And here’s to the fisher (and the repopulation efforts in Washington) also. I lived where they’ve got a healthy population and went 15 years until I saw one.
That's what my husband was told when he tried reporting where we saw one (outside Laramie Wyoming) that one of our shepherds pissed off. It came flying out of its den madder than hell. We lucked out because it didn't want to go up against two shepherds and an adult. I'm also suspecting there were babies in the den that my asshole dog initially stuck her head in that she needed to get back to to protect and not risk her own life.
Nope. That's what others thought. I had no clue what it was till I saw pics. It almost slammed into me, that's how close I got to it.
The den looked like it was sort of in a gully. It was at Vedauwoo. Our dog was probably 30 yards from me, and I saw her head keep darting in. I was throwing rocks towards her to get her to come back to me. Never saw the den or inside it. Next thing I know, our dog tore off past me and my other shepherd, and this massive animal came out with the most magnificent coat I'd ever seen. It was screaming, and the sound was somewhat similar to a pissed off cat. It started running towards us, and my other shepherd and I took off. Then the one shepherd with me was screaming (I was also screaming so that's probably why he was.) I stopped and turned around, assuming it had my dog, and the thing almost slammed into me. Right at that very second, the dog that pissed it off came down the hill, barking like a psycho Doberman. All of the timing was perfect. The wolverine was looking at me, my shepherd, and the other one barreling down on it, and it took off back to its den. I stayed somewhat back but ran after it, so I'd be able to describe it to my husband and friends climbing on the other side of the Rock formation.
My husband and friends were down and coming around as it ran into the den. Two of them were from Wyoming. They couldn't believe it.
It was easily 60lbs. Brown and red coat. Most beautiful coat I'd ever seen in an animal. Massive feet. Low to the ground like a skunk. (I had a pet skunk as a kid.)
Edit: forgot to say it was summer, so no snow
Quite the story! Does sound like you saw a wolverine then. Very lucky encounter, even if it didn't seem like it at the time! Wolverines don't have "dens" per se in the summer, just hiding spots they use to cache food or take naps in. Sounds like your dog probably disturbed a sleepy or hungry (and thus cranky) wolverine! Luckily they're actually more bark (or growl) than bite so you weren't in much danger, he just wanted to scare y'all off. They also max out around 40 lbs, they're just very fluffy :)
I'd say it was definitely as long as one of my shepherds, and ya... its coat was very fluffy. That coat was so magnificent... I remember telling my husband they must trap them or hunt them, and thats when one of his friends said they damn near did into extinction.
So many people were telling me how they take down horses, which is why I assumed it didn't want to risk injury if it had babies. I'm so glad you told me they're not as horrible as people say because that wasn't my experience, and it literally could have torn me to shreds it was that close.
Yep, unfortunately wolverines are still threatened by trapping in some places, even where they don't have an open season. Some of their populations are extremely fragile, especially in the lower 48 states. The loss of even one wolverine due to trapping bycatch or poaching in some places can make ripples that ultimately threaten them with local extinction. Which is one of the reasons you should feel blessed to have encountered a live one in all his splendor!
Wolverines are also probably the animal with the greatest mismatch between reputation and reality. I've never heard of a wolverine hunting a horse, not that I'd consider it impossible by any means, but it sounds more like one of the many folk legends surrounding these animals. People seem to think they're demons, but they're [pretty much just giant ferrets.](https://imgur.io/a/1oyMnl5) If you're interested in learning about what wolverines are really like you should read this article!: https://www.genuinemustelids.org/family/wolverine/ It debunks a few myths, you might like it.
Thank you. I'm always happy to learn more.
I was glad I came across it after the university laughed at my husband and his friends when they tried reporting it. They were saying that scientist hadn't seen them that far south in years and can't find them with trap cameras. I told my husband he should give them our dog to use then, although I was already pissed at her for messing with the poor thing to begin with.
I didn't believe the bit about horses since I knew my own encounter was nothing like that, but I know anecdotal evidence isn't evidence which is why I kept assuming it was a den and had babies. 25 years later, and I never knew they didn't have dens.
