Lewis saw his first gray wolf on May 5, 1805.   He described the wolves as they hunted buffalo.  The wolves would take turns chasing their prey, some resting while others chased.  "We scarcely see a gang of buffalo without observing. . .those faithful shepherds. . .in readiness to take care of the maimed and wounded," wrote Lewis.  Wolves would hunt along the edges of herds, killing the weaker animals---the young, the old, and the sick.

Wolves are members of the dog family.   They live and hunt in packs and eat almost anything they can catch.  Their wild prey are mainly deer, elk, moose, and caribou, but they do not hesitate to kill cattle or other livestock.  They kill buffalo when they find them, but there are very few buffalo today compared with Lewis and Clark's time. 

The wolf has excellent sight, hearing, and sense of smell.  It can see or smell a deer or elk more than a mile away.  One animal can eat as much as 20 pounds of meat in one meal.

A wolf resembles a German shepherd dog.   The wolf is larger, however, with longer legs, bigger feet, wider head, and a long, bushy tail.  Males stand about 30 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh 75 to 120 pounds.  Females are smaller.  They have thick fur that protects them from the cold.  Most are gray in color, but their color can range from pure white in the Arctic to black in other regions.