(FOX 2) - The results are in for Michigan's new method for estimating wolf populations in the Upper Peninsula and the Department of Natural Resources is happy to report "there were no real surprises."
The state has used a labor-intensive tactic of counting wolf tracks in the winter to get the best guess about how Michigan's apex predator was doing. Recently, they used remote camera images from more than a thousand devices located around the Upper Peninsula.
The new survey method, deployed across the peninsula in the spring of 2024, came up with a similar population count that the wolf track counting technique used: just under 800 gray wolves.
Why "no real surprises" is a good thing for the DNR is for two primary reasons: current management has been based on an accurate population estimate and the new method could replace the old way of doing things.
"Our winter track survey was doing exactly what it was designed to do, and that is to get a minimum count of wolves in wintertime," said Tyler Petroelje, the DNR’s northern Michigan research specialist. "And now the camera survey is doing exactly what it’s intended to do, and that is to provide information on changes in total abundance throughout the year."
How many wolves are in Michigan?
Big picture view:
According to the 2026 winter track survey, there are at minimum, 792 wolves in Michigan's UP.
Wolf population figures have swung from as few as 525 in March 2025 to as much as 1,198 in October 2024.
Michigan's wolf population is not oscillating that wildly. Rather, the timing of the surveys reflects how active wolves are during that time of year, researchers at the DNR said.
Fall months see the highest wolf detection because pups born in the spring are now large enough to travel with the pack. They may also disperse to find a mate and seek out new territory.
In the late winter months, wolves spend more time in their dens. Females are giving birth and pack members help care for the young.
The most recent camera population survey was in February and March 2024, which recorded between 773–794 wolves. That season's snow track survey recorded 768 wolves.
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The problem with winter track surveys
Dig deeper:
The problem with winter track surveys is they are dependent on the weather. A season with light or too much snowfall can obscure tracks.
It can also be costly and labor-intensive for staff who sometimes have to track wolf packs for miles to determine how many are there.
"If you think back to 2024, that was a very mild winter, and the track survey was difficult to pull off," said Brian Roell, the DNR’s large carnivore specialist, who has conducted wolf track surveys for more than 25 years. "And then in 2026, we had the opposite – it was snowing every day and covering up the tracks, making it difficult as well."
More than just wolves
Local perspective:
While cameras cost more upfront, they don't need specific weather to work and can be deployed throughout remote areas for extended periods of time.
They are typically positioned 4 to 5 feet high around the trunk of trees that line roads, trails, and where wolves typically travel.
The DNR is increasingly relying on remote cameras to measure not just wolves, but other wildlife as well.
The elusive gray fox is the subject of one study. Other species that are surveyed include white-tailed deer, coyotes, wild turkeys, black bears and bobcats.
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Are wolves still endangered?
The gray wolf is currently protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.
Its status has been a source of much debate among wildlife managers and landowners who consider them a nuisance.
Wolf numbers have surpassed the state and federal population recovery goals decades earlier and do not warrant protected status anymore, according to the state's wolf management plan.
The Source: The Michigan DNR was cited for this story.