Timber Wolf Is Killing More Than Just The Whitetail Deer

This is an update to the article I did on the Timber wolf a year ago, as I want to keep you up-to-date on how the landowners and hunters are faring with these Wolves. If you remember the DNR claimed that reintroducing the Timber Wolf would not affect the deer herd, but the evidences says otherwise, see what is happening not only to the Whitetail Hunting, but also to Hunting Dogs and Pets.

What The Landowners, Bear Hunters & Deer Hunters Are Saying

I was up near Superior Wisconsin last week (Sept 17) and talked to a number of Landowners and Hunters and here is what they had to say. Note, my discussion on this subject was limited to the landowners and hunters.

Those that I talked to are not happy with the DNR and the reintroduction of these wolves. One question that kept coming up was how the DNR can do whatever they want, while we the landowners have to apply for special permits just to try and get permission to do something. For example, if you have lake or river frontage on your property it’s almost impossible to get permission to do anything to help protect or improve your shoreline. So why not let Nature also take its course with the Wolves?

Wolves Are Killing Hunting Dogs

Hunters that use dogs for hunting game such as; Bear, Rabbit, Coyote, and Raccoon are running into conflicts with the Wolf and a pack of wolves win every time. Yes, hunting dogs are being killed by wolves during these hunts, so the DNR is telling everyone to exercise caution when in or near wolf occupied areas. So why are these hunters not happy, well first of all these situations are very dangerous for the hunter and a good hunting dog is not cheap..

Now wolves killing dogs is not limited to just hunting dogs, there are cases of wolf attacks on pet dogs as well, and these cases are increasing each year. Here is just one of many!

Where Are The Deer?

Studies are clearly showing a dramatic decrease in deer populations in the last ten years and many hunters are now seeing Buck Only Seasons. Why, because the DNR now see how the wolf has put a Big Hurt to the deer population and they are now trying to increase the deer population by protecting the Doe. The next step the DNR will take is to move to a lottery for deer hunting, which will make things worse.

Deer vs Wolf

So the question is do we want a large deer population or a larger wolf population? The DNR thinks we want a larger Wolf population, but they stand alone in this decision.

Can The Wolf & Deer Survive Together?

Nature tells us yes that the deer and wolf have lived side by side for hundreds of years, but both those populations were kept in sync with the hunters and trappers, that is until the wolf became an endangered species. However this has now changed with the reintroduction of the Timber Wolf.

Years ago the Wolf was being trapped for it’s fur and Deer hunted for meat, but with little to no value in furs, trapping is not so popular any more and with the protection of the wolf by the DNR the Whitetail Deer are in trouble. You see there are a number of predators after the Deer, but the only Wolf predator we are aware of, is Man.

What Should We Do About The Wolf

First of all you need to know what areas are occupied by the wolf as these animals are very territorial and become very aggressive when you are in their area or mistakenly come close to a den. The DNR list these areas on a map and do continuous updates as they learn about them. So if you are a hunter, camper, or hiker, avoid these areas if possible or be prepared for any encounter.

The next thing to do is search for groups that are meeting with the DNR to try and remedy the dangerous situations that have occurred since the reintroduction of the Timber Wolf. Those situations such as; hunting dogs being attacked, pets being killed near homes, and pets being attack when on public walking trials.

Do not take these animals lightly when in their area. The Timber or Gray Wolf is the largest member of the dog or Canid family. Adult wolves will get up to 6.5 feet long and weigh in at 175 pounds.