We have a smaller subspecies of the gray wolf - the Eastern Timber Wolf - in the area around my north woods cabin in Wisconsin. The DNR states the population as between 900-1,000. It is considerably more, I'm certain. They are very unpopular with the locals.
We have/had similar... The Rocky Mountain Timber Wolf is a subspecies of the grey wolf, but a far cry from the true gray wolves they brought in here. Smaller, with small pack units, gangley and elusive... I spent a few quality summers way back in the sticks tracking and observing them. One of my favorite animals here... and now they are likely gone... The bigger wolves no doubt taking territory and females from the lesser natives.
They figured it out after the fact, that there was a valid subspecies here... But everybody just shrugs it off.
The Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery Plan was first approved in 1980, though it was then revised later on in 1987. The plan required a certain population of northern Rocky Mountain wolves to reside in the area inside and around Yellowstone, which included at least ten breeding pairs, and for the population to remain stable for at least three consecutive years.[13][14] However, the northern Rocky Mountain wolf was not, at the time of the initial drafting, recognized as a legitimate subspecies, so the wolves involved in the plan were instead the Mackenzie Valley wolf.[15][/b]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Rocky_Mountain_wolf
We are also lousy with black bear. They don't cause too many problems but I had some bees establish themselves inside the walls of my little cabin. The bear just ripped off the heavy siding. Then, my boys left a roll of chew in the cubby of a John Deere Gator overnight. Bear ripped the seats to shreds as they worked to get to the Cope.
We've got plenty of blacks and griz. Blacks are right down on the valley floor, but as a rule, with a few incursions, the griz tend to stay up the hill.
Fencing with cattle panels and big mountain dogs tend to keep em off the live stock, but sheep and goats don't tend to make it very long up in the hills, so it's mostly cattle country. Hill folks tend to have bulletproof chicken coops and hives protected with cattle panels and electric wire... and everything but cattle and horses tend to be brought in at night to reinforced barnyards where dogs can short patrol.
Back in the day my little cabin was built as a horse barn for a team of horses. The bachelor who built it used poles and timber from the hardwoods to rough it out. It is small, but cool. I put a loft in it and I sleep better there than anyplace on the planet.
Aw man... that sounds like heaven to me. Trying with all I got to get back to something similar.
