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Do Wolves Affect White-Tailed Buck Harvest
In Northeastern Minnesota?

by

L. David Mech¹ and Michael E. Nelson²

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Abstract: We used simple linear regression to analyze 8-23 years of data on a wolf (Canis lupus) population and human harvest of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) bucks in northeastern Minnesota to determine any effects of wolves on buck harvesting. Over the long term, wolves accounted for at least 14-22% of the inter-year variation in buck harvest in the region, but an unknown amount of variation in hunter effort may have obscured any more precise estimate. For part of the area with poorest habitat, we found strong inverse relationships (r² = 0.66-0.84) between annual wolf numbers and buck harvests from 1988 to 1995 when hunting pressure was considered relatively constant. However, in better habitat, where our buck harvest sample was larger, we found no evidence of wolves influencing buck harvest. Our findings tend to confirm the suitability of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource's deer harvest regulations for a sustainable yield.

Key Words: bucks, Canis lupus, harvesting, hunting, Minnesota, Odocoileus virginianus, population, predation, white-tailed deer, wolf

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This resource is based on the following source (Northern Prairie Publication 1074):

Mech, L. David and Michael E. Nelson.  2000.  Do Wolves Affect White-Tailed 
     Buck Harvest In Northeastern Minnesota? Journal of Wildlife Management  
     64(1):129-136.

This resource should be cited as:

Mech, L. David and Michael E. Nelson.  2000.  Do Wolves Affect White-Tailed 
     Buck Harvest In Northeastern Minnesota? Journal of Wildlife Management  
     64(1):129-136. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center 
     Online.  http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/mammals/buckharv/index.htm. 
     (Version 02MAR2000).

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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Study Area
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Management Implications
• Acknowledgments
• Literature Cited

Figures & Tables

• Figure 1 -- The study area in northeastern Minnesota.
• Figure 2 -- Buck harvest in the Isabella area and population trend of wolves dependent on deer in the census area.

• Table 1 -- Estimated size of the wolf population in the census area of the central Superior National Forest and buck harvest for areas in and near the wolf census area.
• Table 2 -- Results of simple linear regressions to test the hypothesis that buck harvest should be inversely related to wolf numbers the previous winter if wolves strongly influence deer harvest.
• Table 3 -- Results of simple linear regression analysis of data to test the hypothesis that buck harvest should be inversely related to wolf numbers the previous winter if wolves strongly influence deer harvest.

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¹ Biological Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, 8711-37^th Street, S.E., Jamestown, ND 58401, USA.  Mailing address: North Central Research Station, 1992 Folwell Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.  E-mail: mechx002@tc.umn.edu

² Biological Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, 8711-37^th Street, S.E., Jamestown, ND 58401, USA.  Mailing address: Kawishiwi Lab, SR 1, Box 7200, Ely, MN 55731, USA.

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