State DNR Board May Not Favor Wolf Hunting Yet
Wisconsin Ag Connection – 05/29/2008
Even though hunters, anglers and others who attended the Conservation Congress hearings earlier this year voted overwhelmingly to develop a hunting season on wolves to keep population levels under control, the state’s natural resources board many not be willing to give the idea a shot. On Wednesday, Wisconsin Conservation Congress Chairman Ed Harvey presented a proposal to the DNR Board to re-establish a wolf hunting season. But the panel failed to take any action.
According to the Associated Press, the federal government removed wolves from the endangered species list a year ago, deciding the population had rebounded to stable levels in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. But numbers released just last week indicated that the current wolf count may be around 537 and 564 animals in Wisconsin, about the same number as a year ago.
In 2007 wolves caused depredation to livestock on 30 farms, which is an all-time record. In 2006 wolves killed livestock on 25 farms.
Meanwhile, Wildlife Services staff from the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducted trapping on most Wisconsin farms hit by wolf depredation last year–capturing and killing 37 wolves and one wolf dog hybrid. The also DNR issued shooting permits to 25 landowners with recent wolf problems in 2007, but no wolves were shot on these permits.