DNR officials report two instances so far this summer in which wolves have attacked dogs being trained for bear hunting. DNR wolf expert Adrian Wydeven says generally, the problem develops when a dog gets into an area where wolves are raising pups. He says there are steps dog owners can take to avoid an unfortunate encounter with a wolf: "maintaining good visual contact, staying as close to the dogs as possible, trying to avoid areas where there's high levels of wolf activity."
In Oneida County, one dog was killed and a second dog injured in an attack northwest of Rhinelander. In Sawyer County, one dog was killed near Clam Lake. The owners of the dogs will receive compensation for their losses. Hunters may train dogs by pursuing bears from July first to August 31st.
