Wolves expand reach in region
Wood Co. now home to 4 packs
By Allen Hicks
For the Marshfield News Herald
SARATOGA – John “Jack” Kurtz was driving on Ranger Road in the town of Saratoga recently when a large animal crossed his path. “I thought, ‘What was that?'” said Kurtz, 53, of Saratoga.
The animal stopped by the side of the road, and Kurtz got a good look. His wife later spotted two more. He’s convinced they saw wolves.
There’s no doubt timber wolves have returned to central Wisconsin, which is home to about 60 wolves in a 10-county area that includes Adams, Clark, Marathon, Portage and Wood counties, said Adrian Wydeven, mammal ecologist for the state Department of Natural Resources.
Timber, or gray, wolves were absent from central Wisconsin for nearly 100 years, until wildlife officials confirmed they had returned in 1994, Wydeven said. The animals are thought to have migrated from Minnesota and Michigan.
Wolf sightings in Saratoga are of interest because it is east of the Wisconsin River, and there are no known wolf packs in southern Wood or Portage counties east of the river, Wydeven said.
Wydeven encourages people who spot wolves to contact their local DNR office.
Wildlife officials estimate there are about 373 to 410 wolves and 108 wolf packs in the state this year. The highest concentration is in the northern portion of the state, beginning at the northern reaches of Taylor County, Wydeven said.
There are four known wolf packs in Wood County, ranging from two to three wolves; Clark County is home to three known wolf packs, all in the county forest area west of Neillsville, and four in Adams County.
“Lone wolves can appear almost anywhere in northern and central Wisconsin,” Wydeven said. “We call it a pack if there’s a pair of wolves that show any indications of breeding activity.”
It’s uncertain if much of the area is “wild enough” to support large wolf packs, Wydeven said.
Because wolf populations have been recovering throughout the country, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service is expected to decide soon whether to remove federal protection from the animals and turn management issues over to the states.
If the animals are “delisted,” the state might relax the rules to allow people to kill wolves in the process of attacking pets or livestock on their land, Wydeven said. Currently, people face fines or prison if they kill wolves for any reason other than to protect human life. There are both federal and state programs available to assist livestock owners who have suffered animal losses.
There hasn’t been a documented case of a wolf killing a person in North America in the last 100 years, Wydeven said. “Rarely do (people) even get a chance to see them,” Wydeven said.
Kurtz considers himself lucky that he got a glimpse so close to his home.
“I think it’s cool,” he said. “I think it’s pretty neat that we got them (in south Wood County).”
Not everyone shares that view.
Lawrence Krak thinks all state and federal protection should be removed from the animals.
Krak is the organizer of People Against Wolves, a loose network of people who discuss their wildlife experiences. Although he hasn’t had close contact with wolves, Krak said he has talked with farmers and hunters who have lost dogs and livestock to them.
“I think restoring (wolves) is a big mistake,” said Krak, 80, who lives in the Taylor County community of Gilman. He said they could be a problem if they become too plentiful, especially in areas where there are a lot of people.