An Experimental Translocation of the Eastern Timber Wolf Part 3

The movements of female wolf No. 10 during the post-release phase were markedly different from those of the pack. In fact, this wolf apparently skipped the relatively sedentary post-release phase of movements that the pack displayed, and immediately dispersed (Fig. 20).

By the morning after release, No. 10 was 10 miles (16.0 km) southeast of the release point and by late afternoon was an additional 5.5 miles (8.8 km) southeast (March 13). On the night of March 15 this wolf crossed four-lane Highway 41, and on the 16th was found 1 miles (2.0 km) south of the Marquette County Airport, approximately 32 miles (51.5 km) from the release site; she had traveled a minimum of 36 miles (57.9 km) to get there. However by March 20 she had returned to within 4 miles (6.4 km) of the release point, and by the 24th was within a quarter mile of the site.

The other three wolves had already dispersed westward and were near p.r.i.c.kett Dam, some 40 miles (64.0 km) away. It is not known whether No.

10 tried to locate them. Her locations indicate that she did not, although she may not have been able to find or follow their route. From April 2 to 15, No. 10 made a second exploration southward, again returning to the Huron Mountain area. She also made a third such trip on June 14 to 22, even crossing Highway 41 again.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. 18.--Exploratory and Settled Phases in the movements of Wolves No. 11, 12, and 13_]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. 19.--Movements of No. 11 after the death of No. 12 and 13_]

From the time of release until the first week in September, there seemed to be a pattern to the movements of Wolf No. 10. She made nine trips of about 40 miles (64.0 km) each, starting near Huron Mountain, extending southeasterly about 20 miles (32.0 km), and then returning northwesterly to the Huron Mountain area (Fig. 20).

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. 20.--Movements of Wolf No. 10_]

During March, April, and the first week of May Wolf No. 10 made three of these trips roughly paralleling the Lake Superior sh.o.r.e, and she remained in the Huron Mountain area for several days between trips. From late May until mid-July she made four such trips but did not remain long anywhere. During that time she gradually moved westerly to near the Dead River Basin. In late July she made another trip to the Dead River Basin area after a stay near the Big Bay dump. These trips enlarged No.

10's range considerably.

Early in July, Wolf No. 10 moved almost directly south from the Huron Mountain area to the Silver Lake area, again expanding her range to the west. From September 5 until October 10 she remained in the Silver Lake area, and there was no apparent pattern to her movements then. After the wolf was located on September 15 near a bait that bear hunters had put out on the west edge of the Mulligan Plains, a ground check was made. No evidence of the wolf was found at the bear bait, consisting mostly of fish, and no signal was heard there. A signal was picked up in the southwest corner of the Mulligan Plains, and the wolf was flushed from her bed about 80 yards (75 m) away.

On October 10, this wolf began a westward move, and on October 22 she was found south of Herman, 25 miles (40.2 km) west of Silver Lake. On October 24 she was located 6.5 miles (10.4 km) to the northeast, near Dirkman Lake. By October 26 she had moved 12 miles (19.3 km) southeast to within a mile of the town of Michigamme. From there she gradually moved northeastward. She was shot near Van Riper Lake during deer hunting season, probably on the morning of November 16.

During the westward move, this wolf had increased the size of her range by 87 square miles (222.7 km^2), about a 30% increase. She seemed to be heading back to the Silver Lake area when she was killed.

Feeding Habits

What little information we could obtain on the wolves' feeding habits indicated considerable variation (Table 4).

In the Skanee area, which the pack of three first visited after leaving the release area, deer were abundant, and 7 to 10 were seen within a quarter mile (0.4 km) of the pack on March 20. It is possible that the wolves killed a deer there, for they remained in the area for a few days. They did scavenge deer feet and head remains on the 22nd at Laws Lake, 12 miles (19.3 km) southwest of Skanee. Deer were also sighted within a quarter mile of the wolves on March 25, April 15, April 16, May 7, June 8, and June 14.

The first confirmed deer kill was made east of Otter Lake about April 1.

The deer was a 4-year-old doe with a partly healed broken left front leg (radius) and fat-depleted bone marrow (1%); a bullet was found in the skin of the right front leg.

The pack also fed on a discarded deer carca.s.s near Nisula, and then killed a 5-year-old doe near Kenton on April 15 (Fig. 21); this animal also had bone marrow with a low fat content (6%).