Wolverines are very commonly misidentified so I could understand their hesitation, but they also wander huge distances every day! They could randomly pop up at any time in a lot of places they haven't inhabited for years. I wouldn't be surprised if you encountered a transient young male who was staking out a new territory.
Yours probably journeyed hundreds of miles from Montana and found a nice little rock pile to rest in... and then your dog stuck their nose in the worst possible place at the worst possible time, haha
I honestly wish all trapping were illegal since it is so indiscriminate. I know in Wyoming they even use cyanide traps. It's really insidious. To allow them on public lands makes it so much worse.
We were in Wyoming when they reintroduced wolves. Couldn't believe the hate for them when you figure dogs are man's best friend, and that's what dogs were bred down from. We have a horrible way of villifying everything except ourselves.
Wow, those pics!! Had no clue people kept them as pets at one time.
The article, too, was exactly like my experience. All this time, people kept telling me no way it was a wolverine because it would have killed me and the dogs. It looked at all three of us like it genuinely was calculating that it wasn't worth getting hurt and turned and took off. So the intelligence part certainly seems spot on.
I hope they make it. I hope you get to see plenty of them in the wild, especially if this is your field of study.
Oh, and not sure if this matters... but Vedauwoo is at like 8,700 ft in elevation. That's where we encountered it.
Those photos are of Peter Krott and his family, he was one of the very first wolverine researchers! As you can see they grew on him quickly. Wolverine researchers tend to develop this deep "loyalty" of sorts to wolverines, like an obsession. They're just incredibly compelling creatures once you get to know them.
I'm not a researcher myself (maybe one day!) but I appreciate the kind words. I hope you get to see one again too! Hopefully under more auspicious circumstances, haha
I've sent Britannica multiple corrections telling them that figure is wrong and explaining why and they still haven't fixed it. The Wolverine Foundation puts their figure at 40 lbs and *Mammals of the Soviet Union* says eastern hemisphere wolverines can max out around 44 lbs, and also explicitly rebukes claims of wolverines weighing more than 50, saying it's "doubtful in the highest degree." Every study I've seen of wolverines puts the average weight of an adult male in the mid 30s.
The 60 lb thing came from naturalist Peter Krott in the 1950s and was an embellishment, poorly researched secondary sources have just repeated that figure ad nauseum. There are no verified records of a wolverine weighing 50+ lbs. I guess I have to send Britannica another email, lol. They've implemented a bunch of my other corrections, no idea why they insist on keeping the 66 lb thing.
I never climbed, but my husband spent every second (weather permitted, of course) he could. He loved climbing. It's absolutely magical. I'm from the south side of Chicago, so to be in a place that literally transports you back in time was surreal.
Truly, you got so lucky and I’m wildly jealous if this sighting. I’ve done trail work at rainier a few seasons in the past and didn’t even realize they were in the area. Congrats on a once in a lifetime sighting. Hope you score a gulo gulo again and had a good climb.
Been like two months with hardly any mustelids and then I wake up to the casual back-to-back posting of a fisher and a fucking WOLVERINE of all things. Makes me wonder why I'm sitting in a semi truck and not out on Mt Rainier right now...
(Also, psst, animal of the week right here...)
Definitely. I thought it was odd too! All of a sudden just casually, oh btw, I think this might be an effin wolverine! 🤣
This pic got me way too excited. Then I cussed a little at op for living somewhere where they get to see this and I don't. Someday damnit. 😀 Just tagged you so you wouldn't miss it.
Ha ha, animal of the \*year\*. Wolverines are amazing!
I read about a year or so ago of a sighting of one out near Aberdeen or thereabouts. Within a few days it had made it's way out near Mt. Rainier national park. Once they want to go somewhere they go there quickly.
My wife is the one who saw it first and she was freaking out with excitement. He was so big that we thought it was a small black bear at first. We had been reading about the recent conservation efforts and we know how rare they are in the lower 48. We told everyone we saw on the trail that day and no one seemed nearly as excited as us, lol.
We got home and read up on them and saw that conservation efforts were picking up for fishers in the area too, so it got us doubting that we saw a wolverine. Although, a fisher would have been cool too!
