On 30 March 2016, Gov. Scott Walker signed 2015 assembly
Bill 700 into law. The now- 2015 WI Act 285 states that when wolves are no
longer listed as endangered: "The department shall establish a single
annual open season for both hunting and trapping wolves that begins on the
first Saturday in November of each year and ends on the last day of February of
the following year."
One of
the last acts of the Trump administration was to delist wolves in January 2021.
Citing the above law, hunting groups demanded that the DNR immediately allow
the hunting of WI wolves. An emergency meeting of the DNR's Natural Resources
Board, a panel of seven citizens, was called for January 22. After reviewing
more than 1,400 written comments and hearing from 41 people in remote
testimony, the Board voted 4 - 3 NOT to hold a February hunt. (For an
interesting article detailing this public hearing, please see:
'These are our brothers'.)
Our
relief was short-lived, though; almost immediately a Kanasa-based group filed a
lawsuit to force the hunt to go forward despite the overwhelming opposition
voiced by WI citizens. A judge found in favor of the hunters, an appeal by the
DNR was refused, and the hunt begins today.
The DNR sold around 4,000 licenses to kill 200 wolves
"outside reservation lands" in 6 days during breeding season.
"Hunters" are authorized to use baits, traps, "cable
restraints," dogs to track and trail, and to hunt at night (without dogs).
(EDIT: The "harvest" number has been lowered to 119; please
see below. Also, according to a story in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal,
"the DNR sold 27,151 wolf applications at $10 each. The DNR selected 2,380
hunters and trappers (20 times the quota of 119 wolves) through a drawing. As
of Tuesday morning, 1,486 licenses (1,465 resident, 21 nonresident) had been
sold, according to the DNR. The cost is $49 for Wisconsin residents, $251 for
nonresidents."
See full article here.)
According to the
WI DNR Wolf Hunting and Trapping web page, "The total
harvest quota for the February 2021 season has been set at 200 wolves. Fifty
percent of the harvest quota within the ceded territories has been reserved in
response to a declaration by the Ojibwe bands. The resulting harvestable quota
for state hunters and trappers is 119 wolves", broken out by Zone:
Updates as of 8 am, Feb. 26th (total
reported killed so far -- 216):
Zone 1: Quota - 31;
"harvested" - 50, CLOSED at 3 pm,
Wednesday the 24th
Zone 2: Quota - 18;
"harvested" - 45; CLOSED at 10:00
am, Wednesday the 24th.
Zone 3: Quota - 20;
"harvested" - 43; CLOSED at 3 pm,
Wednesday the 24th
Zone 4: Quota - 6;
"harvested" - 7; CLOSED at 3 pm,
Wednesday the 24th
Zone 5: Quota - 27;
"harvested" - 31; CLOSED at 10:00
am, Wednesday the 24th.
Zone 6: Quota - 17;
"harvested" - 40; CLOSED at 10:00
am, Wednesday the 24th.
For
more information, including wolf hunting regulations and zones, please see:
WI DNR Wolf Hunting and Trapping. You can read the
regulations for hunting and trapping here.
According to an Associated Press
news story: "The board estimates there will be one hunter for every
4-square miles -- versus the 10 hunters for every square-mile when compared to
deer season. The reason they are allowing 20 times the permits for the wolf
season is that the season is much short than other hunting seasons. They hope
by allowing that number of permits theyll meet their quota. Hunting
permits cost $10; resident licenses sell for $49" and non-resident
licenses cost $251. (Application for wolf hunting permits opens Tuesday, season to
begin Feb. 22 (MSN.com)
"Hunters have cited concerns
that they may have a limited window to harvest wolves if President Joe
Bidens administration restores federal protections for the animal after
he issued an executive order to review decisions made by the Trump
administration, including the wolf's delisting." (Wolf Hunt Will Move Forward After Panel Of Judges Dismisses DNR
Appeal)
According to the
WI DNR: Wolf
hunting and trapping web page, the final quota for the 2014/2016
hunt is 150 wolves. Zone 1 - 32; Zone 2 - 15; Zone
3 - 40; Zone 4 - 8; Zone 5 - 20, Zone 6 - 35. (Please click here for more info on location of zones.)
Zone 3 closed at noon on 5 Dec.; quota- 40, "harvested"- 30
Zone 6 closed at 8 am on 5 Dec.; quota- 35, "harvested"- 36
Zone 5 closed on 20 Oct.; quota- 20, "harvested"- 18
Zones 1 & 4 closed on 19 Oct. Zone 1 quota- 32,
"harvested" - 36. Zone 4
quota- 8, "harvested" - 5.
Zone 2 closed on 18 Oct., quota - 15, "harvested" -
29
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