With the gracious support of community members in Douglas and Bayfield Counties, Great Lakes Wolf Patrol has been able to remain on patrol despite rain and cold weather. 22 wolves (of a quota for this zone of 32) have been killed. While we have not been able to witness their deaths, we have located wolf trap sites and are monitoring them daily, with the intent to not damage or interfere with this unethical yet, legal activity. We struggle with the realization that if we are to document this hunt, we must simply witness rather than rescue these traps victims. But if monitoring projects such as this are to become long-term and strategically sustainable, we will remain committed to not violate Wisconsin’s hunter harassment or trap theft laws.

We remain totally opposed to this biologically ill-conceived and culturally disrespectful sport hunt with the recognition that we are unable to save the lives of these 150 wolves. But our aim is to stop the hunt permanently, and that means using the evidence we are gathering to educate and politically activate citizens to pressure Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to reform the state’s Wolf Management Plan which is currently being rewritten.

In just five short days, 60 wolves have been slaughtered statewide, and from what we have witnessed, poaching and illegal hunting and trapping is commonplace. Trap locations are not being monitored every 24 hours as required by law, and are often placed dangerously close to roads and trails where lazy unethical trappers can check on them without leaving their vehicles. After driving and hiking literally hundreds of miles of rural and forest roads filled with hunters, the only place we have seen DNR wardens has been at our base camp watching us.

The wolf hunt in Zone 1 where we are located will close at 630pm tonight, so we will remain on patrol until we know every wolf trap in the area has been removed. If they have not, we will notify DNR and report them as illegal. It is hunter and trapper responsibility to know that the hunt is ending, otherwise any wolf killed after 630pm is considered a poached animal, and we will demand that DNR prosecute those offenders as required by law.

My apologies for not posting more often, but we are without wifi, waking up at 430am every morning and not getting back to base camp until long after dark where we then review our daily finding and eat a hastily cooked meal.

I want to personally and publicly thank the residents of Douglas and Bayfield County who have organized local food drives, invited us into their homes for dinner and a much needed shower, and joined us on our patrols!!!!
I love you all dearly for coming together in a spirit of solidarity in defense of the wild.

This is what citizen direct action to protect wolves can look like, not just in Montana and Wisconsin, but in every state where wolves are hunted. We are currently planning on launching Wolf Patrol groups in Washington as well, where local residents are calling on us for help. That’s our job. Thank you for allowing it to happen.

Much love to my crew of wolf patrollers who are kicking ass, with only hours of sleep each night and long hours in the cold predawn hours. God Bless You!