Written by The Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin wildlife officials plan to choose who gets a permit for the state’s new wolf hunt next week.
Nearly 20,000 people had applied for 1,160 non-tribal permits as of Friday, the last day for applications. The Department of Natural Resources plans to pick the winners through an electronic lottery on Wednesday.
Winners will be notified the following week. The hunt is set to begin Oct. 15 and run through the end of February.
The legislation creating the hunt allows hunters to use dogs to track down wolves following the November gun deer season. A group of humane societies filed a lawsuit alleging DNR emergency rules enacting the hunt failed to include reasonable restrictions on dog use, which they argue could result in brutal wolf-dog confrontations in the woods.
Dane County Circuit Court Judge Peter Anderson last month temporarily blocked wolf hunters from using dogs while he considers the lawsuit. He’s expected to take up a DNR motion to dismiss the case on Sept. 14.
DNR officials plan to send letters to lottery winners alerting them to the dog ban and launch a media campaign to raise awareness of the prohibition.
The agency plans to ask the DNR board at its Sept. 26 meeting for permission to draft emergency restrictions on dog use this winter.