DNR presents survey information at September wolf council meeting

lschultz • September 7, 2021

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) responded to claims from a former employee that it undercounted wolves at the September Wolf Management Advisory Council (WMAC) meeting.

WMAC members heard wildlife biologist Brian Roell, a 25-year veteran of the DNR, detail how the minimum wolf population survey is estimated, what internal and external validation processes the survey goes through and why he disagrees with statements made by former large carnivore specialist Kevin Swanson.

Michigan United Conservation Clubs provides streaming of the WMAC at no cost to the public. The recording can be viewed on the organization’s Facebook page .

Roell, who is responsible for compiling wolf survey counts, presented one of Swanson’s datasheets in question to the council, noting incomplete “justifications” that failed to meet the minimum criteria biologists use to count new wolves and packs. Justifications include historical data, multiple tracker reports verifying the same data and time of data collected in conjunction with telemetry, if available.

Specifically, Roell displayed one of Swanson’s datasheets that noted a possible new pack. In the report, however, Swanson wrote, “This locale is within the Brampton area but could also be the Rock pack or even Skunk Creek.”

Ultimately, Swanson failed to meet the justifications the DNR uses to establish and name new packs, Roell said. 

“In the end, with this kind of information finding one time, the tracker himself not even recognizing which pack it really could be — no justification sheets — I had nothing else to do but not count that pack that year,” Roell said. “Does that mean it didn’t exist? Maybe it did. But we didn’t have any justifications or any data to show that it really did exist.”

Roell then focused on the Strawberry Lake pack that Swanson claimed was undercounted by two wolves. Roell said Swanson found evidence of four wolves in the pack one time. Roell conducted his own tracking studies for three subsequent months over an expanded range and could not find evidence of the two new wolves Swanson noted.

Ultimately, Roell said the department decided to use the data from a more experienced tracker (himself) to determine how many wolves were in the Strawberry Lake pack.

Amy Trotter, WMAC member and MUCC executive director, said Roell’s presentation helped explain in detail how new packs are determined and why Swanson’s data did not meet the threshold for constituting a new pack.

“The DNR has an obligation to collect, compile, evaluate and present data that will stand up to the rigors of scientific scrutiny and possible litigation,” Trotter said. “Biologists charged with this task ultimately felt that Swanson’s data in this instance would not stand up to the review process because it did not meet the justifications clearly laid out.”

Other agenda items include an overview of the 2015 wolf management plan update, including the forthcoming public attitudes survey and an overview of the process by which data on wolf interactions is collected. DNR Large-carnivore Specialist Cody Norton will present on both topics.

New business included discussion of how to provide input into updating the 2015 management plan and the need for an accomplishments report, the wolf population survey and reporting wolf interactions. Council members discussed the potential for sightings and interaction reports to be used in the wolf population survey, but formal recommendations will be made at subsequent meetings.

The department has not yet released any information regarding the October WMAC meeting, though it will be occurring in the Upper Peninsula based on the location rotating from the Lower Peninsula to the UP. MUCC will share this information as soon as it becomes available.

Recent Posts

By Justin Tomei June 30, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MUCC Submits Public Comment in Support of Line 5 Tunnel Project Lansing, MI — Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC), the nation’s largest statewide conservation organization, has submitted formal public comments urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to approve the Enbridge Line 5 Tunnel Project. In a letter submitted today, MUCC emphasized the need to move this critical infrastructure forward to protect the Great Lakes while maintaining safe, reliable energy transportation. “MUCC supports the tunnel project as the best available alternative to reduce the risk of an environmental disaster in the Straits of Mackinac while continuing to deliver essential energy products to Michigan families and industries,” said Amy Trotter, CEO of MUCC. “We believe the tunnel project strikes a balance between protecting the environment and maintaining energy security.” MUCC’s position is backed by a formal resolution passed by its membership, which includes thousands of hunters, anglers, trappers, and outdoor enthusiasts across Michigan. The resolution supports the tunnel as a long-term solution that replaces the aging and exposed pipeline segment currently crossing the Straits, offering greater environmental safeguards through secondary containment. The organization cited the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which acknowledges the tunnel’s benefits, including reduced spill risk and a controlled, buried environment for transporting light crude oil and natural gas liquids. MUCC also rejected the "no action alternative," which would allow the existing line to remain in operation without any new protective infrastructure. “Other alternatives, like transporting fuel by truck or rail, are inefficient and carry greater environmental and safety risks,” Trotter added. “Allowing the current line to operate exposed on the lakebed indefinitely is simply not acceptable.” MUCC’s comment stresses that the organization is not weighing in on the type of energy transported, but rather on the environmental risks and safety benefits of the tunnel itself. Originally approved by the Michigan legislature and governor in 2018, the Great Lakes Tunnel Project represents a once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure and environmental protection. MUCC urges the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue the necessary permits and move forward with construction without further delay. For Media Contact: Justin Tomei jtomei@mucc.org 517-346-6488 #####
By Olivia Triltsch June 26, 2025
Since its inception, MUCC has made great strides in the conservation of natural resources through advocacy, habitat, youth education, and communications.
By Katelyn Helsel June 25, 2025
On Saturday, June 21, 2025, MUCC’s On the Ground program partnered with the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute (PCCI) for a native plug planting day in Barry County. Located on 850 acres, the institute offers both environmental education opportunities and serves as a biological field station for conducting research. Many diverse native communities from wetlands to prairies are present at PCCI, and many rare or threatened species in Michigan like the eastern box turtle call the institute home. 
More Posts