When conservation officer Steve Peterson got a call that a timber wolf was chasing vehicles on a country road near Brimson, he thought it was prank or a misidentified German shepherd. But then he saw it firsthand.

"I couldn't believe it. It was like a dog chasing cars,'' Peterson said. "It looked like a big, healthy male wolf. No mange.''

Responding to the call last Friday, Peterson saw the animal hide in the ditch as a pickup approached and then come bounding out to chase it.

The wolf did the same when Peterson drove to that spot, where he stopped his vehicle.

"He hung around for a minute or 90 seconds and then walked off. I haven't heard any more reports since then,'' Peterson said. "I don't know if it was protecting some food or what. I've never seen anything like it. I've seen turkeys and ducks and geese chase after people's cars, but never a wolf before.''

Roughly 3,000 wolves live in northern Minnesota. Usually, wolves stay away from people and vehicles.