Identifying wolves and coyotes

Note: Coyote hunting in Zone 1 is closed Nov. 15-30

      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 520 adult wolves (estimated Michigan wolf population in 2008) could eat between 15,000 and 25,000 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 UP, 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 300,000 deer in the UP, and hunters killed about 52,000 deer in 2008.
     
    Wolves and deer evolved together, and deer possess physical and behavioral adaptations for avoiding wolf predation.

Annual Deer Mortality in the UP