Wolf Encounters Raise Concerns in Price County: Three Safety Complaints in One Week

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Price County has logged three confirmed wolf safety complaints in one week — a sharp escalation in human-wolf encounters centered on the Town of Flambeau.

Quick Answer: Two wolf encounters in the Town of Flambeau during August 2026 prompted a Wisconsin DNR large carnivore specialist to warn about wolf habituation — wolves losing their natural fear of humans. The DNR’s own depredation database confirms three “Human Health and Safety” complaints in Price County between August 12 and August 19, 2026, including a Level 3 incident. Wisconsin’s statewide wolf population stands at an estimated 1,162 wolves in 321 packs as of late winter 2026, and the issue of wolf management has entered the state’s gubernatorial race.

By Price County Fun | Updated August 20, 2026

Two Encounters in the Town of Flambeau

Last updated: August 2026

By Price County Fun Editorial Team | Price County, Wisconsin

The first incident occurred on August 12, 2026, when a homeowner in the Town of Flambeau captured trail camera photos of wolves directly behind his house. Wolves typically avoid human dwellings, making this proximity abnormal.

The second, on Monday, August 17, was more alarming. A homeowner was exiting woods on a tractor or mower when a wolf stepped out at a distance of roughly 30 to 40 yards. The wolf stood its ground for several minutes despite the loud machinery and activity, eventually leaving only after the homeowner actively shooed it away.

Randy Johnson, the Wisconsin DNR’s Large Carnivore specialist, described the behavior as habituation — wolves becoming accustomed to human presence and reluctant to leave.

“He was exiting the woods,” Johnson told WJFW. “Exiting on a trail or something and a wolf stepped out at close distance — 30 or 40 yards — and just kind of observed, studied him. Wasn’t too bothered by the tractor, the noise, the activity.”

Johnson said the concern is that habituated adults may teach the behavior to younger pack members.

“One of our concerns is, through time, if these adults are teaching, if you will, this behavior to the younger wolves in the pack,” Johnson said. “These signs of habituation, generally speaking, are learned behaviors.”

DNR Database: Three Safety Complaints in One Week

The Wisconsin DNR maintains a public Wolf Depredation Reports database tracking confirmed and probable wolf incidents across the state. A review of the 2026 database, current as of August 20, 2026, shows that Price County has three confirmed Human Health and Safety complaints in August , all filed within an eight-day window:

  • August 12, 2026 . Report RHL 51-2026, classified as Level 3 (Confirmed Human Health and Safety Complaint)
  • August 17, 2026 . Report RHL 63-2026, classified as Level 2 (Confirmed Human Health and Safety Complaint)
  • August 19, 2026 . Report NA (LVL 2), classified as Level 2 (Confirmed Human Health and Safety Complaint)

The August 19 entry appears to be a third incident that the WJFW report, published approximately 17 hours before this article, had not yet covered. Prior to July 2026, Price County had zero wolf safety complaints in the DNR database for the entire year.

There was also an earlier unconfirmed safety complaint from Price County on July 23, 2026 (Report RHL 38-2026), suggesting the pattern of concerning wolf-human interactions in the area began building weeks before the recent confirmed incidents.

Zero Livestock or Pet Depredations in Price County

Despite the safety concerns, Price County has recorded zero confirmed or probable wolf depredations , livestock kills, pet kills, or hunting dog incidents , in 2026, according to the DNR database. Neighboring counties tell a different story:

  • Sawyer County (north): 2 hunting dogs killed by wolves on August 14, 2026
  • Rusk County (west): 1 hunting dog killed on July 11, 2026
  • Lincoln County (south): 2 hunting dog incidents (1 killed, 1 injured) on July 24-25, 2026
  • Douglas County (far north): 16 confirmed or probable depredation incidents, the most of any Wisconsin county

The pattern suggests that while Price County’s wolves are showing concerning behavior toward humans, they have not yet turned to livestock or pets , the type of conflict that typically triggers lethal management action.

Wisconsin’s Wolf Population

Wisconsin’s estimated wolf population was 1,162 wolves in 321 packs as of late winter 2026, according to the DNR. Represents a decline of roughly 5% from the 2025 estimate of 1,225 wolves and the 2024 estimate of 1,311 wolves.

Gray wolves in Wisconsin have been under federal Endangered Species Act protection since February 2022, when a federal judge struck down a 2021 rule that had removed them from the list. The last Wisconsin wolf hunting and trapping season took place in February 2021.

Wolf Management Enters Governor’s Race

Wisconsin’s next governor will likely have a say in wolf management if Congress removes federal protection. Republican nominee Tom Tiffany, a U.S. House member from northern Wisconsin, sponsored the “Pet and Livestock Protection Act” (H.R. 845), which passed the House 211-204 in December 2025. The bill would order the U.S. Department of the Interior to reinstate the 2020 delisting rule and ban courts from reviewing that action. The measure is currently stalled in the Senate after New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker objected to unanimous consent on August 4, 2026.

Democratic nominee David Crowley told The Center Square: “Wisconsin should have the ability to manage its gray wolf population based on the best available science and the realities facing our state. With gray wolves having made a strong recovery in the Great Lakes region, I support efforts to return management authority to Wisconsin.”

Wisconsin law requires the DNR to hold a wolf hunting and trapping season each year when wolves are not under federal protection. The governor also appoints the DNR secretary and can sign or veto proposals that change state wolf policy.

Wolf damage claims in Wisconsin have risen sharply , from roughly $100,000 in 2022 to nearly $323,000 in 2024, according to the DNR. The state fund that pays these claims may face shortfalls, and the DNR is now writing rules that could delay or reduce payments.

What to Do If You Encounter a Wolf

Johnson’s advice for Price County residents is straightforward: do not run. Stand your ground and haze the animal.

“In cases like this where it draws out for several minutes,” Johnson said, “stand your ground, haze that wolf, meaning yell at it, throw something at it. You want to just reinforce to that wolf that hey, I’m a human, I want nothing to do with you and you want nothing to do with me.”

Johnson said there is no immediate danger to the broader Price County area, but urged residents to be vigilant when outside, especially with pets. If the habituated behavior continues, the DNR may take action with support from local residents and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

See also: our guide to free camping in Wisconsin

See also: our deer hunting guide for Price County

Sources

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