Wolf Attacks Bicycle Tourist in Alaska
 

How would you react?

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdo...alcan-highway/

Seems the bear spray was ineffective...

I would have pulled out my handgun and shot it.

Another thread destined to be shutdown ...

:popcorn

Yikes!

Niles, is that you :)

I wonder if the wolf had rabies.

I wonder what kind of illness all of those RVers who wouldn't help him out were suffering from. Cowardice? Lack of solidarity?

Wow. I'll bet he did a better job sprinting than the TDF guys did today!

I was stalked by a mountain lion, once.
Very bizarre feeling knowing you are considered prey.

Anyone know the best thing to do in this situation?

If it's to get off the bike and cleat the wolf in the face, I wanna know.

I would say to use the pepper spray on yourself. At least then the wolf will have a well seasoned meal.

I too was stalked by a wolf in Alaska.
 

I was touring solo, on the Dalton Highway in the Alaskan Tundra, when I glanced in my rear-view mirror and spotted an animal following me. I wasn't sure what it was at first so turned around and realized a lone wolf was stalking me. I continued riding at a somewhat quickened pace. In my mirror I could see the wolf trotting behind at a fixed distance. The road surface was unpaved and rough so a high-speed escape was not doable. After a couple of minutes he was still visible in my mirror. I stopped, turned around, stared at him, and used my command-voice telling him "leave me a alone". For a moment he stared back and then broke the eye contact and trotted off the road and into the tundra. That was the last I saw of him.

BTW: Here's my bike at the sign pictured in mdilthey's link:
http://www.spokenagain.com/wp-conten...604-110615.jpg

Here's the tundra area I was in:

http://www.spokenagain.com/wp-conten...712-123743.jpg

I remember that researchers used dried mustard to deter bears. It was loaded into some type of bulb that atomized it.

That said - the user has to be upwind lest they hack on the stuff themselves.

I learned an interesting fact relevant to this article: The rider used Bear Spray, which is more diluted than regular mace since the bear's olfactories are so much more keen than a dog's or human's. Full-strength pepper spray is overkill and could hurt the bear.

So I'll need to remember which pocket I keep my dog spray, my bear spray, my hermit spray, and my breath spray.... touring is tough...

All of those cars on that highway must have been tourists, since a real Alaskan would be armed.

Interesting. When I entered Canada, as part of my Alaska tour, the customs guy confiscated what I called my "baby-bear-spray" which is a very small-sized mace & mega-pepper spray that I bought legally over the counter in SC. I had to replace it in Canada with the large size, BIG CAN, Canada legal, bear spray which is weaker, strength wise, than my original. Fortunately I've never had to use any devices on any animal.

You are right in that many Alaskans (but not all) carry firearms. That said, bicycle tourists are WAY MORE likely to be killed or injured by a car or truck than any animal.

That makes me feel better and worse, simultaneously.

I just wanted to point out that there is about one wolf attack related fatality a year worldwide. By contrast, there are about 50 lightning strike related fatalities per year in the US.

I will play the role of the skeptic...Pictures, or it didn't happen. I visited a wolf preserve during a tour in May. Wolves in the wold are typically frightened of humans.

Plus, read thiscarefully. The timing doesn't seem to make sense:

"About .2 mile before the hill an RV came around the corner, and I knew this was it. I placed myself squarely in the center of the road and began screaming at the top of my lungs “help me, there's a wolf, please help me” while waving frantically. Seeing the situation the driver quickly passed me and stopped on a dime right in front of my bike. I don't know how I got unclipped or off my bike, but I swear I hurdled the handlebars without missing a beat or letting go of my can of bear spray."

As worded, he must have been off the bike when the RV passed. He then describes not knowing how he got unclipped or off the bike, as if that happened once the RV stopped.

Also, unless the wolf had dropped back much father than the 20' mentioned earlier, he would have been snapped up when he stopped for the RV. Even reduced to a trot, a wolf could cover 20' in a matter of a few seconds. Hell. A human can walk 20' in a matter of seconds.

If this really did happen, I wonder if it was a wolf-dog hybrid.

I think this may be the case.

My take on story is that he may have panicked and abandoned his bicycle way earlier than the drama as told. A wolf tearing at an abandoned bicycle's panniers for food seems within reason, the mano-a-paw battle does not. In addition its unlikely that a wolf would continue to attack after direct face shots of pepper spray.

The trick with bear spray is to wait until the animal is quite close, then give it a long full blast right in the face. Squirting it over your shoulder isn't going to work. Fleeing makes you look like prey and isn't going to work. Stop the bike, stand your ground, and give it to him. Growling and rebel yells would be a good idea. We are one of the largest land carnivores on the American continents. Act like it. It's probably possible to defeat a single wolf in hand-to-hand but you'd need some serious first aid. Unlike a cat, all he's got is teeth. People have also fought cougars in hand-to-hand with some success.

I am of the opinion that parts of the wolf encounter are made up. At the very least some pictures of his shredded panniers could be posted. Not to mention a followup with Alaska Fish and Game regarding this type of an attack.

That said - I did see a large, lone wolf walking the side of the highway once - but would find it odd that it would go to such extremes to try and eat a human amid cars, spray etc.

Yes, are the authorities taking any measures to find and kill this obviously dangerous animal? If not, why? I also would like to see a few pictures, or have a reliable witness confirm the incident, otherwise this is getting filed along with reports of the Loch Ness monster.

I've had coyotes casually pass me trotting on the other side of the highway, but I wouldn't call that stalking, more like "Meh, another biker. Well, I'm not running unless he makes a move."