Few people have ever heard the sound of a howling timber wolf. A small number, but growing population, of wolves now live in Wisconsin, one of just nine states in the country where timber 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. Wolves can be distinguished by tracks and various physical features. A wolf usually places its hind foot in the track left by the front foot, whereas a dog's front and hind foot tracks usually do not overlap each other.