Dogs banned from wolf hunt in WI until at least December 20

By Paul A. Smith of the Journal Sentinel

Oct. 4, 2012

 

A lawsuit to prevent the use of dogs to hunt or trail wolves in Wisconsin has succeeded until at least Dec. 20, the date Judge Peter Anderson will hold the next hearing in the case.

As the result, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued a statement Thursday alerting wolf hunters that "the season will proceed but without the use of dogs."

The wolf hunting and trapping season is scheduled to begin Oct. 15. The use of dogs to pursue wolves had been authorized by state statute to begin Nov. 26.

Groups and individuals filed a lawsuit against the DNR in August, claiming the department did not have adequate rules in place to prevent potentially deadly exchanges between wolves and dogs.
Wisconsin is the only state to authorize the use of dogs to hunt wolves. The practice was included in Act 169, passed in April by the legislature. Plaintiffs claim the use of dogs to hunt or trail wolves violates state animal cruelty laws.

Judge Anderson placed an injunction on the use of dogs to hunt or trail wolves while the case is being decided. He will hold a hearing Dec. 20 to consider the state's request to lift the injunction.

The DNR has issued 1,160 wolf hunting and trapping licenses. The wolf harvest quota was set at 201 statewide, 85 of which are reserved for Native Americans in the ceded territory.

The DNR established five wolf management zones, each with a harvest quota. The season would end in a zone when the harvest quota was reached. Hunters and trappers are required to report kills within 24 hours.

If the harvest quota is not reached, the season would run through Feb. 28.

The state's wolf population was estimated at between 815 and 880 animals in late winter, according to the DNR.

The western Great Lakes population of wolves was removed from federal protections of the Endanged Species Act in January. Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan subsequently enacted their state wolf management plans.

The Minnesota legislature approved a wolf hunting and trapping season to begin in November. A lawsuit was filed in Minnesota court in September, claiming inadequate public input was gathered before setting the season. No decision has been made in that case.

A wolf hunting bill has been introduced in Michigan's legislature but has yet to be acted on.
The other states with wolf hunting and trapping seasons are Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.

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