NORTHWEST ARKANSAS -- "Are there wolves in Arkansas?" was a question asked in a 2012 editorial in the Westside Eagle Observer. Following that editorial, numerous reported sightings were shared with the Eagle Observer and information from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission was shared regarding the larger canines seen by many in Arkansas.
Well, it happened again. Another report was received, this one from, Janelle Jessen, a Siloam Springs reporter who lives in Decatur. She described an animal she saw along Progress Avenue, north of Walmart in Siloam Springs.
"I was driving with the kids after dark on Progress Avenue, coming from Walmart," Jessen said. "When I was just past the hospital, a very large animal crossed in front of us. It moved in the same unique way a coyote does but, when I approached the fence, which gave me a good reference for size, it was so large and long-legged I thought for a second it might be a deer. I almost expected it to clear the fence like a deer, but it slipped through instead.
"All the kids saw the same thing I did and agreed that it was the same size as our very large dog, which I would estimate weighs 90 to 100 pounds," Jessen added, explaining that she and her husband have also seen some similarly large coyotes in the rural Decatur area on other occasions.
In addition to the animals which prompted the question in the 2012 editorial, this reporter has also seen a dark-colored wolf- or coyote-type animal running along a fence row just east of Arkansas Highway 59 and a mile or so north of the Siloam Springs Airport. The height and size of the animal made it stant out as other than an ordinary coyote.
According to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, reported wolf sightings in Arkansas are more likely wolf-dog and wolf-coyote cross animals, possibly containing some bloodline from the, now extinct in Arkansas, red wolves which once were abundant in the region.
We did receive lots of emails and notes about sightings in the past. Some of them follow:
Kelly Irvin of Gravette wrote:
A friend of mine reported to me what she thought was a wolf she saw one evening when coming home from work. She first thought it was a coyote, but it crossed North Mount Olive Road in a single stride.
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Kyle Sarratt of Rogers wrote:
I just read your article about wolves in Arkansas and had to respond. I live in Rogers and drive to Siloam and Gentry to work each day. I go by XNA three days a week but have yet to see anything but deer there. However, one early morning as I was traveling south on Highway 59 between Gentry and Siloam, I looked out at the field on the east side of the road that has all the mounds in it. I saw five coyotes or what I thought was coyotes. They were spread out in a 40-yard radius loping along with their noses to the ground. I assume they were hunting field mice. Odd thing was they seemed too large and bushy to be coyotes and three of them were jet black. I was unable to get turned around to video with my phone but what I saw was amazing. I have lived in this area my entire 47 years, am a fisherman and hunter and have never observed anything like this. Who knows what they were, but it was quite a sight.
I also have video of my dog about seven to eight years ago below our house at Beaver Lake chasing a wolf-looking creature. Sparky was a 90-pound yellow Lab mix, nearly white and very furry. He would chase this thing away for 40 yards then turn his back to it and trot back towards our house. This went on for 10 minutes, but the funny thing was, every time Sparky turned his back to the thing, it would stop running away and begin sneaking back towards Sparky. I ran and got a deer rifle, afraid my dog was going to get attacked, but every time Sparky would stop and run back toward the thing, it would run off. It finally wandered away.
Anyway, sorry for the long email, my family and I enjoy the "Finding Bigfoot" show on Animal Planet. I would be curious to know if anyone has had any sightings of this hairy beast in Arkansas.
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Glenn Smith of Gentry wrote:
Hey, Randy ... about your comments on the gray wolves in Arkansas. I saw one in my yard about three years ago. I had just stepped out on the deck when I spotted it. I said, "Hey, dog!" He stopped and looked at me, then trotted away. I went out and found his track in the mud. It measured 3 1/2 by 3 1/4 inches.
Then about two years ago, an unconcerned mountain lion trotted in front of my tractor while I was driving it out to the hay barn. His track measured the same as the wolf's did.
About the same time I saw the mountain lion, one was spotted under a street light in a housing addition just south of Siloam Springs City Lake. About the same time one was also spotted just north of U.S. Highway 412 somewhere near the sod farm. I am told they have a range of about 50 miles.
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Frank Holzkamper, Sr., of Gentry wrote:
Concerning your question if there "are any wolves in Northwest Arkansas," I may be a little late in replying but here goes.
Around 1957, a companion and I were squirrel hunting on property now covered by SWEPCO Lake when we had the opportunity to observe a mother wolf and her pups enjoying a nice warm afternoon sun outside their den. We watched these activities for a good while, making sure these were wolves we were looking at.
After Sharon and I were married, we moved into a house on the west side of the farm which is now also covered by SWEPCO water. While living in that house, it would not be unusual to hear the mournful cry of a wolf coming from the woods on the hill.
Later we moved to the east side of our farm, close to where our shop is now located. As best as I can figure, about 20 to 25 years ago, Sharon and I watched as an adult wolf was taking an early morning stroll down the shop driveway heading toward SWEPCO Lake.
I cannot say if any of these beautiful creatures are still in the area, but from the exploding deer population over the last 25 years, if they are still here, it would have to be very few.
Some will say we do not need wolves in the area, "they will kill baby calves," however, we raised cattle for 32 years and, with knowing wolves were on the farm, we never lost one calf in this manner.
Thank you for giving public the opportunity to reply to your question.
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And, Debbie Allen of Clarksville sent us this note:
I found your article while I was trying to find the answer to the very question you asked: "Are there wolves in Arkansas?"
As I was driving home on I-40 just past the Altus exit, I saw what I thought might be a deer because of its size. But as I got closer and it ran across the road in front of me, I realized it was some kind of canine. It was too large to be a coyote. It seemed too shaggy to be a German shepherd, plus there were no homes in the area. My immediate thought was it was a wolf, but I had never heard of wolves in Arkansas.
General News on 01/11/2017