Hunters Killed Almost 100 More Wolves Than Authorized Under Quota

Hunters killed nearly 100 more wolves than the given portion as part of the state's first wolf hunt this week in six years. 

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources closed the Wolf season on Wednesday but State-licensed hunters made it known that 216 wolves were killed as of 3 p.m. on Thursday which is around 82 percent more than the 119 wolves they were allowed to have after distributing a 200 wolf quota with Wisconsin tribes.

(Photo : Steve)

The Department of Natural Resources  

In a media announcement on Thursday, the Department of Natural Resources disclosed the boundless majority of wolves amounting to 86 percent that was taken with hounds and 5 percent were killed by trappers. Nine percent of wolves were harvested through other methods. The only state that allows the use of dogs for wolf hunting in Wisconsin.

The Department of Natural Resources reported 54 percent of wolves killed by hunters were male while the females amount to 46 percent. This is the first wolf hunt to take place in the middle of the wolf's breeding season. This sparkles concerns about the effect of the hunt on wolf population and this is the first wolf hunt to be held in the middle of the wolf's breeding period. 

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Why DNR Didn't Close the Season Sooner 

When the Department of Natural Resources was asked why they did not act to close the season sooner, the DNR officials said they were studying the harvest by the hour. But, Eric Lobner, director of the Department of Natural Resources's Wildlife Management Bureau, said there's nothing much they could do as they are required under the state law to provide 24-hour notification to hunters. 

Over 2,300 wolf permits were accessible to hunters during the shortened wolf season, and Director Lobner said the total number of tags given made it hard to manage and meet the harvest goal of the state. The agency gave over 1,400 permits for this week's hunt. 
The wolf season was held against the Department of Natural Resources direction that the hunt recommenced in November.

The agency's decision to defer a hunt this winter got a lot of reactions from Republican lawmakers and hunters, thereby leading to a lawsuit filed on behalf of Kansas-based Hunter Nation by a Conservative Advocacy group.

(Photo : Steve)

The Department was Pressured to Hold a Hunt 

The Department of Natural Resources is mandated to hold a single season when the animal is not recorded as an endangered species. Hunters and farmers refer to livestock and pets that have been killed by wolves as their population had risen close to 1,200 wolves before the hunt. 

The wolf hunt rivals say the DNR was pressured to hold a hunt not based on sound science. Wisconsin tribes along with Environmental and animal rights groups have argued the management plan of the state's wolves, which set a quota of 350 wolves, is immensely obsolete.

Hunters can now begin application for the Nov. 6 wolf hunt. The agency is creating a wolf advisory committee to help build up quota suggestions for the fall wolf season. 

Discussion and consultation with the Wisconsin tribes about the next wolf quota would start after population surveys of the animal ends in April. The Department of Natural Resources projects to bring a quota before the board in August for approval. 

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