Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 17, 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba A18 Canada / world Winnipeg free press saturday july 17, 2004 wolves stalk . Man through Woods by Ayesha Bhatty v Vancouver ? this was one dance with wolves Marcel Pinette wished he could have sat out. The Gold Miner was camping in the Northwestern . Wilderness when a pack of wolves attacked and killed his dog buddy then stalked and chased him through the Woods for Days. Luckily he made it to the safety of his family in Chilliwack last weekend with his terrifying tale. In late june Pinette 34, had been camping at Eva Lake near Atlin ., 60 Kilometres South of the Yukon Border. He had hiked into town and decided to return to Camp by a different route in late june. This trip would prove to be the most unusual in a lifetime of hiking and camping. A few Days into his hike Pinette found himself surrounded by a wildfire. Basi Cally in every direction i looked i seen smoke said Pinette speaking from his Sisters Home in Chilliwack . He decided to make Camp for a few Days until the fires died Down. On the last night Pinette said his dog buddy went snaky on him growling snapping and rolling his eyes. It was a struggle to hold onto Pinette had adopted the 10-month-old husky Shep Herd Puppy from an animal shelter. He was so smart. Id explain my plans verbally to him every morning so he a know what we re doing said Pinette. Spends 10 Days lost in the wilderness with no food but at 3 . That morning at the end of pen said Pinette of the Wolf attack. June buddy was attacked and killed by the wolves stalked him As he moved a pack of 10 wolves just a few metres on for safety. From the tent. Pinette managed to scare his adrenaline pumping Pinette took the wolves away with a can of Bear shelter in a tree. I had my turned Spray but not in time to save his dog. As i was climbing up the tree and one when i turned around All i could see came right up behind me and scared was two eyes in the Bush he said. For me said Pinette who dropped his the next two hours Pinette could hear Hatchet and fire kit in Shock. The Alpha male clacking his Teeth. A terrified Pinette spent a Day and a a Short while later Pinette saw a half up the tree with no food and water Wolf a paws digging under the Side of his because he could still see three wolves tent. I started hitting waiting below. The paws with a Hatch every time id fall i was almost ready it said Pinette hop to give up said ing to drive the animal Down it was like Pinette. The first away. When that did to thing i envisioned was work he Cut a Hole in something was my moms meat pie at the tent and used Bear Christmas and i Pic Spray to scare them pushing me and tured my nieces and away. I did to want to nephews and family. Telling me to just Hurt them at first somehow i found the said Pinette but even get up and go drive to keep going. Tally he went at them my feet Hurt my full Force with the ached. Every time id ? Marcel Pinette Hatchet and Bear fall Down it was like swamps. All i ate was one wildflower and i spit that out because it did to taste quite Pinette said he lost 35 pounds and is still 20 pounds shy of his usual 155 pounds. On the ninth Day Pinette stumbled onto a gravel Road and recognized a Creek. He then walked for 12 or 13 hours and slept in an old school bus that night. The next morning he came across a group of botanists who rushed him to the red Cross outpost in Atlin. He was dehydrated and his Tongue was swollen said nurse Alex Miller who attended to Pinette on july 8. He had terribly badly blistered feet. We had to Cut his boots off Miller said he no scratches or Marks adding she would expect someone who had encountered wolves to be in a worse state. An local Mechanic who befriended Pinette recently said Atlin was about As wild As you can get. This in to Stanley Park said Pat Kennedy 43, a longtime area resident and avid hiker. We get bears Moose and Caribou walking through Peoples Yards lots of times through the year. I i a just glad the Guy made it out alive he said. . Wildlife officer Matt Austin said Wolf attacks Are extremely rare in North America but said there have been three or four cases reported in Algonquin Park in Ontario and one in Clayoquot sound on Vancouver Island in the last year. ? can West news service Spray managing to hit a few. When Pinette accidentally knocked Down his tent another four or six were trapped inside he said. I was hacking and smashing at those too said Pinette. I think i managed to kill All of Pinette said the Only thing he had in the tent was uncooked Rice that he had double bagged but he said the wolves May have been attracted to buddy a smell which was still inside the tent where he had relieved himself that night. Other than that this just does to Hap something was pushing me and telling me to just get up and go he said. The next few Days were a blur. He moved toward the sounds of Power saws being used by the firefighters and finally came across a River. I stood in the Odonnel River for three hours just drinking water he said. Things went weird for the next few Days. I May have lost consciousness a few times said Pinette who estimated he spent 10 Days lost in the Woods sleep ing under Trees and drinking from ;