Gray Wolf

 The gray wolf was exterminated from Yellowstone Park in the late 1920s and early 1930s in an attempt to preserve the fledging bison and elk herds in the Park. The wolf was reintroduced to the Yellowstone ecosystem in 1990 and has flourished. Several packs control territories within the Park, including Hayden Valley, Pelican Valley, and Lamar Valley. These valleys provide plentiful hunting because of the large herds of elk and bison that graze there in summer months. 

I carved the gray wolf out of basswood with hand and power chisels, and carved the hair areas with a power bit. I designed the tail from a separate piece of basswood and attached it with glue. The coat is painted with acrylic paint and covered with a polyurethane finish. My next wolf will be one howling with head back.