Wisconsin Sees a Slight Decline in the Wolf Population

Tuesday, June 30th, 2026 -- 10:00 AM

(Wisconsin Radio Network) Wisconsin had an estimated 1,162 gray wolves in 321 packs in late winter 2026, according to estimates from the Department of Natural Resources.

According to the Wisconsin Radio Network, DNR large carnivore specialist Randy Johnson told the agency’s Wolf Advisory Committee that putting those numbers together requires a lot of work and cooperation.

The latest population estimate represents a 5% year-over-year decline and is 3% below the 5-year average, an indication that the population has reached its biological carrying capacity. The full 2026 wolf monitoring report will be posted to the DNR website.

A February 2022 ruling by a federal district judge returned the wolf in Wisconsin and many other states to protected status under the Endangered Species Act.

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