Wolf Hunting in Wisconsin

[FinsnFur]

I witnessed them hauling a bunch of them around in a truck and they pulled me over and told me to quit following them, when I caught back up to them.........empty truck.

Why am I not shocked?

[THO Game Calls]

How many packs are in the UP now? 

How many wolves per pack?

What do you think they take as far as game per year?  How many deer or elk or whatever?

Are the packs growing larger or are they breaking up into new packs?

Are new packs, if there are new ones, reducing the teritory of the old packs or are they migrating so that the actual number of packs is remaining constant in an area?

Al

[MI VHNTR]

According to the MI DNR, there are "about 500 adult wolves in the UP of MI in 2006." These wolves "could eat between 15,000 and 25,000 deer annually." Further, "Wolves and deer evolved together, and deer possess physical and behavioral adaptations for avoiding wolf predation."  Maybe these adaptations would explain "only" 15K to 25K deer are being killed every year by wolves. The words "about" and "could" are the only hard data that the MI DNR releases to the public. The MI DNR leaves a lot of latitude as far as the wolf population numbers and the deer kill numbers, so it's pretty hard for the average person to get the truth. Supposedly, the wolves have now "migrated" across the 5 miles of water known as the Straits of Mackinac into the LP of MI. The coyote hunting laws have been revamped in order to protect the wolves there now too. It appears that the wolves have now expanded their range into new areas. 

[THO Game Calls]

The things that you and your fellow sportsmen need to determine are

Estimated deer population in the UP

Deer kill from all hunting, gun, ML and archer combinded

Estimated winter kill (usually estimated at the gun kill in nothern states - at least that is how they determine it here in NH)

Other kill by auto accidents and the like

Then factor in the kill from the wolves.  Use the low number as a start.

A healthy deer population should be able to sustain an OVER ALL kill of somewhere between 20 and 30% on the high side.  Of course it is dependant on your buck to doe ratio to a great extent, but that is a generally acepted figure.

If the total is greater than 20% or somewhere over 70,000 then you need to take those numbers to people who will listen. 

You cannot grow the deer herd if the over all kill exceeds 30% and at that rate it is even hard to sustain it.

Once you can show that, then you need to factor in the economic impact of a decreasing deer herd to the resdidnets and business of the UP.  It is the only way you will get peple to listen.   If you go out and say the wolves are killing all the deer, everyone thinks you are just -  well - crying wolf. 

But if the numbers do not support the decline in the deer herd, then you have another problem.  Usually the DNR skewing the numbers to suit thier own needs. 

I used to be very involved in our deer management program in NH until it became evident that the Fish and Game was flat out lying and had absolutely no intention of ever doing anything about our deer herd.  To give you an example, your wolves kill more deer a year than we kill hunting on the low 15,000 end and twice as many and more on the high 25,000 end.  I lived and hunted here in NH when we had an annual deer harvest of less than 4000 deer so I have seen woods that were devoid of deer and feel your pain.

But the point I am making is that if you do not have numbers - and it helps to have numbers published by your DNR a great deal - to support what you claim is happening because of the wolves, no one is going to listen to you who is in a postion to make a change.  Oh, other sportsmen will chime in, but you need legislators and media people on your side if you want to get things changed. 

It's a frustration and uphill battel, and you may not even have a chance of winning, but it is the best way to go about it if you have the time and stomach for it.

I can tell you that I fought the battel for 12 years or more here in NH.  In 1994 our deer herd was at 75000 and a plan was implemented to increase the herd to 105,000.  8 years after the plan started, the herd was somewhere around 70,000 and still shrinking.  They rewrote the plan in 2004 and said they again wanted to grow our deer herd from 70,000 to around 100,000 but the Fish and Game left themselves an out when they published the plan and stated that if they failed to meet those numbers, they could not be held accountable because the had no control over severe winter kill and other factors.

The northern most wild life management unit in NH is almost devoid of deer now.   It is because of over hunting for one, but many of us suspect it is because of the wolves that they say we do not have in NH.   I doubt they will migrate south below what we call the Notches which are about the top third of the state because of the human population, but it is having a huge impact on business in the northern part of the state.

I honestly don't know what the answer is for the wolf problem.  On the one hand, it is exciting to hear them at night and to see them from time to time.  A majestic animal in some respects, but if they are not managed, I agree it will be a blow to other hunting. 

Hope you get it sorted out some day.

Al

[MI VHNTR]

Al, I can see exactly where you are coming from in regard to the wolves. It's apparent that you've thought things through and tried to collect data, etc. for your state. I applaud you for your hard work. The MI DNR has numbers such as those that I've posted, and those that you've suggested, in the state's license book. The biggest problem is the fact that the MI DNR has complete control over the numbers that are posted and they don't seem to want any input as to how to manage the state's game populations. They released additional wolves here after denying that they would do it. This was done after telling a meeting of MI DNR officials and sportsmen that no more wolves would be put into the UP of MI. I saw/heard them say this. They estimate the wolf population at around 500 adult animals. The general consensus of opinion is that the number of wolves is drastically underestimated. Little to nothing can be done, because they control the numbers. On one hand they say that the whitetail population needs to be controlled to protect habitat, etc. On the other hand, they've released a major predator and done very little to regulate its numbers or control its expansion.
                                                                                                                                                                             I've got no problems with the wolves, as long as they are regulated like any other predator. They've always existed here for years in relatively small numbers. The biggest problem that most people here have with them was the reintroduction of too many wolves. These new wolves were allowed to breed and expand with little, to no, human intervention. I really think that this is the problem that most people are upset about. Livestock and hunting dogs have been killed by wolves and little is done to aleviate the situation. Some areas are devoid of deer/game due to the wolves. Perhaps a little common sense would be in order. Hopefully, now that the wolves are delisted, a sound management plan for the wolves will be put into place.

[Rick223]

Hi fellas
Lookie what some guy did close to my home town.

Gray wolf shot in SW Wisconsin
May 3, 2008 - A turkey hunter shot a gray wolf in the Mt. Sterling/Seneca, WI area, thinking it was a coyote. After he shot the animal he noticed it had a radio collar and called the DNR. It is unusual for a wolf to be as far south as Crawford County.

http://www.mwnews.net/

[vvarmitr]

  Yeah, Turkey Hunter   

I guess turkey hunters are good for something after all. 

   

[yotefever]

Looks like this could be an interesting year, I hope to get a bobcat tag this year too. 

Mike