VOLUNTEER CARNIVORE TRACK SURVEYS - Part of an Integrated Approach to Monitoring

Wisconsin Wolves

by

Jane E. Wiedenhoeft

WISCONSIN WOLF HISTORY1800 3,000-5,000 wolves

1865 State Bounty 1,000+ wolves

1957 End State Bounty <24 wolves

1960 Wolf Extirpated in State 0 wolves?

1974 Listed Federally Endangered 0 wolves?

1975 Listed State Endangered 2-3 wolves?

1979 WDNR begins monitoring 25?

1989 Wisconsin Wolf Recovery Plan 31 wolves

1999 State Downlisted as ThreatenedWisconsin Wolf Management Plan

205 wolves

2003 Federally Downlisted to Threatened 335 wolves

2004 State De-listed 373 wolves

2005 Federal Downlisting voided by courtRe-listed as Federally Endangered

425 wolves

PrimaryWolf Monitoring Techniques

• Live-trapping / radio monitoring

• Winter snow track surveys by DNR

• Summer howl surveys

• Snow track surveys by volunteers

AdditionalWolf Monitoring Techniques

• Necropsy of dead wolves

• Depredation trapping by USDA - Wildlife Services

• Public observation reports

Monitoring to Determine:

• Distribution

• Minimum population count

• Mortality / Survival

• Reproduction

• Health

• Den & Rendezvous sites

• Dispersal

Winter Snow Track Surveys by DNR & Volunteers

7,713 miles were tracked by DNR & volunteer trackers during winter 2004-2005

Training Requirements:

• Wolf ecology (added 2001)• Track training• Track test (added 1999)

Expectations:

• Survey block assignment• Conduct 3 surveys• Follow DNR guidelines• Send results in on time

Volunteer Carnivore Tracking Program

Survey Blocks Tracked by

DNR &

Volunteers 2004-2005

Winter Track Surveys in Wisconsin by WDNR & Volunteers

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000M

ile

s s

urv

ey

ed

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

VolunteersDNR

Wolf Detection RatesDNR vs. Volunteer Trackers

With Varying Experience

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Mea

n W

olve

s/10

0 k

m

None <40 40-80 >80

Volunteer Experience (hrs)

Volunteers Mean Rate DNR Mean Rate

P=0.003

Live-trapping / Radio monitoringWolves are trapped & fitted with radiocollars; blood samples are taken for health monitoringmeasurements are taken physical condition of wolf is noted

Pilots locate radiocollared wolves about once a week; packs counts can sometimes be made from the air

Radio Monitored Packs

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

% p

acks

rad

io m

onito

red

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

# of

pac

ks

Packs

% Radio Monitored

Linear (% Radio Monitored)

Public Observation Reports(use with caution)

PACK COUNTS 2003

Date Count RLU Blood Type Name

Bootjack Lake - 8 (W336M Adult)

01/25/2003 1 P(obs) B.Kemper

01/26/2003 1 P(obs) D.Beeler

01/27/2003 1 P(obs) M.Theisen

02/04/2003 8 Pilot all lg- 4 blk-4 gry-all appear hlthy.

02/13/2003 1 P(obs) L.Miller

02/14/2003 0 DNR Jane (W. edge)

02/23/2003 3 x VT Ericksen

02/26/2003 1 P(obs) R.Johnson

03/02/2003 0 VT Ericksen

03/21/2003 2 P(tx) G.Rublee

PACK COUNTS 2003

Block PACKCurrent Count

Pilot Observ.

DNR Tracker Vol. Tracker Public Observ.

92 Ada Lake 2 2(winter,obs)P.Harrison

57 Augustine Lake 5 5(1/30 RLU) SB

70 Averill Creek 4 4(3/21) JW 5 (RLU 2/22)Wissink

25 Bearsdale 4 4(1/21 RLU)SB

34 Beaverdam Lake 2 2-3 (2/19 RLU , SB) 3-4(3/8tx)J.Rudloff

28 Bibbon Swamp 8 0(3/2) SB&AW 8(3/3 RLUw/bl 2/22)) Tutland1(2/10obs)E.Westlund

9 Bird Sanctuary 5 5(2/17) 3(2/15) R.Wilson 1(2/15obs)R.Wilson

37 Black Lake 4 2(12/3) 4-5(1/21 RLUw/bl)Moe

20 Blue Hills 2 2(3/5) JW 0(3/5)R.Anderson

53 Bootjack Lake 7 8(2/4) 0(2/14)JW 3(2/23 RLU) Ericksen2(3/21tx)G.Rublee

Minimum Statewide Wolf Counts & Counts Off Indian Reservations in Wisconsin 1980-2005

425

373

335327

257248

205

178

148

9983

574045403431281816151719272125

414

361

328

313

243239

199

169

140

93

1980 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 1990 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05

Statewide Wolf Count

Wolf Count OffReservations

Endangered Status

Threatened Status

Delisting Level

1985-2002 Average rate of population increase was 20%

2002-2005 Average rate of population increase was 9%

% of Wolf Count from Monitoring Sources

6%32%23%

39%

DNR

PilotsVolunteersReports

11%11%

46% 32%

Volunteers DNR

PilotsReports

By Reliability

1. Pilots

2. DNR

3. Volunteers

4. Reports

By Cost

1. Volunteers

2. Reports

3. DNR

4. Pilots

Average Pack SizeAverage Pack Territory Size

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1980 '81 '82 '83 '84 '85 '86 '87 '88 '89

1990 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99

2000 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05

Km

2

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

wo

lves

/pac

k

Avg. pack territory size

Avg. 5-year territory sz

Avg. pack size

Avg. 5-year pack sz

Linear (Avg. 5-year pack sz)

Linear (Avg. 5-year territory sz)

1980 1985

Wisconsin Wolf Distribution

1990 1995

Wisconsin Wolf Distribution

2005

Wisconsin Wolf Distribution

2000

Estimate of Pups in Midwinter and Pup Survival

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1980 85 1990 95 2000 05

Es

tim

ate

d P

up

s P

res

en

t

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Per

cent

Pup

Sur

viva

l

Estimated Number ofPups Present

Percent Pup Survival

2003-2004 Minnesota Type Wolf Estimate

875 wolvesEstimate with most accurate data

991 wolvesEstimate including public reports

798 wolvesEstimate based on known pack distribution

2003-2004 Minnesota Type Wolf Estimate

Location of known wolf packs compared to modeled townships

Actual high count was 410 wolves

Adjusting for undercount of lone wolves 466 wolves

Major Funding:U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Forest ServiceState Wildlife Grants ProgramTimber Wolf AllianceDefenders of Wildlife

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Other Contributions:WDNR PilotsWDNR Wildlife ManagersNational Wildlife Health LabState Wildlife Health LabUSDA - Wildlife ServicesVolunteer Trackers