"MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin wildlife officials on Thursday released their first new wolf management plan in almost a quarter-century but the document doesn’t establish a new statewide population goal, a number that has become a flashpoint in the fight over hunting quotas.
The Department of Natural Resources adopted a wolf management plan in 1999 that calls for capping the statewide population at 350 animals. As the number of wolves in Wisconsin has increased — the DNR released estimates in September showing that the population currently stands at 970 — hunters have used that 350 number to justify generous quotas, much to the chagrin of animal rights advocates.
The draft plan the DNR released Thursday strips hunters of that argument by eliminating a statewide population goal. Instead it recommends the DNR with the help of advisory committee monitor local populations within the state’s six wolf hunting zones and decide whether to reduce the local population, keep it stable or allow it to grow. "
Todd Richmond reports for the Associated Press November 10, 2022.