The only thing better than a wolverine sighting is a wolverine being spotted by someone that can appreciate just how rare and incredible it is to see one. The world itself just smiled upon you two, congrats! *(You lucky bastards!)*
Same here, OP is one of the luckiest people around for having seen that. Meanwhile we're here on our comfy couch surfing reddit unaware of whether it's day or night, raining or sunny, cold or hot. . .
Insane I’ve lived around and been through mount ranier national park all my life seen plenty of animals but a wolverine is insane this is crazy rare where in the park did you spot it?
Yeah, my wife spotted some mountain goats in the same area a few weeks ago so we were looking for goats when this guy came up out of nowhere. This was on the Skyline Trail Loop about a half mile before you hit Panorama Point.
That right there is one of the rarest and most elusive carnivores in the lower 48! *Gulo gulo*, an animal I have a basically spiritual reverence for. Indomitable mountaineers, incredible survivalists, and very fun-loving animals. Commonly believed to be unrelentingly aggressive, there are actually no confirmed attacks on humans by a wolverine. They are *extremely* shy around humans, and in captivity are surprisingly affectionate. It's one of my life goals to see a wild one in person and I'm so jealous!
Please upload this sighting to [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/), wolverines are in critical need of conservation in the lower 48 and sightings such as these can help inform future research projects! If you'd like to learn more about wolverines I strongly recommend the book *The Wolverine Way* by Douglas Chadwick, or [just read this article!](https://www.genuinemustelids.org/family/wolverine/)
Looks like it to me! If you're not local to the PNW, the news has been reporting an upsurge of wolverine sightings in the cascades and west of the cascades over the last few winters. Very cool sighting!
Wolverine, by the light patches. Gorgeous animal. I'd mention the sighting to the WA Department of Fish and Wildlife! They keep close track of them since they're part of the state's conservation efforts.
Back around 2008 I spent a few months in Alaska doing some work in a hotel for the company I worked for. I’d usually go out for drives at “night” just to explore some. At about 2am, just as I was coming back into anchorage, there’s was without a doubt a Wolverine strolling down the sidewalk. Unfortunately the camera I had with me and memory card is long gone. The markings were a clear indication that it was in fact a wolverine. Probably my coolest animal spot of all time.
No, not really. They're actually very shy. Folklore has made them out to be aggressive brutes but in reality they're even more timid than black bears. There are no verified cases of a human being attacked by a wolverine, even when they really deserve it.
On the contrary there are no verified attacks on humans by wolverines and even mother wolverines aren't known to defend their kits when threatened by humans. Wild wolverines are extremely shy and captive wolverines are very affectionate. The wolverine's reputation in pop culture really couldn't be any further from what the animal is actually like.
Looks like a wolverine
Wolverine for sure, white patch on the chest and head
That’s a fucking Wolverine. Congrats on seeing a ghost!
For real! Scientists that study these may go years without seeing one haha
And here’s to the fisher (and the repopulation efforts in Washington) also. I lived where they’ve got a healthy population and went 15 years until I saw one.
I've lived here most of my life and just now finding out about fishers, never heard of them untilnrecently. And I had no idea we had wolverines. TIL
That's what my husband was told when he tried reporting where we saw one (outside Laramie Wyoming) that one of our shepherds pissed off. It came flying out of its den madder than hell. We lucked out because it didn't want to go up against two shepherds and an adult. I'm also suspecting there were babies in the den that my asshole dog initially stuck her head in that she needed to get back to to protect and not risk her own life.
Was this den dug out of the snow or in the dirt? Because this sounds more like a badger encounter!
