Volunteers needed to help monitor wolf population in the state
Wolf tracking training sessions and ecology courses set
MADISON -- People interested in volunteering to locate timber wolves and other forest carnivores in the coming year and help keep count on the elusive animals can learn how to track wolves during a series of upcoming training sessions.
In Wisconsin wolves are a protected wild animal under state law, and due to court action on September 29 are again an endangered species under federal law.
Volunteer trackers are assigned survey blocks in forest portions of northern and central Wisconsin, and are asked to conduct three or more surveys in their assigned block each winter. Data they gather can be compiled with those of other volunteers to aid Department of Natural Resources biologists in evaluating wolf populations.
Wolf and Carnivore Tracker Training sessions are scheduled:
* Nov. 1, Ashland - Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute, Northland College Campus off Hwy.13.
* Dec. 6, Babcock - Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center, 1 mile north of Highway 173 along County Road X .
* Dec. 6-7, Tomahawk - Treehaven UW-SP Field Station on Pickerel Creek Road off County A.
Training sessions run at Ashland and Babcock will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Applicants should register as soon as possible because space is limited. There is a small fee for the classes. Training run at Treehaven Camp near Tomahawk on December 6-7 will be by world renowned tracker, Dr. James Halfpenny. Cost of the workshop has yet to be determined, but will probably be about $200.
" Photo of Wolf Tracks
WDNR Photo
Details about the volunteer tracking program and the wolf ecology and tracking training sessions are available on the Department of Natural Resources Web site.
In late winter 2008 DNR biologists counted 537 to 564 wolves in the state, including 520 or more outside Indian reservations. During spring and summer 2008, 23 wolves were trapped and radio-collared. By early fall more than 52 wolves were being radio tracked by Wisconsin DNR pilots, including wolves captured and collared in previous years. Normally about one-third of the state packs are monitored by radio-telemetry, the remaining packs are monitored by DNR and volunteer trackers.
In 2008, 127 volunteer trackers surveyed 79, 200-square-mile survey blocks covering 5,508 miles of snow-covered roads and trails. Volunteers averaged 3.7 surveys per block, covering 70 miles, conducting 12.2 hours of tracking per block, and detected over 299 different wolves.
“With the higher wolf population and reduced funding for surveys, the volunteer carnivore tracking program is critical for us to obtain accurate counts of the state wolf population,” said Adrian Wydeven, DNR mammal ecologist who coordinates the state wolf program. “Despite changes in federal listings these surveys will continue to be important for long-term conservation of wolves and other forest carnivores in Wisconsin.”
Volunteers are also helpful in other ways, Wydeven said. Last fall, several volunteers conducted hunter outreach in the field and made contacts with deer hunters across several northern counties. During the spring volunteers helped with wolf trapping, radio collaring, donations of radio collars, and howl surveys as well as staffing educational booths at sport shows and other events.
Training sessions will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please try to register at least 2 weeks before each session.
Volunteers are also strongly encouraged to take a wolf ecology course if they have not done so already, and biologists recommend taking the ecology course before signing up for track training workshops. Wolf ecology courses will be offered next year on the following dates at the locations listed.
* Jan. 17-18, Babcock - Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center, Babcock, $75 ( includes 2 meals & dorm lodging). Contact Dick Thiel at Richard.Thiel@wisconsin.gov
* Jan. 24-25, Fall Creek - Beaver Creek Reserve, cost $70 contact the Beaver Creek Reserve at bcr@beavercreekreserve.org
* Feb. 6-8, Tomahawk - Treehaven, cost $125-$175 (includes meals; opt. lodging), contact Treehaven at treehaven@uwsp.edu
* Feb. 14-15, Babcock - Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center, cost $75 ( includes 2 meals & dorm lodging), contact Dick Thiel at Richard.Thiel@wisconsin.gov
* Feb. 27 – Mar. 1, Tomahawk - Treehaven, cost $125-$175 (includes meals; opt. lodging), contact Treehaven at treehaven@uwsp.edu
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrian Wydeven – (715) 762-1363
