Wisconsin Senate , Weighing Bill to Set , Wolf Hunting Limit.
On October 17, the Wisconsin Senate was scheduled to
pass a bill that would force state wildlife managers to
determine a goal for the state's wolf population.
Fox News reports that the bill comes after the
Department of Natural Resources failed to set
a hard cap on the state's wolf population.
Under the department's new management
plan, it recommended that the wolf
population be maintained around 1,000.
Since 1999, the state has operated under
a wolf management plan limiting the
state's wolf population at 350 animals. .
Fox News reports that the state's new plan would call on the
DNR to partner with advisory committees to decide whether
to reduce, maintain or allow local populations to grow.
Last month, state wildlife officials said that the bill would
allow local wolf populations to fluctuate and give them a
chance at maintaining those populations for years to come.
Local wolf populations have been
the focus of contentious debate
in Wisconsin for the last 30 years.
Farmers claim rising wolf populations have resulted in more
frequent attacks on livestocks, while animal rights advocates
say wolf populations are too fragile to support hunting.
According to Wisconsin law, the DNR is requires to
hold an annual wolf hunt, however gray wolves are
currently a federally protected endangered species.
As a result, the DNR has been working to update its
plan in the event that wolves are federally delisted
or hunting is allowed to resume in the state
