A captive gray wolf at the Wildlife Science Center in Minnesota.
By Megan Durisin
“I don’t expect they will find a significant number of wolves in the Lower Peninsula in this year’s survey because there is not a breeding population there,” Wright said.
Dennis Fijalkowski, Michigan Wildlife Conservancy executive director, said wolves have been in the Lower Peninsula for 20 years and there have been credible sightings in Roscommon County. A pilot sighted a wolf pack crossing the ice from St. Ignace 12 years ago, he said.
“I have every suspicion they’re moving south,” Fijalkowski said.
Brian Roell, a state wildlife biologist in Marquette, said the gray wolf has gone back and forth on the endangered species list four times in the past 40 years.
“It’s hard for us as far as management, and it’s eroding the public support we once had for wolves,” Roell said.
Roell said the change of the wolf’s endangered status has mostly been due to efforts by the U.S. Humane Society to protect the animal. Roell said the wolf should be taken off the list because it’s met the federal requirements for delisting.
“We’re reaching the social carrying capacity,” Roell said, referring to how many wolves the public is willing to tolerate.
Gray wolves are a non-game species, and even if they were removed from the endangered species list, they could not be hunted legally, Roell said.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated 16 illegal wolf killings across Minnesota, Wisconsin and the UP in January.
Wright said there is no definite figure on how many wolves Michigan can sustain, but said he thinks the state can support current populations. The number of prey, amount of vacant land, disease and human tolerance are all factors.
“In many areas where wolves and humans live together, human-caused mortality is the main reason for wolves dying,” Wright said, citing Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior, which has no permanent residents, as an exception.
Fijalkowski said he doesn’t think wolves moving into the Lower Peninsula will cause a threat because of the large amount of wild prey.
“In a state with 1.8 million deer, I can’t see it being much of a problem,” Fijalkowski said. “We have three to four times the density of deer in the Lower Peninsula than the Upper Peninsula.”
Roell said 577 wolves were counted last year in the UP, but he expects the number to grow by about 10 percent.
Roell said there have been incidents of wolves preying on farm animals and pets in the UP, but they are uncommon.
“We certainly do have livestock depredation and some domestic pet depredation,” Roell said. “About 5 to 6 percent of farmers are affected.”
Wright said wolves prefer wild prey, but there can be problems when pups learn to feed on domestic livestock or lone wolves get too old to bring down wild prey.
“Wolves aren’t killing dogs out of a vicious streak but because they’re genetically hard-wired to view other canines as competition,” Wright said. “Wolves often kill other wolves from neighboring packs for trespassing into their territory because they’re basically defending their ‘supermarket.’”
Roell said farmers protect their livestock from wolves with non-lethal methods like noisemaking devices and strobe lights. Husbandry practices also must be taken into account, he said.
“Things like making sure animals that go down are properly buried and maybe moving cows that are calving up to the barn,” Roell said. “Guard dogs are good, too.” Amy Spray, resource policy specialist for the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC), said the organization recommends taking the gray wolf off the endangered species list.
“In this case, the Endangered Species Act has worked,” Spray said. “The wolf population has come back and even overshot goals.”
Spray said MUCC would favor a hunting season on the wolf, which would require a change in legislation.
Fijalkowski of the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy also said while wolves in the Lower Peninsula need a place, the state needs to enforce management practices for wolves that don’t behave.
“If you don’t have a safety valve and the ability to take out animals that are killing livestock, there will be no respect for these beautiful animals,” Fijalkowski said.
However, Wright of Michigan Tech said the state must take precautions when managing wolves because they play an important role in keeping ecosystems healthy, and that public education is key in wolf management.
“All those fairy tales, fables and the like have created a wolf in the imagination that is very different from the real wolf living out its life just trying to find a mate, raise pups and kill enough prey to survive,” Wright said.
All I can say, is that my husband and I were up to the yooper this weekend to help with a cabin. While we were there, we made time with our friends to explore the forests, as they had family that once hunted small game and deer. We were excited to see all of this and came home sadly disappointed as we saw zero deer!!, much less anything else. Nothing!! Was looking so forward to seeing the beautiful wildlife, and almost nothing came of it..except for the zoo:/(no offense to the zoo, was really neat) Saw a couple partridges, couple blue jays, one eagle, bunch of crows, ravens? Couple dead porcupines, lots of mice, and angry hunters that had lost many dogs to wolves the previous year. Livestock had been attacked by wolves as we spoke to locals. I heard the story that wolves had been reintroduced and now (after being put there to help control the deer)but now are illegal to kill, making deer so minimal that while we were there, we didn’t even see deer as road kill. I believe had they allowed hunting of the wolf, etc to begin with along with everything else, there would still be a natural balance. People want to hunt, and if they feel they need to kill a wolf from time to time to protect there livestock, themselves, their dogs..people wouldn’t be so upset that the deer are gone..Just my opinion. I don’t claim to know more than anyone. It just seems like common sense. I had to come home to downriver to see a dang deer..pretty sad. The upper peninsula was so vacant(except for the smell of wolf must, and spotting of one wolf, and occasional nightly howling) which by the way we did see their prints in some 2 track roads.. mostly in pursuit of the deer tracks of deer we never saw. Also, heard of cougar sightings, but the DNR refused to admit they were there, even with proof(by the way of which they confiscated) hmmm. Just makes us wonder what’s going on. Balance just seems to be to humanly interrupted by laws that hurt the balance instead…I don’t know. Just confused.
