Identifying wolves and coyotes

Annual Deer Mortality in the Upper Peninsula

human-caused ~64,000 deer/yr. hunter harvest, wounding loss and road kill	wolves ~17,000- 29,000 deer/yr.	mild winter ~35,000 deer
		moderate winter ~70,000 deer
		severe winter ~105,000 deer

Many Michigan residents are concerned about the impacts of wolves on the Upper Peninsula deer population. The extent of those impacts is influenced by many factors. However, compared to the deer mortality caused by other sources, including other predators, the impact of wolves on the deer population is relatively small. Several studies have examined wolf kill rates, and recent estimates range from 30 to 50 deer eaten by an adult wolf each year. Wolves prey upon a variety of species, and the proportion of their diet comprised of deer changes continuously. Also, an unknown number of deer eaten by wolves may have died from other causes, such as winter conditions or vehicle collisions.

A population of 687 adult wolves (estimated Michigan wolf population in 2011) could eat between 17,000 and 29,000 deer annually. Many of these deer would have died from various other causes if wolves were not present (accidents, winter weather, diseases, etc.). Between 5,000 and 8,000 deer-vehicle crashes are reported annually in the U.P., and even more deer are killed in crashes that are not reported. A severe winter can kill 30 percent (or more) of the deer population. There are about 270,000 deer in the U.P., and hunters killed about 42,000 deer in 2010.

Wolves and deer evolved together, and deer possess physical and behavioral adaptations for avoiding wolf predation.