4374309

 

[Oregon]

A slew of sightings within a couple miles of my house. Right on the saltwater.

Wolverine sightings reported along Oregon coast

Sightings been reported in Nehalem, Netarts and Newport, with the latest one on March 21.

www.kgw.com

 

[grfox92]

So last year during archery elk, we spotted something while we were glassing. We chalked it up to baby badgers because we couldn't think if what else it would be and we were only catching quick glimpses them running back and forth at the base of a cliff at about 9k feet.

Me and my hunting partner discussed this the other day and both agree they they were likely wolverines. We have been told badgers would be unlikely to be found at that elevation in that particular area and looking back and looking at pictures of both we are pretty sure they were.

The closest known established population would be 50 or so miles south, so it's not out of the realm of possibility, but these guys appeared to be established in the area rather than passing through.

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

 

[bummer7580]

I have seen about every animal that lives in the West in the lower 48. Apparently, when I was 2 years old my dad was carrying me in his arms in Southwest Wyoming when we crossed paths with a wolverine. I don't remember it obviously, but my dad said that I saw it. I've also never seen a lynx.

Just curious who has seen a wolverine in the lower 48. Go ahead and post where you have seen them as well, it would be interesting.

A couple years ago my son and I were climbing up to Mt Rearguard in Montana when we came across one. He was around 100 yards away and unaware of us. Absolutely beautiful animal'

 

[BAKPAKR]

My brother and I had a wolverine run down the road in front of us one morning on our way to a hunting spot in North Idaho. It was pretty cool to see them. I have seen clawed up wolverine traps on the Lochsa in Idaho and in Glacier National Park in Montana.

 

[buffybr]

I saw a Wolverine in the late '70s in one of Montana's Unlimited Bighorn sheep hunting units. A friend and I were having a lunch break on top of a ridge, and watching 3 Mule deer bucks on a knob below us. All 3 bucks were watching something below them. We then saw a Wolverine stalking up the knob just below the bucks. A forkhorn buck then got up and chased the Wolverine away.

In 1999 I was on a Dall sheep hunt in the MacKenzie Mountains in Canada's Northwest Territory, and while my guide and I were packing my ram out a Wolverine was coming up the valley that we were going down. I had a Wolverine tag in my pocket and I now see him every day in my Trophy Room...

 

[mtwarden]

I’ve seen several, most recent was a year ago in the Cabinets- buddy’s father-in-law had a sheep tag. We were glassing upward to a nice looking ridge, saw some movement in the bottom of the draw. Thought it might have been a grizzly cub with Mom in tow, told my to get his bear spray out. Wolverine popped out at 25’ face to face, he turned and skedaddled. Pretty cool.

Have also seen them in the Ten Lakes, Bob Marshall and Glacier.

 

[mntnguide]

Have seen a few through the years. 3 different states. ID, MT, WY. All while in the backcountry. Thought the WY one was a grizzly cub cause my Mule started blowing like he smelled a bear, then i saw him come out with the golden patch on his back and knew right away what it was. Cool animal to see for sure

 

[CorbLand]

I havent ever seen one but we were sledding along the Idaho Montana border about 15 years ago. A couple dudes where riding in on the trail pulling sleds with dead elk in them. We stopped them and asked them what they were doing and they said they were taking road kill in for some wolverines in the area.