Wolves in your area? (Baraboo, Portage: live, food, farmer)

[QwertyFarmer]

Has anyone seen a wolf in Southern Wisconsin? We hard a lot of racket from the cyotes last Wednesday night, then Thursday a hunter shot a wolf in Seneca. Has anyone else had experiences with wolves on their land?

[notmuch69]

Good question. Haven't heard much about them from central Wisconsin.

[JoshB]

Qwerty judging from your post's your in the SW part of the state right? We have a few around here (Portage, Wisconsin Dells, Baraboo) that have been spotted a couple times a year. We're dealing with more and more black bears then wolves though. They are around though.

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by QwertyFarmer

Has anyone seen a wolf in Southern Wisconsin? We hard a lot of racket from the cyotes last Wednesday night, then Thursday a hunter shot a wolf in Seneca. Has anyone else had experiences with wolves on their land?

That "hunter" better have been defending his life (a first, as wolves pose zero danger to humans) or livestock, or he is a criminal.

Anyway,

The main gateway for lone wolves (e.g. young males expelled from their packs by the Alpha male) is the Wisconsin River Valley. Crossing I-94 near Jefferson is the main Eastern route for male wolves colonizing either SE Wisc, or else Il and Indiana (yes, there have been strays found as far SE as Central Indiana).

As far as I know, the Southern-most pack in Wisc inhabits the Jackson Co. area.

Any updated info would be appreciated.

[nanannie]

I am glad someone mentionted that Geechie. I dont understand why he had to shoot it.

[thebreadlady]

Our friends raise cattle in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and I have seen the damage to the cows from wolf attacks.
Farmers have a right to protect their property.

[JoshB]

Originally Posted by thebreadlady

Our friends raise cattle in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and I have seen the damage to the cows from wolf attacks.
Farmers have a right to protect their property.

The problem is if the wolf didn't constitute a hazard he as in the farmer didn't have the right to shoot it. Just because a wolf was crossing your pasture doesn't mean you can shoot it.

[thebreadlady]

Even if the wolf kills/mains a cow every time he crosses the pasture? I wish I had the pictures to post, the ones our friends took to the DNR and the meetings up there where the ranchers tried to get help to control the wolves. They were pretty graphic, cows that do get away from the wolves are all torn up and have to be put down. A brood cow is worth $1,000-$2,000 at least, and add to that the value of the offspring that she will never have, and the calves that are lost each year. How many cows can you lose a year and still be in business?
We live downstate, and don't have wolves, yet. But, the coyotes here are a constant threat to our chickens, and have killed 3 of our dogs. The white-tail deer destroy our vegetables and field crops. If we could not control the varmints, we would not have food to sell.

[nanannie]

Wolves,deer and coyotes are just being what they are. They were there long before the cows moved in.
A real shame if shooting is the only way.
Such beautiful creatures.

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by thebreadlady

Our friends raise cattle in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and I have seen the damage to the cows from wolf attacks.
Farmers have a right to protect their property.

The state compensates farmers for lost livestock.

Protecting property is one thing, using that as an excuse to kill a protected animal is quite another.