Author Archives: Nathan Lyle

There is much debate regarding the role wolves have on deer populations and deer hunting in particular. Many have stated that wolves are “decimating” the deer population in Minnesota and that we need to kill wolves to resolve this issue. … read more

Large carnivores often exhibit high survival rates in protected areas, whereas intentional and unintentional human-caused mortality may be greater in adjacent areas. These patterns can result in source-sink dynamics and limit population expansion beyond protected areas. We used telemetry data … read more

Large predators are known to shape the behavior and ecology of sympatric predators via conflict and competition, with mesopredators thought to avoid large predators, while dogs suppress predator activity and act as guardians of human property. However, interspecific communication between … read more

Following the 2022-23 wolf hunting and trapping seasons, FWP partnered with the University of Montana to conduct surveys of resident Montanans to assess their views regarding wolves and the management of wolves in Montana. This research builds upon similar research … read more

Land use and climate change alter species distributions worldwide, and detecting and understanding how species ranges shift can facilitate conservation planning and action. Following extirpation from most of the contiguous United States, gray wolves (Canis lupus) have partially recolonized former … read more

Snowpack dynamics have a major influence on wildlife movement ecology and predator–prey interactions. Specific snow properties such as density, hardness, and depth determine how much an animal sinks into the snowpack, which in turn drives both the energetic cost of … read more