Hunting Dog Depredations by Wolves in Wisconsin - 2006

The Wisconsin bear hound training season started on July 1 and ran through August 31. There were ten confirmed depredations - most were associated with bear hound training near rendezvous sites. Between July and August 31, 10 attacks on dogs by wolves resulted in 13 dogs killed, and 4 dogs injured. The wolf attacks occurred in 5 pack areas including the Rainbow Lake Pack in western Bayfield County, Big Rib Pack in southwest Lincoln and northwest Marathon Counties, Haystack Corner Pack in southern Sawyer County, Eagle Creek Pack of western Marinette County, and the Seeley Hills and Ghost Lake Packs in southern Bayfield and northern Sawyer counties. The Rainbow Lake Pack was responsible for 5 of the attacks, including death of 8 dogs and injury to 2 dogs.

Since the start of the bear hunting season with dogs that started on September 13, 5 more wolf attacks have occurred resulting in deaths of 4 dogs and injury to 3 dogs. Packs involved in recent depredations included the Eagle Creek Pack in Marinette County, Hungry Run Pack in Ashland County, Sand Creek Pack in Burnett County, Ghost Lake Pack in Sawyer County, and the Rainbow Lake Pack in Bayfield County. The Rainbow Lake Pack has now been involved with at least 6 different attacks on dogs this summer and fall, resulting in the death of 9 and injury to 3 dogs.

Packs use rendezvous sites from mid June to late September, after the pups are big enough to leave their den. Adult wolves are very defensive of pups at rendezvous sites and will attack other predators, including dogs, that get too close to the rendezvous site or the pups.

A pack will use from 2 to 3 to as many as 6 or more rendezvous sites during the summer. The exact locations vary from year to year and throughout the summer. The sites are usually forest openings or edge areas, with lots of wolf tracks, droppings, and matted vegetation.

Bear hunters are urged to exercise caution if they plan to train hounds or hunt bear with hounds. Some hunters have had success with bells on dog collars, but some dogs with bells have been attacked by wolves.

For information on reducing conflicts between wolves and hunting dogs see "A Guide to Reducing Conflict Between Wolves and Hunting Dogs".

The following maps are established caution areas:

Ashland County Caution Area - Hungry Run Pack

A female Walker hound was killed in Ashland County, likely by the Hungry Run Pack. This is the first attack on a dog this year by the pack.

Map of Wolf Avoidance Area in Ashland County - 2006

Bayfield County Caution Area - Rainbow Lake Pack

On Saturday September 30th, a wolf attacked bear hunting hounds in the Town of Barnes, Bayfield County. Two registered Walker hounds from 2 separate owners were confirmed killed.

Another depredation occurred with the Rainbow Lake Pack in Bayfield County on August 27th. Two dogs were killed (a Bluetick & a Plott).

Previous included a wolf attack on 2 dogs on August 25 , with one dog killed, a 4yr old walker female, and a Walker female injured. On August 18, two dogs were killed. The 2yr old Walker female and 3yr old black and tan male were killed in the same area as the previous hound depredations.

The first Bayfield County attack occurred July 20 and 22, according to a wildlife specialist with USDA-Wildlife Services. USDA verified that one Bluetick hound were killed and one Redbone injured on July 20. On July 22 two Walker hounds were killed. Bells have been thought to sometimes reduce wolf attacks, although two hounds were wearing bells at the time of the attack.

The wolf attack apparently occurred when the dogs got too close to the pack's rendezvous site, where the pups are left behind during summer months. This pack was the Rainbow Lake pack which consisted of six wolves last winter before pups were born in the spring. This pack has not previously been involved in depredations on dogs. The site (illustrated below) is northwest of Drummond bounded by County N on the south, Drummond-Delta Road and County N on the east, Highway 2 on the north, and Highway 27 on the west.

Map of Wolf Avoidance Area in Bayfield County - 2006

Burnett County Caution Area - Sand Creek Pack

On Sept. 14 two incidents occurred. Two Walker bear hounds were injured in the Town of Roosevelt, Burnett County, likely by the Sand Creek Pack. Both of the dogs were treated by veterinarians and are expected to survive.

Map of Wolf Avoidance Area in Burnette County - 2006

Marathon/Lincoln County Caution Area - Big Rib Pack

On August 5, the wolves of the Big Rib Pack killed one redtick hound and injured a bluetick hound in Marathon County, Town of Halsey. Although the attack was in Marathon County, it occurred within the Lincoln-Taylor County caution area, in the same area as a July 1 depredation. The dogs were being trained by bear hunters.

On July 1, wolves killed one Trig Walker hound and injured a second in southwest Lincoln Co. Bear hunters were training the dogs for bear hunting. The depredations were apparently by the Big Rib Pack. The attack occurred in an area the pack was using as a rendezvous site, a summer home site where wolf packs raise their pups.

The Lincoln-Taylor County area (map below) is an area east of Rib Lake in Taylor County bounded on the north by Wilderness Avenue and Four Mile Road, on the east by New Wood Road, County E and County M, on the south by County F and on the west by County C.

Map of Wolf Avoidance Area in Lincoln County, Wisconsin

Marinette County Caution Area - Eagle Creek Pack

The Eagle Creek Pack is a new pack involved in depredation. This pack recently established in western Marinette County. The warning area for this pack follows County C along the south, Parkway Road along the west, Benson Lake Road across the north and County A along the east side as shown in the map below.

On 10/08/06, 1 Walker hound was killed and on 9/29/06, 1 Walker hound was killed.

On Sept. 13 a male Plott hound was killed in the Town of Athelstene.

One dog (Bluetick) was killed by Eagle Creek pack on August 26th. This was the first depredation by a pack on hounds during training in NE Wisconsin.

Map of Wolf Avoidance Area in Marinette County - 2006

Bayfield/Sawyer County Caution Area - Seeley Hills Pack/Ghost Lake Pack

The most recent Bayfield depredation was on August 31st. The Seeley Hills Pack killed one bear hunting dog in a new caution area just south of the Bayfield Caution Area

On Sept. 25 wolves killed a female bluetick hound hunting in the Sawyer County southwest of Clam Lake. The pack involved is believed to be the Ghost Lake Pack.

Map of Wolf Avoidance Area in Sawyer County - 2006

Sawyer County Caution Area - Haystack Corner Pack

A Plott hound was killed by wolves in the Haystack Corner area of southern Sawyer County on August 29th. The Haystack Corner Pack consisted of 4 wolves last winter. This was the first depredation in this pack in 2006, although 5 dogs were killed by this pack in 2005. The warning area for this is the area of southeast Sawyer County and northwest Rusk County shown below.

Map of Wolf Avoidance Area in Sawyer County - 2006

Vilas County Caution Area - Little Rock Lake Pack

Map of Wolf Avoidance Area in Vilas County - 2006

Douglas County Caution Area - Little Rock Lake Pack

Map of Wolf Avoidance Area in Douglas County - 2006

If hunters believe their dogs have been killed or injured by wolves they should contact USDA-Wildlife Services as soon as possible at 1-800-228-1368 in northern Wisconsin and 1-800-433-0688 in central and southern Wisconsin.

Past Depredations: 2005 // 2004 // 2003
Interactive map of wolf pack territories (exit DNR)