We have had cougar sightings in Ottawa County in the Grand Valley University area and west along the lake shore in Port Sheldon Township. Just south in Holland there have been four sightings in the past year and a half and a few more south east in Allegan county. Saturday Night, July 13/2013 we heard a bunch of cackeling just behind our house along a drainage ditch. I thought it was a bunch of kids partying and laughing but a friend who was over said those are coyotes. They were moving North quite fast. I asked why they were making so much noise and he said because they are killing something. He lives in Port Sheldon and said we hear those a lot. I know that sound well. We live in Zeeland just on the edge of town. it was about 9:55 pm. Coyotes have been seen around here along with fox for years. I don’t think all sightings are being reported by a long shot. The DNR talks like,-oh really? What a surprise. Only a surprise to them. Well cougars, coyotes, wolves and fox are all over the place in this state. What scares me the most is that the DNR act like they aren’t aware of the numbers. That’s a danger in itself. Let’s please encourage all sightings to be reported. Thanks.
Maybe we should be more concerned about pit bull attacks.. Mans best friend has been attacking us (humans) for years, but I have two of them in my home (labadors for hunting). Did we forget that every incident is specific and there are ways to coexist with most creatures?? Just like when people kill each other…or a surffer is bitten by a shark. these things will happen. The facts are interpreted and justice is carried out. I live in chesterfield mi if one day wolves live hear I will make educated decissions not to be affected by them. I dont see why wolves do not have a place in their natural habitat? If everything that ever injured a person deserved to die as a spieces we would have to slaughter just about every animal on the planet … Common!!
if eany of you pleas try to watch them learn them they wont hurt you they are the kindest creatures i ever nown
i might be 15 but i now these wolves back of my hand so dont even think a bout touching them i will save them just watch this owosso
high kid will save them
I have lived in Lower michigan my hole life. I have hunted and visited the UP a lot and my next hunt up there won’t be till I have the cross-hairs on a wolf and the population is controlled. Untill then those of u that talk so positive of wolves meet one in the wild face to face like I did then talk.
Karen, It’s very possible that you did, indeed, see a wolf–since they are definitely in the Lower Peninsula. The only other species it might have been would be a coyote, as many people do fail to distinguish between them.
As for the cougar, there really isn’t another species in Michigan that it can be confused with, provided one gets a good view up close. Mid-year in 2012, my cousin (and two others) saw a cougar in Iosco County west of Tawas City. There have been reports of cougars off and on for several years in that area.
Just had to post this. My husband and I were driving home from West Branch this afternoon. We were on Federal Hwy between St Helen and Roscommon, out in the middle of no where, no houses, etc., when we saw an animal up ahead on the side of the road.. It was snowing, so at first, we weren’t sure if it was a deer or a person walking until we got close enough to realize it was a very large dog.. but upon getting closer to it, it looked like a german shepherd, only stockier, bigger.. It didn’t move like a dog would move but rather like a wild animal.. We got a good enough look at it to realize it wasn’t a dog, but a wolf, which shocked us.. We didn’t think we had wolfs in this part of Michigan.. I did a search on the internet and found this article, with the picture of a gray wolf.. Sure enough, that’s what we saw!
We live in an area of Roscommon with only a few homes sprinkled here and there, and state land all around us.. A few years ago, my husband and I both saw a large cougar walking down the side of our road and walk into the woods across the street from us. We stopped to tell the DNR the next day but they just poo pooed us…
I’m glad to see others have had similar experiences!
Well Pete, it won’t be long before you are treated to the sight of wolves in your neck of the woods, or the nearest woods to you. You might even be lucky enough to see them attack and kill your or your neighbor’s dog. Won’t that be a sight to see, wolves acting naturally following the DNR’s scientific management plan. Then when the livestock farmers nearest you begin losing livestock to wolves, you will be happy to have your taxes fund compensation for the losses, but, not for pets.
Wolves have far exceeded the population numbers needed to be removed from the Endangered Species Act, by a factor of 2 to 3 times. They have far exceeded the social acceptance level of the people who live in their proximity, by a factor of 2-3 times. Now is the time to begin reducing that factor, by bullet and trap. We don’t give a rip about you and your opinion.
Michigan already has a science-based management plan for wolves. We don’t need a hunting season. That would make the plan already in place moot. Stick with science as your guide, Michigan, my home state. Too bad the wolf wouldn’t fit in too well in my part of the state. We have coyotes attacking people’s pets and deer that are smooth and slick enough to mix in just about anywhere. I know the latter because in July of 2010, while coming back from a music store, I was nearly in a collision with a doe on a two-lane road. Said doe darted out from a bush area between a house and a day care center and I almost didn’t see it in time. I couldn’t swerve left because of the possibility of oncoming traffic, and I couldn’t swerve right because there was a mailbox with a brick base support in the area. The only option was to hit the brakes. No one was hurt, but it did send a bit of chill up the spine.
