Living with the chance of wolf encounters is nothing new to Cook County residents. However, in recent weeks an apparent increase in the number of incidents involving pets and livestock has caused the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to establish one “wolf control zone” and to consider setting up another.
DNR Conservation Officer Darin Fagerman said a wolf control zone was established on the west end of County Road 7 in Grand Marais after a calf was attacked at the farm owned by Nelda Westerlind and her family.
Reached by phone, Roger Westerlind confirmed the attack on the calf. It was a small animal that had been rejected by its mother and was bottle-fed by the family. There were actually two attacks, said Westerlind. Neither of the attacks were witnessed, but at the beginning of August it was discovered that the calf had a large bite mark on its hindquarters. Two weeks later it had suffered more bite marks on its back and part of its ear was torn. Westerlind is not sure how the calf survived, but said he believed the other cows probably helped drive the wolf (or wolves) off.
Westerlind said it was logical that the wolf would go after the calf, as it was the smallest animal in the herd.
He contacted CO Fagerman and arrangements were made to establish a wolf control zone. A predator control specialist came in to trap the animal (or animals).
CO Fagerman said one wolf was trapped—and killed. Fagerman said it was an old, weak-looking male. He said he suspected that it was not able to hunt well and was looking for easy prey.
Westerlind said unfortunately it was not the only wolf hanging around the cows. As they observed the trapped wolf, another was seen crossing County Road 7 near the farm.
Fagerman said he has heard numerous reports of wolf sightings from Grand Marais residents near the hospital on the old Gunflint Trail and on 8th Avenue. He has also heard of dogs disappearing or being killed, such as from Cindy Larsen who lives on East 5th Street/County Road 7 in Grand Marais. On August 24, Larsen put her small dog Bella, an Alaskan Eskimo weighing about 15 pounds, outside on a leash in her back yard. The dog was gone when Larsen went back to check on her a few minutes later.
“Her collar was there but she wasn’t in it. A wolf took her right out of her collar,” said Larsen.
Larsen’s house is just across the street from Bautch Construction. Although it is in town, the deep woods behind her house stretch to Pincushion Mountain and beyond. Over the past year, Larsen said wolves have frequented her neighborhood, seemingly growing less afraid of people.
“They [wolves] are getting bolder and bolder, walking right into peoples’ yards, not caring if they are seen,” Larsen said.
“I just want people in town to be careful with their pets,” said Larsen.
CO Fagerman said he received another report from a woman on 7th Avenue East about a block from Larsen’s house whose dog, an approximately 30-pound whippet mix, was attacked by a wolf. The woman was walking her two dogs through the woods near her house during the day, as she did frequently, when one dog dashed ahead of her. She heard a sound and as she neared, saw a wolf attacking the whippet mix. The wolf and dog separated and both ran off into the woods. The whippet mix never returned home, so it is assumed it was killed.
Two other dogs have gone missing in the Creechville area of Grand Marais, north of the Cook County Community Center. One, a Jack Russell terrier, belonging to Gary Schlienz of Grand Marais simply disappeared on August 12 and no sign of it has been found.
There is no doubt about what happened to the other dog, a Pomeranian belonging to Gary Schlienz’s mother Pearl Schlienz. On the evening of August 14, Pearl’s husband Wayne opened the door to let the little dog out. Pearl stepped outside to watch over her dog, just in time to hear the dog crying as a wolf grabbed it and ran off.
The next day Gary Schlienz found what was left of the Pomeranian and its name tag down the road from Pearl’s house. Pearl was shaken by her dog’s death. “She was the nicest little dog,” she said sadly.
After hearing these reports, as well as that of many chickens being eaten, CO Fagerman said the DNR office in Grand Rapids is working with Cook County Law Enforcement to establish a wolf control zone in Grand Marais. The problem, said Fagerman, is that a trap set to lure a wolf will also entice dogs in the area.
That would be a problem for anyone whose dog was off leash in the city, however, Fagerman said that would not only be a bad idea with the wolf situation, it would be a violation of the city’s ordinance. Fagerman said the DNR is moving cautiously to try to reduce possible conflict with trapping in the city. Fagerman said the DNR does not usually put up caution signs and the trap would obviously not be on a walking trail, but they may put up signs warning pet owners in the area. Fagerman said the decision on how to proceed should be made in a week and the News-Herald will be notified.
Fagerman also asked people to contact the DNR to report the loss of pets, so the DNR knows if there is a problem wolf in the area. If a wolf is attacking a pet or livestock, the owner can shoot it. The DNR must then be notified within 48 hours.
In the meantime, Fagerman said people need to be vigilant. People need to be aware that they need to be outside, attending to their pets at all times. “If you are not outside watching, you’re playing Russian roulette with your dog,” CO Fagerman said.
Contact local DNR Conservation Officers to report wolf-pet encounters or ask questions:
Thomas Wahlstrom
218-370-0244
Darin Fagerman
218-387-9751
Mary Manning
218-475-0121
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