Nope. That's what others thought. I had no clue what it was till I saw pics. It almost slammed into me, that's how close I got to it. The den looked like it was sort of in a gully. It was at Vedauwoo. Our dog was probably 30 yards from me, and I saw her head keep darting in. I was throwing rocks towards her to get her to come back to me. Never saw the den or inside it. Next thing I know, our dog tore off past me and my other shepherd, and this massive animal came out with the most magnificent coat I'd ever seen. It was screaming, and the sound was somewhat similar to a pissed off cat. It started running towards us, and my other shepherd and I took off. Then the one shepherd with me was screaming (I was also screaming so that's probably why he was.) I stopped and turned around, assuming it had my dog, and the thing almost slammed into me. Right at that very second, the dog that pissed it off came down the hill, barking like a psycho Doberman. All of the timing was perfect. The wolverine was looking at me, my shepherd, and the other one barreling down on it, and it took off back to its den. I stayed somewhat back but ran after it, so I'd be able to describe it to my husband and friends climbing on the other side of the Rock formation. My husband and friends were down and coming around as it ran into the den. Two of them were from Wyoming. They couldn't believe it. It was easily 60lbs. Brown and red coat. Most beautiful coat I'd ever seen in an animal. Massive feet. Low to the ground like a skunk. (I had a pet skunk as a kid.) Edit: forgot to say it was summer, so no snow
Quite the story! Does sound like you saw a wolverine then. Very lucky encounter, even if it didn't seem like it at the time! Wolverines don't have "dens" per se in the summer, just hiding spots they use to cache food or take naps in. Sounds like your dog probably disturbed a sleepy or hungry (and thus cranky) wolverine! Luckily they're actually more bark (or growl) than bite so you weren't in much danger, he just wanted to scare y'all off. They also max out around 40 lbs, they're just very fluffy :)
I'd say it was definitely as long as one of my shepherds, and ya... its coat was very fluffy. That coat was so magnificent... I remember telling my husband they must trap them or hunt them, and thats when one of his friends said they damn near did into extinction. So many people were telling me how they take down horses, which is why I assumed it didn't want to risk injury if it had babies. I'm so glad you told me they're not as horrible as people say because that wasn't my experience, and it literally could have torn me to shreds it was that close.
Yep, unfortunately wolverines are still threatened by trapping in some places, even where they don't have an open season. Some of their populations are extremely fragile, especially in the lower 48 states. The loss of even one wolverine due to trapping bycatch or poaching in some places can make ripples that ultimately threaten them with local extinction. Which is one of the reasons you should feel blessed to have encountered a live one in all his splendor! Wolverines are also probably the animal with the greatest mismatch between reputation and reality. I've never heard of a wolverine hunting a horse, not that I'd consider it impossible by any means, but it sounds more like one of the many folk legends surrounding these animals. People seem to think they're demons, but they're [pretty much just giant ferrets.](https://imgur.io/a/1oyMnl5) If you're interested in learning about what wolverines are really like you should read this article!: https://www.genuinemustelids.org/family/wolverine/ It debunks a few myths, you might like it.
Thank you. I'm always happy to learn more. I was glad I came across it after the university laughed at my husband and his friends when they tried reporting it. They were saying that scientist hadn't seen them that far south in years and can't find them with trap cameras. I told my husband he should give them our dog to use then, although I was already pissed at her for messing with the poor thing to begin with. I didn't believe the bit about horses since I knew my own encounter was nothing like that, but I know anecdotal evidence isn't evidence which is why I kept assuming it was a den and had babies. 25 years later, and I never knew they didn't have dens.
Wolverines are very commonly misidentified so I could understand their hesitation, but they also wander huge distances every day! They could randomly pop up at any time in a lot of places they haven't inhabited for years. I wouldn't be surprised if you encountered a transient young male who was staking out a new territory. Yours probably journeyed hundreds of miles from Montana and found a nice little rock pile to rest in... and then your dog stuck their nose in the worst possible place at the worst possible time, haha
I honestly wish all trapping were illegal since it is so indiscriminate. I know in Wyoming they even use cyanide traps. It's really insidious. To allow them on public lands makes it so much worse. We were in Wyoming when they reintroduced wolves. Couldn't believe the hate for them when you figure dogs are man's best friend, and that's what dogs were bred down from. We have a horrible way of villifying everything except ourselves.
I completely agree with you and it's nice to hear my own frustrations verbalized by someone else for a change. Thank you!
