The Hidden Caribou Harvest

Never Cry Wolf

This thread follows Mowat’s discovery that human hunting pressure, concealed by misleading accounts, contributes substantially to the decline blamed on wolves.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Bones Near the Cabin Bones Near the Cabin from "Never Cry Wolf". Bones Near the Cabin A Boneyard in Plain Sight Mowat finds hundreds of Caribou remains near the cabin and assumes Wolves killed them.

Bones Near the Cabin from "Never Cry Wolf". Bones Near the Cabin A Boneyard in Plain Sight Mowat finds hundreds of Caribou remains near the cabin and assumes Wolves killed them.

Bones Near the Cabin A Boneyard in Plain Sight Mowat finds hundreds of Caribou remains near the cabin and assumes Wolves killed them. The evidence initially appears to support the accusation that wolves are destroying the herds. A Pattern Reconsidered The bones become less numerous farther from the settlement. That distribution troubles Mowat, but at first he lacks the local information needed to interpret it.

Ootek’s Caribou Story Ootek’s Caribou Story from "Never Cry Wolf". Ootek’s Caribou Story An Ecological Account Ootek describes wolves as consumers of weak and sickly Caribou, helping preserve the strength of the herd.

Ootek’s Caribou Story from "Never Cry Wolf". Ootek’s Caribou Story An Ecological Account Ootek describes wolves as consumers of weak and sickly Caribou, helping preserve the strength of the herd.

Ootek’s Caribou Story An Ecological Account Ootek describes wolves as consumers of weak and sickly Caribou, helping preserve the strength of the herd. His account challenges the assumption that every wolf encounter means indiscriminate slaughter. An Unanswered Objection Mowat points to the many remains he has seen and questions the explanation. Ootek’s account prompts a more direct inquiry into who actually killed the animals.

Mike Names the Hunter Mike Names the Hunter from "Never Cry Wolf". Mike Names the Hunter An Uncomfortable Admission Mike says that he killed the Caribou around the cabin to feed his dogs and family and to bait fox traps.

Mike Names the Hunter from "Never Cry Wolf". Mike Names the Hunter An Uncomfortable Admission Mike says that he killed the Caribou around the cabin to feed his dogs and family and to bait fox traps.

Mike Names the Hunter An Uncomfortable Admission Mike says that he killed the Caribou around the cabin to feed his dogs and family and to bait fox traps. He estimates his annual kill in the hundreds. The Scale Widens He explains that other trappers also rely on Caribou for food and working dogs. The bones Mowat attributed to wolves now point toward a human harvest hidden by official testimony.

A Contradictory Survey A Contradictory Survey from "Never Cry Wolf". A Contradictory Survey Public Denial Mowat remembers reports in which trappers claimed to kill very few Caribou and blamed Wolves for the decline.

A Contradictory Survey from "Never Cry Wolf". A Contradictory Survey Public Denial Mowat remembers reports in which trappers claimed to kill very few Caribou and blamed Wolves for the decline.

A Contradictory Survey Public Denial Mowat remembers reports in which trappers claimed to kill very few Caribou and blamed Wolves for the decline. Mike’s account contradicts those assurances. Numbers Behind the Story Even a conservative calculation suggests a large annual human harvest. Mowat recognizes that the figure would be unwelcome to the department that hired him to investigate wolves.

The Evidence Withheld The Evidence Withheld from "Never Cry Wolf". The Evidence Withheld An Inconvenient Conclusion Mowat understands that human activity is a major pressure on the Caribou, but his information is partly based…

The Evidence Withheld from "Never Cry Wolf". The Evidence Withheld An Inconvenient Conclusion Mowat understands that human activity is a major pressure on the Caribou, but his information is partly based…

The Evidence Withheld An Inconvenient Conclusion Mowat understands that human activity is a major pressure on the Caribou, but his information is partly based on conversations rather than a controlled survey. He hesitates to present it as conclusive proof. A Distorted Public Account The official story continues to direct blame toward wolves. Mowat’s discovery shows how economic interests and political convenience can shape what evidence is reported.

During Mowat’s first walks from Mike’s cabin

After Mowat asks about the wolf and caribou

During the conversation about the bones

After Mowat recalls government trapper interviews

During Mowat’s later field reporting