Also, I’m flat sick and tired of these rural people saying that if you don’t live where they do, you have no say. They can go to Hell (not the MI township of the same name) in an iron maiden for all I care. Everyone in America and around the world has the right to come here and enjoy the sight of these animals alive and in their natural habitat.
Management Plan for Humans submitted by BC wolves
http://www.raincoast.org/media/announcem…
A Draft Management Plan for Humans was submitted today by Ken S. Lupus with the BC Ministry of Wild Wolves« PREVIOUS POST
Management Plan for humans submitted by BC wolves
December 6th 2012
by Raincoast Posted in Announcements – wolves | Comment »
Mr. Ken S. Lupus at work in the field.
Today, (Dec 5 2012) was the last day for input to the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources DRAFT Wolf Mangement plan. This plan includes aerial gunning of wolves from helicopters, as well as other hunting and shooting methods aimed at ridding the province of canis lupus.
DRAFT Management Plan for Humans (Homo sapiens) in British Columbia
By Ken S. Lupus et al. BC Ministry of Wild Wolves
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
We model the structure of our plan after the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations’ Draft Management Plan for Wolves in British Columbia. Although our plans are fundamentally different in how we decide to treat one another, we similarly assert that this document is premised on the best available scientific information (we had some help by Biologists Chris Darimont and Paul Paquet).
Notably, however, our plan for management of humans draws upon an additional and important dimension that shapes policy in advanced civilizations: commonly-held ethical values.
We begin with some straightforward conservation context. Based on their rapidly increasing numbers and range, humans have been categorized as Not at Risk by the Lupine Committee of Categorizing Other Animals We Have Never Harmed. We note, however, on the other hand —— and despite thousands of management plans by
humans —— global biodiversity is severely threatened as a result of human activities.
(According to information shared by human sources), humans play a very important role in maintaining so-called “game” populations, raising livestock among us wolves in formerly wild landscapes and saving animals like caribou from rapid extinction due to resource extraction activities. On the other hand, some hunters, livestock groups and industrial-government complexes behind these presumably noble acts also comprise a significant threat to wolf safety and welfare. Accordingly, our plan must strike a balance to manage humans for conservation while minimizing conflicts with wolves.
We likewise adopt the same four management objectives stated by our simian colleagues, though with modified details. Topping this list is: 1) to ensure a self-sustaining population of humans throughout the species’ range. We suppose that we will have to accept this inevitability. We suspect, however, that this spells trouble for us. If human behaviour remains unaltered —— and caribou continue to dwindle and ranchers continue to believe that some god created landscapes with only their cows in mind —— we expect a future of increasing conflicts.
Our plan’s second objective is: to provide for non-consumptive use of humans. Why not? No harm in setting up some eco-tourism by us wolves to partake in some human-watching. We need not look further than Yellowstone National Park, Thomson (Manitoba) and Algonquin Park to
know that humans can make a mint with sustainable wolf-based eco-tourism.
Unlike the wolf management plan, however, which was designed by more wanton predators, we have no plans for so-called “consumptive” use of humans. Although humans would be easy pickings, we are just not known to do this. And…really…why would anyone kill something for any other reason than to eat? For sport or for trophy? No thanks. Surely no advanced society would ever condone or endorse that sort of behaviour. Nor would any real hunter. That just leaves a bad taste in our mouths (and we often eat poop).
Perhaps the most important part of our Plan for Humans is: to minimize the threat to wolf safety caused by humans. Whereas wolves pose a very limited threat to humans, the opposite is certainly not true. Where we still co-exist in BC, about 1200 of us wolves are killed deliberately each year by hunters and trappers…for sport, trophy or profit. While human “wildlife managers” are quick to point out that we wolves can replenish our numbers, even amidst such persecution, our concern is the suffering imposed on us. Imagine the pain when hot metal of bullets shreds our viscera (or worse, our limbs) or the agony inflicted when one of us is tormented by a leg-hold trap.
Clearly, any management plan should address suffering among highly sentient animals. Unfortunately, our plan to minimize threats to wolf safety has no details. Given all the technological advantage humans have acquired, like high-powered rifles, predator calls to lure us and more, they simply have the upper hand.
Finally, and again mirroring the Wolf Plan, our fourth objective is: to control specific populations of humans where their activities are likely preventing the recovery of a species at risk (e.g., endangered populations of caribou). Whereas humans have hatched some vicious scapegoating plans for us as last ditch efforts to save caribou from logging or oil & gas extraction, we have yet to find successful methods to control oil & gas lobby groups.
We therefore appeal to our human friends within BC for help. In closing, we turn to history. It has taken decades to expunge in part the nonsense about wolves portrayed in fairy tales. How many more decades will it take to do the same in provincial management plans for wolves? Although window-dressed in greenspeak, they differ little from government plans pumped out during the darker days of the 1950s and 80s.
The wolf delisting , and following Massacre is so very sad. Human beasts are even killing Yellowstones wolves . They brag and teach each other how to torture them to death , and how to mortally wound so that they can kill more than what their tags allow. The horrible thing about the delisting is that so many wolf killers are so horribly cruel.
