Grey wolves showing up in southern Wisconsin
Chuck Quirmbach
Wisconsin Public Radio – 12/16/2008
More endangered grey wolves are showing up in southern Wisconsin.
Department of Natural Resources wardens say almost all of the eleven counties in the agency’s south central district have confirmed wolf sightings.
In addition, the department says last year wolves were accidentally killed in Trempealeau, Sauk, Winnebago and Dane counties.
Within the last month, more wolves were killed in the southern half of the state, including one last week in Lafayette County.
DNR mammal ecologist Adrian Wydeven says it largely seems to be young wolves, setting out from the north on their own.
Wydeven says dead wolves have also been found in northern Illinois. He says he does not expect wolves to colonize the southern counties.
Still, to keep hunters better informed, and to keep them out of the legal trouble that shooting an endangered species can bring, the DNR is trying to publicize the differences between wolves and coyotes, which can be hunted.
Wydeven says a key difference is grey wolves are larger. Wydeven says coyotes have a more pointed snout and ears.
He says in some cases, hunters may be deliberately killing the wolv