An analysis of howling response parameters useful for wolf pack censusing

Fred H. Harrington; L. David Mech

doi:10.2307/3808560

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An analysis of howling response parameters useful for wolf pack censusing

Fred H. Harrington·L. David Mech

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Abstract

Gray wolves ( Canis lupus ) were studied from April-1972 through April 1974 in the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota by radio-tracking and simulated howling. Based on replies during 217 of 456 howling sessions, the following recommendations were derived for using simulated howling as a census technique: (1) the best times of day are dusk and night; (2) July, August, and September are the best months; (3) precipitation and winds greater than 12 km/hour should be avoided; (4) a sequence of 5 single howls should be used, alternating 'flat' and 'breaking' howls; (5) trials should be repeated 3 times at about 2-minute intervals with the first trial at lower volume; and (6) the trial series should be repeated on 3 nights as close to each other as possible. Two censuses are described: a saturation census and a sampling census.

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Journal of Wildlife Management Article

Source-reported bounding extent: 47.497808600131634° to 47.863048761775445° latitude; -91.9329450552507° to -90.95026495244433° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Fred H. Harrington, L. David Mech. 1982. An analysis of howling response parameters useful for wolf pack censusing. https://doi.org/10.2307/3808560

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