I hate the word ” Harvest ” these re not ears of corn. These are animals who’s intelligence has been measured to equal a 4 year old child , and in some areas is even higher. They have been know to learn how to disarm traps , avoid detection when a human is hunting on foot . They assign baby sitters to their puppies , they mate for life , they mourn their dead . The pack will stay with a trapped pack member until the human beast comes to kill the trapped wolf.
I am beyond disgusted. This has proven that as a mass humans are incapable of respected any living thing. I will never again return to states that had bee our family’s summer , and weekend vacations because of this. I also read labels and have stopped supporting these states by not buying their products.. No Ford Focus for me when my current car dies, or Michigan apples , or weekend trips to Saugatuck..
People are idiots. Wolves were put on this earth for a reason. Just like you were. Everything has its purpose. God Knows Best.
And if a wolf kills a pet or a cow every so often doesn’t mean we have to kill off all of them. There is a reason the Native Americans (SMART HUMANS) had such a connection with wolves. They are a very mystical and Yes loyal companions, believe it or not. I have owned one. He was beautiful, great friend and LISTEN TO THIS…..GREAT WITH MY CHILDREN and it never crossed his mind to eat a cat. They are great for Michigan’s ecosystem and will help with any deer dying of starvation in this State. And yes they do starve here due to over population and not enough farm fields to go around. Thus, numb nuts, HUNTING SEASON!!!! Alot of hunters are sport hunters even with deer. Get the biggest rack knowing an 8 year old deer is no good for eatting, so the meat goes to waste anyways. Let the wolf have it for God’s sake. PEOPLE need to get off their high horses and realize they are not the only critter walking this earth by God’s grace. Stop being so sanctamonious and share the earth. Or become God and make your own.
This morning I saw a grey wolf just at the edge of my property on the lake side of Sawyer, Michigan. There was no mistaking it, just wish I had my camera/phone near me. There is an abundance of wild turkey and deer in my wooded area.
Our house backs up to woods and our next door neighbors believe they spotted a wolf in the woods behind their house last week. We live in Novi. My husband and I have seen a wild turkey, a coyote, deer, and plenty of racoons, etc. but never a wolf. Has anyone heard of wolves being this far south?
If everyone from the L.P. wants wolves then why do they fight for them up here? they dont have to live with them up here, we do. The wolf population is out of hand, i cant let my dog outside after dark. Its not fun, but “city slickers” fight their little hearts out from the big cities because there not affected by them.
Meanwhile, who is going to keep the human population in check? The way I see it, we are way out of control. We destroy pretty much every ecosystem we barge our way into. We wipe out entire populations of species as well as plants. C’mon folks. Get real. Who will be the last one complaining when we’ve sucked the oxygen out of the air we breath? (Not a ridiculous suggestion considering the way we’re plowing down rainforests so we can *guess what* replace them with cattle so that we can *guess what else* eat more fast food burgers. Makes me kind of sick just to think about how arrogant humans are. God forbid that Americans should have to forgo one of the 5 billion hamburgers they eat a year on account of wolves being allowed to repopulate the land they populated before the glorious “American” people took over.
Overpopulation of wolves does not scare me. Overpopulation of people does. And it will be the end of us all. :) Cheers!
James Audubon in 1814 observed a Kentucky farmer’s treatment of three wolves, which he had caught in a pit trap after a sheep and colt were killed. He jumped into the pit with just a knife and hamstrung and tied up the cowering animals, pulled them out one at a time and set his dogs on their crippled wild cousins, having to kill the alpha female wolf himself because it chose to defend itself, despite its handicap. Audubon was not at all distressed by this, although he found wolves’ meekness and the farmer’s killing glee surprising, both he and the farmer classed torturing the wolves normal behavior, to be enjoyed, the sadistic part passing them by.
Almost two centuries later, we read the contemporary version. Apologies for anyone who might be offended. I do not endorse this behavior, merely quote what was written by the principals:
“My husband started the training by trapping a Coyote in a live trap and penned him up near the dogs. Daily Bill took the dogs to the pen and let them see and smell that coyote. It was about a week later my husband took our 5 pits and said Your hunting this Coyote today team and your going to get that sucker! He patted Dahmer [a dog] on the head and said I know you wont let me down. He opened the coyote pen and the dog shot off like a rocket. Bill gave that coyote a few minute head start and he let Dahmer go and that big headed pit was off on the hunt and he let the rest of the team go. Bill jumped on his 4 wheeler and headed down the road toward the sound of barking. It didn’t take long before he drove up to see 3 of the dogs running toward the 4 wheeler and Dahmer and Elvira playing tug of war with that dead Coyote. My husband was so excited and was sure he was going to win his bet.”
When the dogs are actually set upon the wolves:
“The sun has been down for a couple of hours and we where sitting on a ridge line in the truck when the wolves started to howl. They sounded like they where real close and Dahmer howled back and was answered. My husband let Dahmer and the pack out of the pen in the truck and it was all we could do to restrain all 5 dogs when my husband released Dahmer and he shot off towards the howl and then we released the other 4. We decided at the last minute to put a tracking device on Dahmer because we are in unfamiliar territory but they where not gone for 10 minutes before we heard the celebration barks that they give when they find what they are looking for.
