“There was one time when one of the young wolves was licking my face, and his canine went up my nose, and I was like, oh, okay, don't move. He wasn't trying to bite me; it was just

excitement. But it was an awesome, eerie, and strangely wonderful experience.”

- Jamie Dutcher

Before the arrival of European settlers, it is estimated as many as 500,000 wolves roamed freely across the continental United States. By the 1970s, after decades of systematic eradication, there were fewer than 1000 left.

And despite the fact that our best friends, the dog, are descended from them to this day they

are often thought of as nothing more than vicious, bloodthirsty killers and a danger to livestock

and people. Filmmakers Jim and Jamie Dutcher wanted to show another side to this iconic

predator, and in doing so perhaps change people’s minds and help protect wolves from

extinction.

But to do that they needed to get close. So, in 1991, beneath the towering peaks of Idaho’s spectacular Sawtooth Mountains, they set up a remote tented outpost where they could

bring together a pack of wolves in an enclosed territory, while accepting Jim and Jamie as just another part of their world. The Dutchers would spend the next six years Living with the Wolves. 

This is their story, and the story of the Sawtooth Pack.

FIND OUT MORE

Find out more about Jim and Jamie’s foundation, and how you can help, at

LivingWithWolves.org

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Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar presented the show,

Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet

Chap.

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