For the first time in nearly 25 years, people in Wisconsin have the opportunity to weigh in on a set of rules governing how wolves in our state will be regulated in the years ahead. Because these rules will govern the actual practices of future hunting and trapping seasons on wolves (i.e. where and how wolves can be killed if a hunting season remains mandated under Wisconsin law), it is very important that Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) develops rules that reflect not only the best science but the values and conservation ethic of Wisconsinites.
As with everything, the devil is in the details, and this proposed Wolf Rule Package is no exception. While it includes a number of important changes/improvements relating to wolves’ treatment in Wisconsin, there is also room for improvement in some critical aspects.
What will be challenging for us as Sierra Club members, is to champion those rules which reflect wolf conservation gains, while flagging those rules which do not. The reason it is important to support the DNR on the improvements and conservation gains reflected in the rule package is that, if we don’t, it is certain that these gains will be under attack by trophy hunters intent on expanding the hunting, trapping, and hounding of wolves.
Simply stated, the DNR will need to remain committed to the science, while improving the aspects of the rule that fall short. This is where you come in…we need your help with sending DNR as many public comments as possible between NOW and September 15th when the public comment window closes.
See the Draft Rule Package here: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/sites/default/files/topic/Rules/WM0321DraftRule2.pdf.
Don't have time to write your own comment? Build off of our draft comment here.
To help facilitate this important Wisconsin Sierra Club ask of its members (and their families and friends), our Wisconsin Chapter’s Wildlife Committee has put together the following list of talking points for you (1) to weave into your own personal comments or (2) to send in with your own signature. Whichever way you choose, the most important thing is that you do it!!
Proposed Rule changes we support:
- DNR’s stated commitment to wolf management based on best available science, rather than a numerical population goal.
- DNR to issue wolf “harvest” tags (i.e. hunting and trapping licenses) specific to one or two zones within a 6 zone map—an improvement over the Department’s issuance of tags valid in any open zone statewide as has been allowed in previous hunting and trapping seasons. This change will prevent wolf kill exceedances, particularly on public lands in core wolf habitat, where wolves provide important eco-services vis-à-vis forest health and CWD containment.
- DNR to create new sub-harvest zones to enable low kill-quota areas around Tribal Reservations in recognition of wolves’ (ma'iingan’s) cultural significance to many Wisconsin Tribes.
- Limits on hound dog training and hunting. DNR will limit the months during which hunters can train their hound dogs to pursue/harass wolves. Under the proposed rule, hound training on wolves will be “closed” as soon as the hunting quota is reached in that zone. This is a large improvement over the current status quo which allows hunters to train hound dogs to pursue/harass wolves throughout the year 24/7 anytime wolves are delisted, even during mating, breeding and pup-raising times of the year.
- Hound hunters also will not be permitted to use dogs to pursue wolves during nighttime hours.
- Rule will reduce the time a hunter or trapper must register their kill to within 8 hours, an improvement from the existing 24 hour reporting period which enabled the drastic over-kill of wolves in February 2021.
Improvements we wish to see added to Proposed Rule Package:
- Further restrict night hunting, especially over bait, as night hunting increases the risk of “losing” shot wolves. Night hunting was not allowed in the hunts of 2012, 2013 or 2014.
- Prohibit use of motor vehicles including UTVs, ATVs, snow machines, snowmobiles, especially in coordination with hound hunting, on the grounds that such pursuit is NOT Fair Chase and has led to past quota exceedances, as seen in the February 2021 wolf hunt.
- Require the issuance of a hound training license for those aiming to train dogs to track or trail wolves. A training license will aid DNR’s ability to regulate those who are training versus those who are hunting.
- Creation of 2 separate advisory committees - a citizen stakeholder committee and a scientific committee composed of wolf biologists.
- Requirement of Full carcass inspection – not just pelt examination—as pelts alone provide markedly inadequate information about the wolves’ biological condition prior to death.
- Creation of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) zones to limit wolf mortality in areas where wolves are needed to prevent further incidence and spread of CWD.
- Wolves removed by Wildlife Services for livestock issues should be counted in the mortality rate for that zone prior to determining wolf harvest quotas.
Please send in your comments BEFORE 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 15, 2023 the Attention of Scott Karel at DNRAdministrativeRulesComments@wisconsin.gov.