Wisconsin Wolves

Ryan Briske
11/4/11

Wolves first made their way into Wisconsin from eastern Minnesota in the early 1980’s exciting the public of their recolonization into the state. A warm fuzzy feeling was felt by all from the wolves’ intrinsic beauty and their majestic presence. No one felt harm could come from a few furry creatures roaming the landscape, but since the 1980’s management of these magnificent animals have been nonexistent. Wolves have been on the endangered species list since 1974 and still are considered an endangered species throughout the United States and Wisconsin. Wolves have been removed several times from the endangered species list, but only to be reinstated again. Wolves have been delisted in Wisconsin in April 2003, January 2005, and March 2007 only to be relisted a short while later due to lawsuits. Currently, wolves are considered protected in the state of Wisconsin and endangered federally. Having a protected status does not allow farmers, hunters or even the WI DNR to manage the wolf population due to federal regulations. Since years 2005 and 2006 no tags have been granted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to farmers or landowners having depredated livestock or dogs.
These current regulations in my opinion leaves many residents of northern and central Wisconsin feeling helpless when their livestock and hunting dogs are attacked, or their white-tailed deer hunting isn’t what it once was because of wolves being present. As the number of wolves increase throughout the state the amount of attacks on livestock and hunting dogs have increased as well. Each year the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WI DNR) compensates farmers and hunters for their loss of animals, but does money really make up for what has been lost?
I have nothing against wolves and I am glad to see their successful recovery in the state like many other people are as well, but I feel the need for proper management actions to take place. Last year in a wildlife class I had at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) the wolf biologist for the state of Wisconsin came in to discuss the topic of wolves in the state and their impacts. He spoke about how the initial carry capacity for the state was roughly 300-400 wolves without endangering people and their livelihoods. The biologist suggested a need for proper management with the population approaching 1000 and rising each year. He continued to explain how lawsuits and having wolves still listed federally continued to hinder the proper management of the wolves.
I would like to see politics take a back seat on this issue and allow for the appropriate reduction. I’m not suggesting shooting all wolves, however wolves are impacting people’s daily lives and reducing populations of white-tailed deer in some areas to almost nonexistent controlling. The wolf population is not large enough in my opinion to withstand a hunt by the public, although I would like the DNR to select areas where wolf density is too large and reduce the number of wolves coinciding with what the carrying capacity allows.


Reference
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/er/publications/reports/pdfs/ER_report140.pdf?topic=mammals