Last week I wrote about wolves and was glad they were delisted, and another hunting/trapping season was implicated so the state could manage them again. I know not everyone will agree with hunting animals and believe its inhumane, but to me, so is starvation. The truth is, there is only so much habitat for animals to survive and when wild animals run out of food they will die. Therefore, states have hunting/trapping seasons. I also wrote, I would give what I believe is the true number of wolves in Wisconsin. For some reason, the DNR always gives low or minimum counts on some animals. That is true when wolf numbers are concerned. The DNR says there are over 1000 wolves (on the high side) in 265 packs roaming the Northwoods and is estimated that each pack averages 3.8 to 4 wolves, but in their own aerial photos show well over that number. The research I have done shows wolf packs AVERAGE 6 to10 wolves per pack. Here is the number or close to the number of wolves I believe are In the Northwoods and how I arrived at this number.

I don’t understand how this is possible, but in 2015, somehow the DNR’s wolf pack count went from 265 to 222. How do you lose 43 packs? Well, moving forward, let’s say each pack only had 2 wolves. That would be 444 wolves. I know that number is ridiculous, but I’m just making a point. It’s a fact that each pack on the average has a litter of 5 to 6 pups and let’s say just 1 pup (usually 2) survives that first year. Thats 222 new wolves per year.  So, in 2023 the estimated number would be 2,200 wolves and remember, this is a ridiculously low number. Now add the lone wolvers and the wolves on Indian reservations that the DNR do not include when counting.
That would probably be close to 250 more wolves. However, the state says the wolf population in Wisconsin this year is 1007. If you remember from last week, the DNR had a management plan for 350 wolves and a habitat that could support up to 500 wolves.  My question is, how do the other 1970 wolves survive?  New packs form each year and will look for their own territory. That new territory is now pushing south, and owners of cattle and sheep are having their stock killed.

For those who believe hunting/trapping is not humane, let me add this. If a lone wolf (about 60 in the state) or wolves from another pack cross into another pack’s territory, those wolves will be killed by the established pack. Is that humane? Is not having enough habitat (food) for an animal humane? The Northwoods can only support a certain amount of ANY wildlife, and this is why hunting/trapping seasons were established and work well to manage the wildlife population. Do I believe wolves belong in the Northwoods? 100% YES THEY DO, but they need to be taken off the endangered species list again and managed, so they don’t kill each other or starve to death. So, what is the number of wolves I believe are in Wisconsin? Over 3500, but what do I know.