OKANOGAN COUNTY, Wash. – A helicopter had to rescue a research student Thursday afternoon after a group of wolves surrounded her near the Tiffany Spring Campground, 20 mile Meadows. 
 
 Okanogan County dispatch received a call around 12:30 p.m. from the student who was surveying the area when she came across the wolves. Officials said she had climbed 30 feet up a tree and a pack of wolves were surrounding her. 
 
 Okanogan County deputies were told if they arrived on the scene and the wolves were still surrounding the woman they were to shoot the wolves on sight, authorities said. 
 
 The Department of Natural Resources was then notified and they said they would be sending a helicopter to the woman’s location. When the helicopter arrived, the wolves were still there but the helicopter was able to land and rescue the student. 
 
 Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said he does not know if it was a den or a possible kill site but his team is trying to find out if there is a possible threat or danger to those who use the recreational area. He said he is concerned that some may not be prepared for or even know of the possible encounters with wolves, which may result in the danger to human life. 
 
 © 2018 KREM 

 OKANOGAN, Wash. – Authorities say a research student was rescued after she came across wolves northeast of Winthrop, Washington, in a popular recreation area. 
 
 Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said the student called dispatchers at about 12:30 p.m. Thursday, saying she was about 30 feet up a tree with wolves surrounding it near Tiffany Spring Campground. 
 
 The woman told dispatchers that she had been surveying the area and had climbed the tree after encountering wolves. 
 
 Deputies and a search and rescue team responded as well as a state Department of Natural Resources helicopter crew. 
 
 Rogers said the helicopter crew saw the wolves as they flew into the area. 
 
 The helicopter was able to land and the crew rescued the student. 
 
 The sheriff’s office is investigating. 
 
 No further information was immediately available.
– Dispatchers in Okanogan, Wash., received an unusual call right around lunchtime Thursday: A woman phoned to say she was perched 30 feet up in a tree near a local campground, with wolves hovering at the bottom and waiting for her to come down, the AP reports. The research student said she'd been surveying the area when she saw the wolves; the tree seemed her best possible escape. Deputies sent to assist her were told they could shoot the wolves on sight if they were still at the tree's base, authorities tell KREM, but apparently that wasn't necessary: A Department of Natural Resources helicopter was able to land and save the student. The local sheriff says his office is looking into whether the wolves have a den there and if they'll pose future threats to other people wandering in the area.