Bill and Sam grab their guns and take off down the hill and disappear into the trees. I start the truck and head down the road till I come up to a farm road on the right and head down. The beeper on the location device is beeping like crazy when I drive up on a scene like you could never imagine. Dahmer and Elvira have the largest male wolf I have ever seen even in a picture, Dahmer has the wolf by his face shaking him like a rag doll while Satanica is locked on his right rear quarter shaking also. The other 3 have killed a smaller female and are also playing tug of war. I thought in a pack the wolves would counter attack as a group but I think they never imagined Armored monsters like my babies coming straight out of the night with the sole purpose to bringing them to daddy. My husband came out of the woods with Sam and Sam raised his rifle and shot the alpha male through the center killing him dead. The smile that hit my husbands face was priceless when he told Sam, I told you so brother and laughed. Bill you proved me wrong again, Sam said as he inspected that Monster wolf. I leashed up my babies and put them into the truck.”
So, some things have changed. Now, instead of hamstringing wolves first, we use kevlar armor on the dogs we use to worry them to death. Some things are the same, however. We still sometimes have to kill the alpha wolf ourselves when the dogs cannot handle it. Oh, and the characteristic glee.
Objections might be made that this is an unusual case; not a true sport hunt, some might say. But as Paul Hogan pointed out in _Crocodile Dundee_, “there’s no law against that”. The above might happen, perfectly lawfully, in the anticipated wolf “game” hunting season in Wisconsin, which allows dogs to be used to pursue wolves. In Minnesota dogs are not allowed, but for wolf hunters and trappers much is, and more like a thousand wolves are targeted rather than two hundred.
The Michigan rules are not set at this point, but, apparently, the Natural Resources Commission that makes the rules will itself hamstrung by requirements that it must use the best “principles of sound scientific management.” Is there anything scientific about requiring hunters to use any restraint at all in the particular manner they kill their targets? Apparently the quoted phrase is not defined in current law, or will not be until this bill is passed.
How scientific it is to point out that, manifestly and obviously, allowing, even proposing allowing people to kill this animal for sport, results in propaganda and hate campaigns slanted against the target; rather than the moderation, tolerance towards, and respect for wolves which naively – hopefully not cynically – is predicted as the result of the “harvest”?
Instead, consideration is deflected by mean-spirited humor, and the wolves demonized to justify unnecessary killing and inflicting unnecessary suffering, or to avoid conflict with wolves’ detractors. Sometimes to demonize others who do not join in. It’s only human, as a thousand blood-soaked examples of man doing it to his own kind makes clear, but this time the target has little chance to object to the treatment, or join the mob itself in order to avoid ending up being the target.
The proposed Michigan wolf hunt rule would ignore any “scientific” considerations after giving them loud lip service. It specifies a sport hunt will be used, of a particular type, with particular license fees, presumably even if science says that hunt is the worst possible wolf management which could be used. I do not think that word means what Michigan state Representative Hukka thinks it means, politicians overriding wolf biologists.
It would be nice to think that man’s ethics towards these animals have improved in the last 200 years. Clearly they haven’t. Mankind and society still have responsibility for all they choose to allow to be done under their laws, rules, and customs without sanction. It is no one’s fault but those who stand by and watch torture becoming cherished traditions adopted by their children.
Btw! Dnr should have full respect. They are here for a reason just as our law enforcement officers are.. we don’t live in the wild west anymore so give a little respect willya! When I gather my livestock and live upnorth full time I will learn to live with the wildlife according to dnr rules and guidelines. What’s so hard about that? Respect the law!
March 2012 me and my hubby purchased a cottage in presque isle backing up to mack island state forest. The first evening spent their I heard 2 guteral howls not a coyotes high pitch yappy howl along with these howls was what sounded like pups growling and barking…the next day my hubby went back into the thicket and found 1 track on the trail and it was huge and according to my track and scat reference guide the size was perfect match for a wolf..he said it was crazy to think its a wolf but now I may believe it could be…next time I will keep the camera close by and report anything I find to the dnr..
I think wolves in the LP would be absolutely great, it would cut down on deer population. I think that people are so ignorant when they say to just kill them all off or there is no need for them here. well, maybe if people would pay more attention to what they are doing as far as they’re pets and livestock we wouldn’t have problems. The pets should be watched over by their owners when let outside and livestock should be brought in. Its the human races fault for not being more aware of nature.
Reply to Andy: “I can’t believe that you are so ignorant to let the public believe that wolves will not hurt the deer population. They said the same thing about the Yellowstone National Park Elk herd. The Elk population has dropped from 17000 elk to about 8000 Elk. The average age is 8 years old and no calves are surviving to become adult elk. This means in another three or 4 years there won’t be any Elk in Yellowstone Park. The wolf population is underestimated right now and the deer population is overestimated. The DNR has been doing that for years. I have seen two different wolves this past winter very close to a residential area. Eventually a person will be attacked in Michigan just like the young lady was in Alaska. Eventually the people paying taxes on deer camps with no deer will take a toll on the wolves.”
Have you realized that although the wolves lower the population at Yellowstone Park, the population is healthy. When the wolves ‘left” the park, there was an explosion in the dear population and the trees that they used as food had a decreasing population. This was unhealthy for the park because now you have one species with a massive population taking away the food of others. On the other hand, once the wolves were reintroduced, not only did the population lower, other species benefited from the carcasses of the elk and the trees came back. The wolves are a GOOD thing.