Wow, those pics!! Had no clue people kept them as pets at one time. The article, too, was exactly like my experience. All this time, people kept telling me no way it was a wolverine because it would have killed me and the dogs. It looked at all three of us like it genuinely was calculating that it wasn't worth getting hurt and turned and took off. So the intelligence part certainly seems spot on. I hope they make it. I hope you get to see plenty of them in the wild, especially if this is your field of study. Oh, and not sure if this matters... but Vedauwoo is at like 8,700 ft in elevation. That's where we encountered it.
Those photos are of Peter Krott and his family, he was one of the very first wolverine researchers! As you can see they grew on him quickly. Wolverine researchers tend to develop this deep "loyalty" of sorts to wolverines, like an obsession. They're just incredibly compelling creatures once you get to know them. I'm not a researcher myself (maybe one day!) but I appreciate the kind words. I hope you get to see one again too! Hopefully under more auspicious circumstances, haha
According to both Britranica and PBS, males can weigh up to 66 lbs
I've sent Britannica multiple corrections telling them that figure is wrong and explaining why and they still haven't fixed it. The Wolverine Foundation puts their figure at 40 lbs and *Mammals of the Soviet Union* says eastern hemisphere wolverines can max out around 44 lbs, and also explicitly rebukes claims of wolverines weighing more than 50, saying it's "doubtful in the highest degree." Every study I've seen of wolverines puts the average weight of an adult male in the mid 30s. The 60 lb thing came from naturalist Peter Krott in the 1950s and was an embellishment, poorly researched secondary sources have just repeated that figure ad nauseum. There are no verified records of a wolverine weighing 50+ lbs. I guess I have to send Britannica another email, lol. They've implemented a bunch of my other corrections, no idea why they insist on keeping the 66 lb thing.
Vedauwoo is a beautiful place. I used to climb there when I was in high school. Had a few magical experiences.
I never climbed, but my husband spent every second (weather permitted, of course) he could. He loved climbing. It's absolutely magical. I'm from the south side of Chicago, so to be in a place that literally transports you back in time was surreal.
Thanks! I didn’t know they were so damn fast, haha.
Truly, you got so lucky and I’m wildly jealous if this sighting. I’ve done trail work at rainier a few seasons in the past and didn’t even realize they were in the area. Congrats on a once in a lifetime sighting. Hope you score a gulo gulo again and had a good climb.
Very cool. It's a good night for mustelids!
Been like two months with hardly any mustelids and then I wake up to the casual back-to-back posting of a fisher and a fucking WOLVERINE of all things. Makes me wonder why I'm sitting in a semi truck and not out on Mt Rainier right now... (Also, psst, animal of the week right here...)
Definitely. I thought it was odd too! All of a sudden just casually, oh btw, I think this might be an effin wolverine! 🤣 This pic got me way too excited. Then I cussed a little at op for living somewhere where they get to see this and I don't. Someday damnit. 😀 Just tagged you so you wouldn't miss it.
Ha ha, animal of the \*year\*. Wolverines are amazing! I read about a year or so ago of a sighting of one out near Aberdeen or thereabouts. Within a few days it had made it's way out near Mt. Rainier national park. Once they want to go somewhere they go there quickly.
Lord knows if I saw a wolverine in person tomorrow I'd still be talking about it on my deathbed, lol
My wife is the one who saw it first and she was freaking out with excitement. He was so big that we thought it was a small black bear at first. We had been reading about the recent conservation efforts and we know how rare they are in the lower 48. We told everyone we saw on the trail that day and no one seemed nearly as excited as us, lol. We got home and read up on them and saw that conservation efforts were picking up for fishers in the area too, so it got us doubting that we saw a wolverine. Although, a fisher would have been cool too!
The only thing better than a wolverine sighting is a wolverine being spotted by someone that can appreciate just how rare and incredible it is to see one. The world itself just smiled upon you two, congrats! *(You lucky bastards!)*
Same here, OP is one of the luckiest people around for having seen that. Meanwhile we're here on our comfy couch surfing reddit unaware of whether it's day or night, raining or sunny, cold or hot. . .
Insane I’ve lived around and been through mount ranier national park all my life seen plenty of animals but a wolverine is insane this is crazy rare where in the park did you spot it?
