LA PINE, Ore. — A series of wolf sightings in the La Pine and Sunriver areas — two of which were caught on video this week — has residents on alert, as wildlife biologists say increased human activity and dispersing young wolves may be driving more encounters in southern Deschutes County.
“It looked like a big dog and it almost ran right out into the road,” said La Pine resident Hayden Graham after spotting a wolf late Wednesday night near Burgess Road. “I slammed on my brakes because I didn’t want to run it over. I stopped and I looked over and realized ‘I don’t think that’s a dog.'”
Graham lives near Masten Road, where his neighbors often see wolves.
Hayden Graham shot this video of a wolf in La Pine, Oregon, on Feb. 11, 2026.
“With less snow on the ground, there seems to be more human wildlife overlap,” Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife regional wolf biologist Aaron Bott said. “A lot of people are getting out in the woods more and so we’re seeing more wolves and other wildlife. And also, these animals are navigating these kinds of rural residential areas as they’re trying to navigate, again, a very complex landscape.”
Bott said that when wolves reach sexual maturity, which is usually around two years old, they typically leave their family groups and go off on their own to seek a mate.
“They go off on their own to seek a mate,” said Bott. “And for many of these young wolves, it’s the first time they’ve ever left their family’s territory. As they disperse, they must navigate a complex landscape. And so they’re traveling in places where they’ve never been before, in many cases. And sometimes that means they show up in unusual locations.”
Angie Campbell took a video of a wolf in the Sunriver area near Caldera Springs Tuesday morning. She said she doesn’t believe this wolf is just here for mating because it has been in and around their neighborhood for a long time.
Angie Campbell shared this video of a wolf walking in an area near Caldera Springs in Sunriver, Oregon, on Feb. 10, 2026.
She adds that people are concerned about the many wolf sightings in and around their homes.
“This pack in particular, the upper Deschutes pack, is the most observed pack in the state of Oregon,” Bott said. “That’s due to the amount of human recreation in that area. So of all the wolves and the wolf packs that we have across the state, the upper Deschutes pack does get noticed the most.”
Bott said Wolves are part of the Oregon landscape and if you have questions or concerns, you can reach out to your local Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife office.
Bott said wolves are not aggressive most of the time and do not pose an immediate threat. But if you do see one, stop but do not run away. Maintain your distance. If the wolf approaches, make yourself look large. You can also shout and throw objects.