Right on Matt, well said.
The people in the U.P. are tired of Lansing and the DNR using us as a test ground for wildlife ideas. Those of you that think having these “beautiful animals” living among us is a great idea have never seen the damage that they really do. Despite what may be written, they do kill for fun, eat very little of each kill, and have devastated the deer herd. They have no respect or fear of humans, and have moved into very populated areas. I found a den today 300 yards from my parents house. They were eliminated here for a reason, now we have the tree huggers and politicians telling us this is what we want. Not here.
It’s time for God to intervene and get rid of the earth’s parasite called the human/homosapien and give it back to the wolf and nature who will live in perfect balance and not destroy everything the humans/homosapiens do.
Sincerely
Lone Wolf
I’m very glad this debate is going on. I have been a Michigan resident my whole life and am a Senior in Grand Valley State University’s Natural Resource Management Program. I personally overjoyed at the success the wolves have had in the UP and am Excited to possibly see a breeding population in the Lower Peninsula as well. I firmly believe in having hunting seasons for wolves “if” it can be done sustainably as with other types of species. I’m just, really frustrated with people that constantly complain about wolves. Almost every part of our earth has some subspecies of wolf that roams the wilds and up to the early 1900’s the united states was no exception. Wolves were and are a factor for many people around the world including our good friends the Canadians and Alaskans above us. Why should the continental united states be the exception to the rule. There is vast amounts of evidence showing how important the wolves play in many ecosystems. Our ancestors lived with them, so instead of complaining about it we should just learn to live with them.
So, we now have some sightings from southern MI, good. When we in the U.P. have complained about wolves, we were told to shut up and thank our lucky stars that the L.P. allows us to be a part of the Great State of MI. So when livestock and pets in the L.P. start disappearing or are found half eaten at a kill site filled with 4″+ wolf tracks, remember we warned you. And—-, when you complain to the DNR also complain to your municipal, township and county officials, and maybe even your State Representatives and Senators.
If you’re from the city, you have no idea what really goes on out in the country and therefore shouldn’t be aloud to talk on the subject of wolves!!!
My opinion on wolves is let the breed let them grow we need them here as much ad we need all our Michigan species. For the ppl who say wolves don’t belong here they were here before us and I hope will stay here for ever they had to reintroduce them due to Hunting to almost extinction due too ppls fears of them I love and truly adore the wolves they are such a beautiful animals who I hope one day will triple in population and then us hunters could find another animale to hunt in this great state . Remember people we moved into there house not the other way around
I visit the UP a lot and I live in the LP (Lower Peninsula) and there are
(according to the local farmers) way to many wolves. I personally on one day alone saw 12 wolves within a 20 mile radius of each other there are way too many wolves.
Sure would be the nice if our friends of the wolf would transplant about 5 of these wonderful preditors; that is, one male and 4 females into your city parks , then come back in 3 yrs, let the public know how you feel about them. Got too many tree huggers, environmentalists and Professed animal lovers who have no knowledge of animal needs. I would rather look a deer in the eye, than a snarling wolf. Yes, I live in the Upper Peninsula which is north of the Lower Peninsula (i.e., above the bridge)
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We live in Grand Blanc off of Irish & Jordan Rds. We have a lot of deer around here. I have seen coyotes & heard them it is common knowledge they are around. But my son about 4 days ago was coming home on Jordan crossing Irish when he said he saw what he thought was a large wolf crossing the road. I said maybe it was a dog & he said he did not think so by the way it moved & it disappeared into a field with woods. My sister saw a cougar & she lives up near Columbiaville. The DNR told her she probably saw a deer or a large dog. She insisted it was a very large cat. A few evenings before she saw the animal she was out on her back deck & heard the growling which she said startled her & she went back inside then it was a few days later at dusk that she saw the big cat. A little internet search & I found a local article about a cougar sighting 6 months prior only about 1 1/2 miles from my sister. We have had reported sightings of cougars near Genesys Hospital. The one post on here is a reported sighting of a wolf off I-75 & Grange Hall Rd. That is very close to here. I do not trust the DNR to be honest in regards to sightings of protected species as they are afraid it will bring attention to the animals & potential poachers & also create some fear in residents.
David,
I run the website. The website is not DNR or other government related.
Very interesting discussion. Obviously strong feelings on both ‘sides’.
I am a longtime ourdoorsman and hunter living in NE Ottawa County…between Grd Rpds and Musk. This morning I saw what looked to me like a wolf in the field by my house. I scrambled to get the binnoculars and got a good if brief look at the animal standing in full view on the frozen pond about 100 yds away. It was there for over a minute but walked into the brush before I could get a pic. It was large, not a German Shepherd or a coyote with a more pointed muzzle and slightly upturned nose. I was amazed at the possibility of it being a wolf and that’s what drove me to this sight…to ck on any other wolf sightings in lower mi. From what I’ve read here, I guess it may have been one! Jan 7, 2012
Victor,
Thanks for the heads up on this. Who runs this site?
You can report wolf sightings in Michigan at http://www.michiganwolfsightings.info
Billy, where are you at? Never heard of a pack of 18 before, not saying it’s not possible though.
