| In the state prior to white settlement, the wolf population isn't known but estimated at 3,000 to 5,000. | |
| | Legislature passes bounty law, offering $5 each, in response to complaints of wolves feeding on livestock. By then, native habitat of Wisconsin has been transformed by farming and hunting, cutting the population of deer a common prey of wolves. |
| | No timber wolves remain in the southern two-thirds of the state. With sports hunting gaining in popularity, state supports elimination of wolves, and bounties rise to $20 for adult wolves, and $10 for pups. |
| Wolves declared extirpated for the state. | |
| | The value of wolves is recognized at the federal level, and the animal is granted protection under federal Endangered Species Act. |
| Wisconsin DNR declares wolves endangered. In mid 1970s, Minnesota wolf population grows and some stray into northern Wisconsin. | |
| Five wolf packs have been identified in Wisconsin, with about 28 individuals. | |
| | State has about 99-105 wolves in 28 packs. |
After her fourth try, she got the answer she was looking for. The woods, maybe within
a mile southwest of her, suddenly came alive with the haunting chorus of a Wisconsin
wolf pack. The distant moans of adults and high-pitched cries of their young permeated
the night.
“When you first hear them, you get goose bumps down your neck,” Gary Peterson,
Erica’s father, said. Both of them volunteer with the Department of Natural Resources
to monitor this Lincoln County pack.
The wolves — Gary
estimates three to five — heard on this night are part of an estimated 10 timber wolves in
Wisconsin, mostly in the north woods, but even as far south as Jackson County.
Once Hated so much that they were killed for bounty, wolves were though to be wiped
out in the state by 1960. Now that their numbers are back — and growing — the DNR is
gathering opinions on how to manage the animals and how to deal with their inevitable
collisions with humanity.
“Howling” is one method used to count the number of wolves in a pack and determine
their age. When the animals heard his daughter, they took her for an intruding wolf, so
they decided to give her a message, Gary said.
“That was a warning signal: ‘Stay away. We already own this spot,”’ he said as he
drove his pickup down a forest road, avoiding numerous deer — what he called “wolf
food.”
Peterson, a junior high school science teacher who estimated he has been monitoring
the Lincoln County pack for seven years, said some difficult questions remain for the
future.
“They are becoming more accustomed to people and I think because of that, they’re
going to start to migrate closer to people and when they do that, more conflicts could
possible occur,” he said. “If that landowner or the farmer doesn’t have a tolerance for
those aniamls, what’s going to happen?”
In the mid-1970s, evidence of a breeding pack of wolves was found in Douglas
County. As more wolves trickled into the state, a wolf recovery plan — with an
emphasis on educating people about wolves — began in 1989. Its goal was 80 wolves is Wisconsin by
2000. By 1995, 83 to 86 wolves were detected.
Wolves are presently listed as endangered by both the state and the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service. But if population trends continue, DNR officials say the creatures
could be eligible for reclassification from the endangered to threatened by 1997. And in
a few years wolves could be taken off the threatened list by federal officials.
In an effort to gather public opinion on wolf managment, the DNR held 10 forums in
October. Adrian Wydeven, a mammalian biologist with the DNR, said people are
concerned that the burgeoning wolf population will hurt once again of is taken off a
protected list.
“I think there was some perception that delisting meant that wolves were totally
unprotected, which would not be the case.” Wydeven said. “Even of wolves are delisted
they still would be under some protected status.”
It’s a far cry from the past. Wolf killers got bounties for their work from 1865 to 1957.
The DNR’s Dave Weitz, who also is involved in development of a wolf management
plan, said attitudes about wolves have changed greatly.
“I think to a large extent, especially 10 to 15 years ago, a lot of people, when you said
wolf, they thought Little Red Riding Hood,” he said.
“The wolf was a big bad guy.”
Peterson worried about the effect of the wolves’
newfound popularity.
“Where do you draw the line between public information and the right of these
animals to have their space,’ he said. “Not everyone can expect to go you and howl at
this packs without (it) having serious consequences.”
Sheri Buller, a wildlife
biologist for the DNR in Lincoln County, agrees too much human exposure can be
detrimental, although the animals don’t need
total wilderness to survive in Wisconsin.
“Wolves are pretty adaptable. They need an adequate prey base and they need space,”
she said.
But some, like Lawrence Krak of Gilman, aren’t convinced of the need for wolves in
the state.
“We’re better off not
having them,” said the 72-year-old Krak, who has been a vocal opponent of wolves in the
state. “We don’t need them. Why should they be here? There are thousands of miles of
prime wilderness in Canada. Wolves should not be where they conflict with humanity.”
Wydeven said, however, that attacks on livestock or pets persist. Although wolves
mostly feast on animals like deer or beaver, there usually are about one or two instances a
year of wolves killing pets or livestock in Wisconsin. Wydeven expects more killings as
the number of wolves increase. So far this year, a calf and five hunting dogs have been
reported killed, he said.
“Wolves probably can live in areas where there are a lot more people and a lot more
livestock and pets around,” Wydeven said. “That can be a problem.”
Ernie Burgener learned all too well how protective wolves can be. The 59-tear-old
hunter was tracking bobcat when his hound encountered some wolves in the Lincoln
County area about four years ago.
“I guess my dog invaded the wolves’ territory and consequently he paid the price,” he said.