The Great Plains wolf at one time had the largest range of any subspecies in North America, inhabiting most of the Western United States, southeastern Alaska, and central and northeastern Canada. However, by the 1930s, the subspecies had been almost totally eradicated from the United States. By the mid-1960s, just a few still survived in northeastern Minnesota along the Ontario border. It is currently found in the western Great Lakes region of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Upper Michigan and Ontario. The size of the wolf's territory can vary depending on the type and availability of prey.
The Great Plains wolf preys on white-tailed deer, moose, snowshoe hare, small birds, and rodents such as beaver.