Few people have ever heard the sound of a howling timber wolf. Only a small number of wolves now live in Wisconsin, one of just seven states in the country where wolves exist in the wild. Timber wolves, also called gray wolves, are the largest wild members of the dog family. Males are usually bigger than females.
Timber wolves have silvery gray-brown backs, light tan underparts, and bushy tails.
In winter, their fur becomes darker on the neck, shoulders, and rump. Size is a key difference between coyotes and wolves. A coyote is only half as big as a wolf. Distinguishing between a large dog and a wolf can be more difficult. Dogs and wolves can be identified by their tracks, though doing this is hard and takes a lot of practice.