Wolf from Upper Deschutes Pack spotted in residential area near Sunriver
THREE RIVERS, Ore. (KTVZ) – A wolf from the Upper Deschutes Pack was recently filmed running along a biking path in the Caldera Springs community near Sunriver. The sighting was captured in a residential area as the animal traveled between local homes.
The Upper Deschutes Pack has been established in the area for approximately four years and is considered one of the most visible packs in the region. Wildlife biologists attribute the recent sighting to a combination of low winter snowpack and the current wolf breeding season.
The wolf was recorded crossing a street from the Crosswater Golf Course before entering the entrance of Caldera Springs. It then traveled along a bike path parallel to Huntington Road, running between residential homes. These types of sightings are becoming more frequent as the low snowpack this winter brings more people into the woods than usual. When snow is deeper, wolves and humans typically overlap less because forest roads remain inaccessible to most vehicles.
Aaron Bott, a wildlife biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife who specializes in Central Oregon wolves, said young wolves often leave their family packs at this time of year to find mates. This transition requires them to navigate rural neighborhoods. "Their hormones are raging and they only go into heat for a very short period of time," Bott said. "So they're trying to cover huge distances very quickly to make that breeding window."
The pack is frequently seen in the Sunriver and Three Rivers area because of the high concentration of elk. Elk make up 70% to 80% of a wolf's diet and the pack follows the elk as they move into winter ranges where they do not have to compete with deep snow for food. Bott noted that there is little gray area between the forest and these remote rural residential communities, which also attract deer and elk into yards.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) currently tracks nearly every wolf pack in the state. There are currently four packs located in Deschutes County, with additional packs in Jefferson and Crook counties. While ODFW tries to place a tracking collar on at least one member of every pack, the agency relies heavily on public reports because technology can sometimes fail. Bott encouraged the public to submit wolf reports through the ODFW website to help monitor how the animals utilize the landscape.
While wolf attacks on humans are rare, wildlife experts warned that domestic dogs can trigger territorial conflicts. Bott said wolves usually retreat from human presence, but off-leash dogs may become emboldened and pursue the animals. "Perhaps, dogs feel emboldened when they know that their owner is nearby, and the wolves usually retreat from human presence," Bott said. "But again, if your dog gets out of sight and continues to pursue the wolf, it's not unlikely that the wolf will at some point turn and fight. And that can be nasty. For everyone involved."
If the Upper Deschutes Pack successfully reproduces during the current breeding season, a new litter of pups is expected to be born in April. ODFW will continue to provide maps of territories and pack pictures on its official website.
KTVZ News has reported extensively on wolf populations, their federal protections, and the coexistence with ranchers. Find those in-depth reports below:
- Trump administration pushes to remove gray wolves from Endangered Species Act protections
- Oregon’s wolves surge to historic high, but sparks new farm frustration
- Oregon family farm seeks changes to federal protections after lone wolf kills several calves
