Wolves in the Big Island Lake Wilderness Area, MI

The Big Island Lake Wilderness Area is traversed by a pack of gray wolves. Visiting the area you may see their tracks, which are LARGE 3.5-4" across. ( Coyotes are also in the area, but they are much smaller, leaving tracks about 2.5" X 2.5" .) When you see a wolf track you won't mistake it for anything else--you will say " WOW, look at the size of that"!

It will be a very rare occurrence if you actually see a wolf, they are very shy. Last summer I walked in to Coattail Lake from Co. Rd. 445. There has been much beaver activity in the area of the designated campsite, and I was looking for beaver at the lakeside, when I looked down and saw the wolf tracks. Lots of them. I figured they were looking for beaver too.

It had rained hard the previous night, and the rain had just stopped as I set out. While I know that they have rarely been documented to bother humans, being alone there with a pack of wolves hunting nearby seemed pretty stupid, so I beat it back to the road. No problems with the wolves, just my nerves.

We live on the west side of Blush Lake, more or less in the south end of the wilderness area. Not infrequently at night we can hear coyotes howl, and less often but most certainly we can hear the wolves howl. You will know the sound when you hear it, deep and loud. Not yipping or yodelling like the coyote or fox. Once we heard coyotes howling, then wolves responding in the distance. The coyotes stopped calling at once. Wolves will defend their territory from coyotes, as well as dogs.

Local bear hunters will not take their dogs into the wilderness area, because they have had dogs attacked by the wolves. We have had no problems with our dogs, but they are house dogs, and do not run at large. Actually, we have had bear dogs come up onto our deck, but never wolves. To play it safe, I would recommend that if you plan to camp in the wilderness area, don't bring your pets along.

We have seen wolf tracks in the snow on the north end of our property and twice have seen wolves on the ice of Blush Lake. They moved along the north and west shores, and once we saw two cut across the far bay on the ice. I managed to clip these photos from a video I shot.