Alaska 310 1,041 3.4 12 Kelly 1954 Alaska 1,268 4,823 3.8 21 R. A. Rausch[13] Lapland 118 311 2.5 12 Pulliainen 1965 E. Finland 460 984 2.1 12 Pulliainen 1965 Minnesota 112 318 2.8 12 Stenlund 1955 Minnesota 77 323 4.2 13 Present study ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FOOTNOTES: [13] R. A. Rausch. Personal correspondence to L. D. Mech, 1967. The largest pack seen in our study area included 13 members, and there apparently were at least two such packs. Although larger packs than this have been reported, any group containing more than 8 to 10 members is unusually large (Mech 1970). Wolf sociology is a complex subject and is still not well understood, so the following detailed observations of the associations between our radiotagged wolves and others are given. Associations are defined as relationships in which two or more wolves relate in a close, positive manner. As mentioned earlier, 1051 may or may not have been associated with other wolves when he was captured. However, although this animal was observed 55 times throughout winter and spring, only twice was he seen associating with another wolf. Probably the same individual was involved each time, because the location was about the same (the vicinity of the juncture of Aitkin, Carlton, and St. Louis Counties). The first occasion was on April 3. Wolf 1051 in the previous week had moved 46 miles straight line distance from the northeast. He was then observed lying peacefully within 15 feet of another wolf near a freshly killed deer. The very proximity of the two animals implied a positive relationship. On April 7, 10 and 14, 1051 was seen 1 mile, 10 miles, and 8 miles from the kill and was alone each time. However, on April 17, 1051 was back in the general vicinity of the kill, and he and another wolf were resting on an open hillside about 100 feet from each other. As we descended for a closer look, the smaller animal arose and headed to the larger, presumably 1051 because he had not been disturbed by the aircraft. The larger wolf did not arise for several seconds, but eventually followed the other into the woods. No tail raising or other expressive posturing was seen in either wolf. One week later 1051 was 26 miles northwest of the kill traveling alone. Wolf 1053 was never seen less than 80 yards from another wolf, and there was no evidence that she ever associated with a conspecific. Even when she was seen 80 yards from the other wolf, both were resting, and when the strange wolf left, 1053 made no attempt to accompany or follow it.