By Paul A. Smith of the Journal Sentinel
At least eleven wolves were killed over the opening weekend of the Wisconsin gun deer season, bringing the 2012 wolf harvest to 89 and prompting state wildlife officials to consider closures of additional wolf management zones.
The kill total represents 77% of the wolf harvest quota for non-tribal hunters and trappers.
Kurt Thiede, Administrator of the Department of Natural Resources’ Land Division, said agency managers would meet Monday to discuss closures of Zones 1 (91% of quota) and 5 (83%).
The DNR closed wolf management zones 2 and 4 last week as they neared harvest quotas.
In the first year of its state-managed wolf hunting and trapping season, the DNR wants to demonstrate it has control over harvest of the species and does not want to exceed established quotas.
As expected, the wolf kill increased Saturday and Sunday, the first days of the Wisconsin gun deer hunting season.
The 11 wolves registered over the weekend are the most in any two-day period of the season.
Ten of the 11 were taken by hunters using firearms, said Thiede. The other was taken by a trapper using a foot-hold trap.
The DNR set a statewide harvest quota of 201 wolves, including 85 for American Indian tribes in the ceded territory.
The balance of the quota for non-tribal hunters was divided into six management zones.
The season opened Oct. 15 and is scheduled to run through Feb. 28 or until harvest quotas are met.
At the rate wolf kills are being recorded, the season will likely end in the coming weeks.
As of last week, two-thirds of the wolves have been taken by trappers using foot-hold traps; the others were killed by hunters using firearms. The wolves were harvested in 23 counties.
The agency reported 875 wolf hunting and trapping licenses had been sold as of Monday, including six to nonresidents. The state authorized the sale of 1,160 licenses.
Zones 1, 3, 5 and 6 were listed as open by the DNR on Monday. But the agency may issue closures in the near future.
The DNR will announce closures by news releases, notification at dnr.wi.gov, and on the wolf call-in number (855) 299-9653. Hunters and trappers are responsible to check for and know about zone closures. DNR encourages hunters and trappers to check the website or the call-in number daily.
Here’s a list of the zones, the wolf non-tribal harvest quota and number of wolves registered as of Monday morning:
Zone 1, 32 harvest quota, 29 wolves registered
Zone 2, 20, 18 Closed
Zone 3, 18, 8
Zone 4, 5, 4 Closed
Zone 5, 23,19
Zone 6, 18, 11
A map of the zone can be found below. You can find more information on the zones on the DNR’s wolf hunting and trapping page.