18 wolves in one pack. no deer hunters coming to help by spendin some money.. not one hunter in the motel this year. other motel shut down..dont go in the woods without a gun.. this is no joke…to many wolves… help us please…let us drop a few of them so they dont act so aggresive twards man kind…city slickers when you come face to face with an animal thet big and it has no fear of you… see how you feel about em…yooperbilly
Here is the site that I found the above number of 687 given by USFW for any wishing to check my numbers.
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/aboutwolves/mi_wi_nos.htm
I like the idea of wolves in Mi. But like Scoop above my first post, I believe we must keep the numbers controlled at a number that is good for both the wolves and people.
I had a typo in the above post,
The USFW report was from 2010/11 NOT 2012/11.
Sorry
I like the idea of having wolves here,…….in reasonable numbers.
200 was the number given for a viable ISOLATED population. Which Mi’s isn’t. But even so, I’d suggest we can, with ease, tolerate double that and perhaps even a few more…..long term.
As I write this (Nov. 14/11) the USFW 2012/11 population report now says we have 687 wolves. Fine for now, but long term may be not.
Further there is now, per MDNRE, one breeding pack in the lower penn. as well.
The truth the human pop. in the lower is not going to tolerate the kind of numbers the UP already has. Far more farms and people in the lower. Yet I am sure the anti hunt/animal rights groups will run for the courts the instant a hunt to control and limit wolf numbers is proposed, regardless of wolf numbers at the time. Such groups care far more for the wolf than the do for people, they’ve shown this repeatedly over the years. And this is why the Mi DNRE is focused far more on managing people than they are the wolves…….they know such lawsuits are VERY expensive. And Mi budget is tight already.
As others have stated throughout the list of post above mine, if the state fails to control wolf numbers, and very soon, the folks on site will. And it won’t matter if a few are prosecuted, most won’t be caught, and they’ll kill more wolves than a control action would. And such killing will not be even, it will be concentrated in some areas and thin in others. We’ll end up with few/no wolves in some areas and continuing high numbers in others. This is not good for anyone, wolves included.
It’s time for the Mi DNRE to strap on a set, and give thought to a hunt to limit wolves to a sane number in the UP. Perhaps 600 would be a figure that the people of the UP would accept.
While there is no need for a hunt in the LP, that day to will come. The DNRE needs to start considering at what number of wolves in the LP that will happen at. I’s strongly uge that the LP number should be no higher than 300.
That would be at total of 900 wolves in this state, which is far, far more than the anti hunt/animal rights groups could have hoped for just 15 years ago.
I’m a wolf advocate and a hunter. That said, wolves need to be managed at levels that are socially acceptable and don’t negatively impact the hunting industry. Deer hunting is a multi-billion-dollar economic driver each year in Michigan and Wisconsin. These are extremely challenging times for our economy. A robust game population attracts paying hunters. A wolf-depleted population will drive hunters away, along with the license dollars and excise taxes on their equipment that pay for wildlife conservation of both hunted and non-hunted species.
Wolves are the leading cause of death on young elk in northern WI (that WI got from Michigan about 16 years ago). They can’t even get the elk herd off the ground after all those years. Imagine what’ll happen to Michigan’s elk should packs of wolves eventually locate in the northern Lower Peninsula. Yes, wolves will take the “weak” links, but if that means fawns, recruitment is lost. And after the weak are gone, they’ll tackle “healthy” but stressed animals, such as in winter yards, further depleting the resource. When deer numbers are low, guess what? They’ll supplement their diet with other wild critters, yes, but also are opportunists that will prey on livestock and pets. Wisconsin has seen a huge increase in not only killings of hunting dogs, but backyard pets.
If the feds don’t delist them soon and if states don’t get aggressive enough in reducing the numbers to goals set years ago, armed citizens will do it for them. They’ll never get ’em all. That’s not the goal. But they do need to get the most bold and aggressive wolves, and reduce the overall numbers.
Here are a couple of sites and articles I found interesting about the subject of wolf populations and their affect on wildlife. The first article is a little old but focuses mostly on historical accounts of wolf interactions.
http://www.aws.vcn.com/wolf_myth_legend_misconception.html
http://www.norcalblogs.com/gate/2010/08/video-of-the-largest-wolf-pack-ever-found-in-oregon.php
To the Biologist, I too am a Biologist with 6 yrs. of academic studies and 30 yrs.of work in the field with a gov’t agency. I fully understand predator-prey relationships which work in a perfect world WITHOUT human presence. However, by reading my previous post you would have noted I said the elk population NEAR Yellowstone was decimated by wolves. Wolves and elk, deer, sheep and moose do not recognize park boundaries. Now, whether you hunt or not, or approve of hunting, that severe level of predation on big game animals negatively affected the pursuits and livelihoods of a large group of people. Let’s face it, humans are here to stay and we will continue to use wildlife populations for our benefit in a managed and regulated manner. We do not need large populations of predators to do the managing for us. These predators deserve a place in the landscape, but, we are now the keystone species. That is reality.
i think its great to have the wolfs back i wanna see more numbers if it a problem for live stock then put fences up or what ever it take i feel like we as human invaded them why do we have to take their lives away from them. we as humans should be taking the proper step to prtect are live stop i really hope the number of wolves continue to GROW!!!