The next day, lone Wolf No. 10, back in the Huron Mountain area, killed a 4-5-year-old doe with fat-depleted marrow (5.6%).

No doubt not all of the deer killed or fed upon by the translocated wolves were found, even when snow was present. However, it is clear from the observations we did make, and from the fact that all 26 scats we a.n.a.lyzed from this pack contained deer hair, that the wolves did adapt to killing deer in their new environment and that it was their primary food.

Near Atlantic Mine the wolves scavenged on garbage from loggers, and then near Otter Lake they spent several days also feeding on garbage. A discarded cow (_Bos taurus_) head was scavenged, and at least one red-backed vole (_Clethrionomys gapperi_) was consumed. Lone Wolf No. 10 was found near the Big Bay dump nine times, or 29% of the times she was located during tourist season (May through August).

_Table 4. a.n.a.lysis of scats collected from released wolves_

--------------------------------------------------------------------- No. Wolf Date Scats No. Location and items found --------------------------------------------------------------------- March 22 5 Pack Laws Lake, deer hair

March 29 1 Pack Otter Lake area, deer hair, red-backed vole hair, gra.s.s, refuse (including coffee grounds)

April 3 2 Pack Otter Lake deer kill, scats soft and dark, some deer hair

April 8 3 Pack Nisula, deer hair

April 17 5 Pack Kenton deer kill, scats soft and dark, deer hair

June 28 3 Pack Gibbs city area, summer and winter deer hair --------------------------------------------------------------------- Total (Pack) 19 --------------------------------------------------------------------- March 27 2 No. 10 Conway Lake, deer hair

April 18 2 No. 10 Pine Lake, deer hair

June 1 1 No. 10 Huron Mountain Club, fawn deer hair and hoof --------------------------------------------------------------------- Total No. 10 5 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sept. 20 1 No. 11 Floodwood Plains 3.1 miles (5.0 km) south of Witch Lake, deer hair, and ruffed grouse (_Bonasa umbellus_) bones and nails

July 1 1 No. 12 Collected from under dead No. 12, 1.9 miles (3.0 km) north of Amasa, deer hair --------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 26 All

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. 21.--Each deer killed by the translocated wolves was examined from the ground (Photo by Richard P. Smith)_]

The three wolves were located near beaver lodges or dams on April 10, April 15, May 7, June 8, and June 12. No beavers were known to have been killed by them, however, and no beaver remains were found in their scats (Table 4).

Citizen Sightings

The wolves were seen by many citizens early after their release (Table 5 and 6), no doubt because of the wolves' confusion, their extensive movements, and their lack of familiarity with the region. They often traveled near populated areas and probably moved more during the day than they would have in their native territory. They were known to have made 14 daytime moves (from citizen reports) in addition to those observed from the aircraft. In at least five of the citizen reports, the wolves were observed sitting alongside the road, or otherwise making little attempt to move away immediately. However, after April 13 the group of three wolves was reported by citizens only twice, and Wolf No.

10, three times.

_Table 5. Significant events in history of Wolf No. 10_

Date Event

March 12 Wolves released in Huron Mountain area (T52N-R28W-Sec 20)

March 13 No. 10 separated from the other three wolves and never reunited

March 15 Sighted from tracking car crossing County Road 492 south of Marquette County Airport, 6:35 p.m. (EDT) (T47N-R26W-Sec 33)

March 15 Crossed a four-lane highway between Marquette and Negaunee about 4:00 p.m. (EDT) (T49N-R26W-Sec 29)

March 24 Located from the air less than 0.5 miles (0.8 km) from release pen (T52N-R28W-Sec 20)

March 27 Reported seen by Huron Mountain Club guard on edge of First Pine Lake, 6:30 p.m. (EDT) (T52N-R28W-Sec 29)

April 18 Visited bear carca.s.s 100 feet (30.5 m) from release pen, had also visited 3 nearby deer carca.s.ses (T52N-R28N-Sec 20)

April 18 Confirmed deer kill by No. 10 near Pine Lake, Huron Mountain Club (T52N-R28W-Sec 20)

June 6 Reported seen by gate guard, Huron Mountain Club (T51N-R27W-Sec 6)

June 3 Reported seen north of Saux Head Lake on Lake Superior beach (T50N-R26W-Sec 17)

June 20 Reported seen crossing four-lane highway headed north about 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Marquette (T50N-R26W-Sec 24)

May 22 } May 23 } June 5 } Located near Big Bay dump, probably scavenging.