Wolves killed a 15-month-old cow Oct. 24 north of Ridgeland in southern Barron County.

The animal's owner, Eric Runkle, believed the wolves consumed the 750-pound animal overnight, leaving just a few pieces of hide and bones.

The state Department of Natural Resources and federal wildlife officials now believe the wolves had two nights to finish off the animal, but it was a confirmed wolf kill, said Adrian Wydeven, the DNR's wolf biologist.

It would still take a good-size pack of wolves to completely devour a 750-pound animal in two days, Wydeven said. A grown wolf can eat 20 pounds of meat in a sitting and up to 30 pounds during the night. It's possible other predators and scavengers also were involved, he said.

"We've had a known pack south of there. We didn't know we had a pack in this area. That's one of the things we're trying to find out," he said.

In September, two calves were killed about 14 miles from where the cow was attacked. Both animals were in the town of Dovre, south of Chetek in far southeastern Barron County.

A wolf pack has been in northern Dunn County for about three years, and it may be that this pack is venturing north into Barron County, Wydeven said.

The Dunn County wolves repeatedly have been photographed on trail cameras near Wheeler, he said. The photos include a collared wolf, but DNR pilots have not been able to detect a radio signal.

"We're seeing a picture of a collared wolf. It's either a long-lost animal and a collar that no longer functions or it's from an area we're not familiar with. It may be a Michigan animal," he said.

The farmer who owned the cow will be compensated at market value from the state's endangered resources fund, Wydeven said.

If anyone has further photos or evidence of a wolf pack in the town of Dovre, they should contact the DNR, he said. In Barron County, the DNR Service Center in Cumberland can be reached at 715-822-3590.