We use the outdoors far differently than we did 50 years ago. Today there are groomed trails for hiking and cross country skiing. Trails are also available for horse riding, snowmobiling and four wheelers.
As wolves pack-up they will become more emboldened. It is naive to think one can predict what a wild animal that is carniverous is going to do. I for one, fear any animal that has the power to take down a bear. Humans are also carniverous, how many times have we had seconds at the dinner table or desert on a full stomach. Just because a wolf has just taken down a deer doesnt mean a lonely cross skier isnt going to look good. Might equate it to a nice fresh carrot cake waiting to be cut into.
Its a matter of time before we have human casualites. Paul’s story about his encounter with a wolf and his dogs is nothing short of chilling. Wolves are extremely smart, powerful and lethal.
As far the the DNR and the U.S. Forest Service goes, the havoc and mismanagment I have seen those mongolian idiots do to the Hiawatha National Forest in the Upper Peninsula – I would like to see a few of their decision makers go “dance with the wolves”. Lets see how that work’s out for them.
Remember folks, its the DNR and the U.S. Forest Service that has opened up the woodlands to pedistrian recreation. They than promote the population growth of a lethal preditor into the mix. Than they tell us there is nothing to worry about and they have it under control. I think that’s what the captain on the Titanic said to the passengers just before the stern disappeared under the North Atlantic. You can’t make this stuff up.
For those of you who are against the wolves and are posting your comments on here, please consult biologists on your views on wolves. The wolf expert biologists do not share your views on wolves. How do I know? I am a Wildlife Biologist who specializes on Mammal Terrestrial Carnivores.
Joe: When you have a keystone predator that increases in population, then the prey population begins to decrease. Once that prey population decreases, then the predator population begins to decrease because there is a lack of food main food source. By having less food, competition increases and fatality occurs. Also, if there is not enough food, then the females do not have enough protein to develop the zygote. These are two major factors for the predator population decrease if the prey population has fallen.
Paul: Wrong! The predation factor on livestock by predators in the NRM region is only 1%, and only a fraction of that (0.01%) is done by wolves. This is according to the USFW. The 16,000 elk in Yellowstone was above carrying capacity. The presence of wolves and their keystone status managed that population to around 6,000-7,000 and has been stable for the past 5 years. Now you are seeing a decline in the wolf population because there is less elk in the park. This goes back to my point about predator populations decreasing when the prey population decreases. And, why do you think there is such an abundant amount of deer in the lower part of Michigan? Because the population in the upper part continues to climb meaning there is not enough wolves to manage it.
Andy: People like you have been using that argument that wolves will hurt the deer population since the late 1960s according to Dr. David Mech and Rolf Peterson. So, since people like you have been saying that wolves in the Great Lakes have been hurting the deer population since the late 1960s, how come the deer population in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota is at its highest points ever? Michigan is currently at 1.8 million which is higher then it was back in 2000 (1.2 million).
Carl: No one had a vote on wolves. They were not reintroduced, they migrated back to their former natural ranges. I don’t get where you think wolves were reintroduced. The mentality from your ancestors to wipe out wolves was through hysteria and not factual information. We as a country did not know much about wolves in the early 20th century, and is the major reason why this country eliminated them, as well as to protect the new form of farming that was developing in the west at the time. The wolves were not killed because of the damage they did to livestocks then, they were killed because of the THREAT they posed to livestock, and that mentality is shared by individuals in the modern day and age, and you are proof of it. After not having any or little presence of wolf population for nearly 80 years, we saw a drawback on many species whether it is increasing heavily in populations, or decreasing heavily in populations. Elk boomed in population, coyotes (as much as I love them) boomed in populations, beavers in Yellowstone decreased to 1 colony, fox population in Yellowstone shrunk, eagle population decreased, etc. The studies researched and concluded that a lack of keystone predators (cougars, wolves, grizzly bears, etc) were a major reason for this. Now that wolves have a population you are seeing the populations with a high mark decrease to a stable level, and populations that had a low mark increase to a steady level. This is what is meant by keystone, the name alters all species in a ecosystem and manages the ecosystem to a normal level.
2011. I came upon a wolf in a semi-heavily wooded and secluded area in Lawton, MI in April of this year while mushroom hunting. I also saw one in Cass County, near Marcellus, MI, in a densely wooded area last year. My brother mentioned to me “they howl” not yip. They were way too large in size to be a coyote, as I had originally thought, and while perusing pictures on the internet…yup…I am convinced I saw a wolf.
where i do understand that wolves are endangered animals and people are scared that they may attack. i feel they don’t mean anyone any harm. they are living families just like us and want to protect their families from us just like we do to protect our families from them. they do mean us any harm and should be feared like many people do. i commend the organizations that help restore the wolf population to its former glory.
On the other hand, some posters should try to elevate their understanding of the natural world, and try to appreciate the marvelous creatures on this earth which have every right to live. Just because Man is literally destroying the world does not mean that, in some small measure, we should not try to restore the natural balance whenever possible. But our efforts should not just be for wildlife; for, truly, our existence is enriched when we can revel in the wonders of nature. (But, I understand that some just want the exclusive right to shoot and kill those species which might be prey.)