Wisconsin's apex predator returns: The revitalization of the gray wolf

Mornin' to everyone getting sweets at The Elegant Farmer this weekend. This is the Wiscampsin Weekly - the email that gets you in the know on the Wisconsin outdoors in 5 minutes or less. New reader? Subscribe here.

*Psst. Father's Day is just around the corner, and the new Wiscampsin gear is like brats at Packer's tailgate - perfection. Give it a gander here.

What we're barking about this week:

• Wisconsin apex predator 🐺 

• 3,000-year old canoe found 🛶 

• Fall colors peak map 🍁 

Wisconsin's Apex Predator: Updates from the 2022 Winter Wolf Survey

Not long ago, the term "apex predator" belonged to only a handful of animals in Wisconsin: the black bear, Bald Eagles, and your dad at the all-you-can-eat Friday night fish fry.

But in 1975, gray wolves, once a prevalent predator in Wisconsin, began to migrate back into the state, leading to the DNR + conservationists to develop a management plan that today has grown the pack into nearly 1,000 strong.

They recently released a few new updates in the 2021 - 2022 Winter Wolf Survey Results & Wolf Management Plan Update. And since we think the world of all you folks, we did a deep-dive and picked out the juicy details for ya.

Wisconsin wolves

• Wisconsin has the 4th largest wolf population in the nation (behind Alaska, Minnesota, and Idaho)

• The population has seen a slight decline of 14% to 972 animals, which mainly inhabit northern Wisconsin

• Wolf sightings peak in the Fall due to yearlings venturing out on their own

Quick Wisconsin wolf history

If you've been a Wiscampsin Weekly reader for some time, you'll notice a theme when it comes to our fauna emails:

1. Animals roam freely across our land, much like a Disney movie

2. Settlers move to Wisconsin, jeopardizing the animals with land development and overhunting

3. Hunters and conservationists come together to develop robust conservation plans to bring balance back to these animal populations

Well folks, it's not too different with the Wisconsin gray wolf.

Wolves occupied the top of the food chain in Wisconsin since the last Ice Age. When settlers first began moving into the region, the wolves numbered somewhere between 3,000 - 5,000 animals.

But here's the problem: As we dreamed of Culver's Butter Burgers and backyard barbecues, the wolves developed an appetite for our newly-cultivated stock of farm animals, mainly cows, sheep, goats, etc.

Under pressure from farmers incurring property loss, the 1865 legislature passed a bounty law that would pay hunters $5 for every wolf killed. And to think, now we're the one's paying to go hunting!

Wolf and deer

At the turn of the 19th century, folks stumbled upon a new favorite past-time: deer hunting.

And though there were no freezers to fill per say, the appetite for venison brats, venison bacon, venison jerky, venison steaks (you get the picture) - anyway, we loved venison, and saw wolves as a direct threat to this newfound hobby.

So that $5 bounty was raised to a whopping $20 for adults and $10 for wolf pups, a trend that lasted until 1957 when some conservationists said hold on just a second...

The researchers found:

• As wolf hunting increased, so too did livestock hunting by wolves

• A healthy pack would prefer to eat off the "venison menu," but hunting could splinter that pack and force lone wolves to turn to the "Farmer Brown menu"

• Wolves can help foster a healthier deer herd by culling the old, sick, and weak

As you can imagine, this bombshell finding sparked much controversy between land owners and conservationists (covered in our Wiscampsin Weekly from last year's court ruling). Ultimately, conservation won out, and the bounty was ended.

Today's pack

Though the state government listed the wolf as a protected species in 1957, it was too late; In 1960, the wolf was declared eradicated from our state.

But as Aaron Rodgers famously stated before throwing that hail mary at the Miracle in Motown, a setback is just a setup for a comeback. *Not confirmed, but what a throw!

Conservationists got to work, luring wolves back into Wisconsin using FIBs as bait, boosting wolf numbers and alleviating Wisconsin Dells traffic all at once. Kidding! Just kidding cripes...

By 1975, wolves migrated to Wisconsin from the remnant Minnesota gray wolf population, numbering just 25 wolves in five wolf packs in the state.

For the past four decades, wolves have been carefully managed to foster the some 972 wolves we have roaming northern and a small central portion of Wisconsin today.

The DNR just released updates in the 2021 - 2022 Winter Wolf Survey Results & Wolf Management Plan Update, which is to be released sometime this fall:

• Wisconsin's wolves number somewhere between 812 - 1,193 across 243 - 352 packs

• While the population estimate is lower than last winter, the current population is nearly as large and widespread as previous years

• Average home range size of wolves is 66 square miles

• DNR confident in sources for monitoring wolves, including snow tracking surveys, GPS-collared wolves, assessments of mortalities, and public observation reports.

There ya have it folks! Wolf management will continue to evolve and develop in the state, so be sure to keep your ears tuned for the latest updates.

Now get out 'der!

NEW: Wiscampsin Weekly Poll

Well shucks, last week we asked yous what who created Earth Day. Five of you smarties were paying attention and selected the right answer: Gaylord Nelson.

Nuts and Seeds 🌰 

🐟 Carp be gone!: Since we first saw signs of invasive carp in the Great Lakes decades ago, millions of dollars have poured into research conservation efforts to eradicate the buggers. Well, it seems to be working, as the carp-front hasn't moved in the last decade, with carp still 50 miles from reaching Lake Michigan. Phew, now bring on the Walleye!

🛶 Who ca-knew?: Remember how last year a 1,200 year old canoe was found in Lake Mendota? Well not to be outdone, a 3,000 year old canoe was recently discovered by the Wisconsin Historical Society in Lake Mendota, the oldest canoe ever to surface in the Great Lakes area. Pretty neat!

🍁 Peak Leaf Peeping: If your butt is still glued to the couch and you haven't seen the fall colors yet, it's not too late. Covered in last week's Wiscampsin Weekly, the peak coloration will happen very soon for folks up north and in the near future for us southerners. Check it out and get out 'der!

Meme of the Week 😂 

A review from the Trail... No reader, YOU are the best (but Fall is much prettier 😉)