Wolves kill bear-hunting dogs in Wisconsin
Gray wolves from an Ashland County pack killed three bear-hunting dogs
earlier this week.
The incident occurred Wednesday in the Town of Shanagolden, west of
Glidden, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The
wolves have lived in the area for years; and this is the first reported
killing there, according to the DNR.
It also is the first reported killing of dogs by wolves in the state this
year.
The dogs were owned by hunters from Stratford and Unita, Wis. They were
all in close proximity at the time. DNR officials believe the area is a
place where wolves and their pups are known to gather.
The dogs’ owners will be compensated for their loss by the DNR.
The DNR warns bear hunters or those who are training dogs to use caution
in the area, which runs between Wisconsin Highway 77 near Glidden, Forest
Service Road 168, Forest Service Road 164 and the Chequamegon Nicolet
National Forest. A second caution area runs between state Highway 77,
state Highway 13 and Forest Road 181.
The Shanagolden pack’s nine wolves is one of the largest recorded packs in
the state, where up to 410 wolves live, according to the DNR.
Due to a population rebound beyond most expectations, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service is removing the gray wolf from the threatened-species
list. Meanwhile, the Wisconsin DNR is preparing its own wolf management
plan.