Wolf attacks still a problem
The same pack of wolves that killed five dogs in Oconto County last year attacked and killed another hunting dog in the county, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
The depredations all involved dogs being trained in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest north of Highway 64 and west of Highway 32.
Residents and visitors to the county need not be concerned about wolf attacks, officials said.
“We’re not talking family pets or livestock,” said Bruce Mommaerts, executive director of the Oconto County Economic Development and Tourism.
“As far as people on trails hiking or looking for birds, it shouldn’t have any impact on that,” said Adrian Wydeven, a mammal ecologist for the DNR.
The latest attack occurred July 29 or Aug. 1 about six miles west of Mountain.
The depredation was by the Peshtigo Brook Pack, which consisted of two adults last winter. The pack probably has pups and is using rendezvous sites, which are home or activity sites.
Pups are brought to the rendezvous sites from dens when they are weaned, and remain at rendezvous sites until the pups are old enough to join the pack on their hunting circuits, according to the DNR.
Wolves are highly defensive of both pups and rendezvous sites.
“We suspect hounds are getting too close to the rendezvous sites,” Wydeven said.
Mommaerts said hunters understand the risk when they’re training bear dogs in areas populated by bears, wolves and coyotes. The DNR does a good job of keeping public alerted to areas where there are conflicts between hunting dogs and local predators, he noted.
“Hunting dogs go in areas (people) don’t normally frequent, like the Peshtigo Swamp,” Mommaerts said. “And this is the time of year the packs will defend mating areas, since its likely they have pups.”
Both hunters and dog trainers should be aware of the potential conflict between wolves and their dogs in an area bordered by Highway 32 on the west, Highway 64 on the south, Parkway Road on the east, and County W to the north.
“It’s a big concern for people who are training their animals,” Wydeven said. (The attacks) show they’re willing to attack and stand their ground throughout the area.”
The latest depredation in Oconto County occurred several miles from the attacks in 2010, according to maps drawn by the DNR. The first four of 2010 occurred within about a 1.5 to two mile radius in an area about halfway between Twin Pines Road and Parkway Road, while the last was a few miles away, about 1.5 miles northwest of White Potato Lake.
Mommaerts said people venturing into the woods to hike or photograph wildlife should be watchful for predators.
“Outdoor enthusiasts should take into consideration they’re in area that have animals which have young, and they will protect those young if threatened,” he said.
Should you spot a predator, “always back away and give them space so they don’t feel threatened, and 99 percent of the time, you won’t have a problem,” he added. “You want to respect the native population, so you don’t have conflicts.”
Last year in Wisconsin 23 dogs were killed and 12 injured in 33 depredations. All of the attacks occurred in the northern half of the state.
All were not hunting or training related. Six dogs were killed and 8 injured in incidents near homes in which a family dog was attacked by a wolf that was passing nearby, Wydeven said.
So far in 2001, there have been 12 depredations, with nine dogs killed and three injured.