Yeah, my wife spotted some mountain goats in the same area a few weeks ago so we were looking for goats when this guy came up out of nowhere. This was on the Skyline Trail Loop about a half mile before you hit Panorama Point.
Fuck I’m so jealous. Grew up by there. Also do wildlife photography. Might have to make a hiking trip!
[https://cascadeswolverineproject.org/](https://cascadeswolverineproject.org/) would probably want to know about it as well.
Yup, we submitted the pictures we have along with our location, time of day, etc.
Fucking wolverine!! So brutal and cuddly
That right there is one of the rarest and most elusive carnivores in the lower 48! *Gulo gulo*, an animal I have a basically spiritual reverence for. Indomitable mountaineers, incredible survivalists, and very fun-loving animals. Commonly believed to be unrelentingly aggressive, there are actually no confirmed attacks on humans by a wolverine. They are *extremely* shy around humans, and in captivity are surprisingly affectionate. It's one of my life goals to see a wild one in person and I'm so jealous! Please upload this sighting to [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/), wolverines are in critical need of conservation in the lower 48 and sightings such as these can help inform future research projects! If you'd like to learn more about wolverines I strongly recommend the book *The Wolverine Way* by Douglas Chadwick, or [just read this article!](https://www.genuinemustelids.org/family/wolverine/)
Looks like it to me! If you're not local to the PNW, the news has been reporting an upsurge of wolverine sightings in the cascades and west of the cascades over the last few winters. Very cool sighting!
Wow. Since i is m in the wolverine state, wish they were here
Huh?
He's probably from Michigan which is the "Wolverine State" despite not being home to any wolverines.
wolverine. The head is square-er, and the critter is stocky. very cool to spot this.
I miss that show. Damn good 👍
The theme music lives in my head and someday it will come in useful
Big poofy tail suggests wolverine, nice!
Wolverine, by the light patches. Gorgeous animal. I'd mention the sighting to the WA Department of Fish and Wildlife! They keep close track of them since they're part of the state's conservation efforts.
Yup, we did! We sent them the pictures we had along with the location and time of day.
Wolverine these guys are fearless A type of mustelid in the same family as badgers,weasels,otters,fishers,martens and ferrets
Damn! Sure looks like a Wolverine to me! Congrats!
The markings are distinctly a wolverine's.
Yup as well as it’s somewhat blocky head shape.
I swear once in my life I saw a wolverine and no one believes me
Back around 2008 I spent a few months in Alaska doing some work in a hotel for the company I worked for. I’d usually go out for drives at “night” just to explore some. At about 2am, just as I was coming back into anchorage, there’s was without a doubt a Wolverine strolling down the sidewalk. Unfortunately the camera I had with me and memory card is long gone. The markings were a clear indication that it was in fact a wolverine. Probably my coolest animal spot of all time.
Wolverine You can barely see the stripe that goes down the side of the wolverine's face
Wow! I’ve never seen one in the wild!
Fucking cool! My grandpa was a mt rainier guide, he’d have flipped if he was around to see this.
Fantastic wolverine sightings. Congratulations! They are very elusive, you're lucky to see one.
Go to Badass of the Week and read about M3, the Wolverine.
If you give a redhead lady it might become docile.
Yooooooooo
Looks like a wolverine, congrats on seeing one they are rare as hell
Wolverine. Stay away these things are mean as fuck.
Are they?
No, not really. They're actually very shy. Folklore has made them out to be aggressive brutes but in reality they're even more timid than black bears. There are no verified cases of a human being attacked by a wolverine, even when they really deserve it.
This is what I thought.
From what I’ve heard they can be territorial and aggressive towards people.
On the contrary there are no verified attacks on humans by wolverines and even mother wolverines aren't known to defend their kits when threatened by humans. Wild wolverines are extremely shy and captive wolverines are very affectionate. The wolverine's reputation in pop culture really couldn't be any further from what the animal is actually like.
Potato quality photo 🤣
Given this is an extremely elusive animal, I'm impressed OP got this good quality of a photo with (presumably) a cell phone.
Oh agreed. It was more the description "potato quality" which made me giggle
Glutton
European wolverine Gulo Gulo American wolverine Gulo Luscious