BigGameHoundsmen.com

Legislators on Friday introduced the "Wolf Management Act" to allow public hunting and trapping of gray wolves in Wisconsin.

The legislation, Assembly Bill 502, was co-sponsored by Representatives Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) and Roger Rivard (R-Rice Lake).

"We've got real issues with wolves up here," Rivard said, speaking by phone Friday from near Rice Lake. "It's not theoretical. They are in our back yards."

Suder said the intent was to provide the Department of Natural Resources with flexibility to properly manage the state's wolf population. Current state law allows lethal control of wolves at or near depredation sites, but does not allow a public hunting or trapping season.

The revenue from sales of wolf application permits and licenses would be used to offset costs of compensation to residents for wolf depredation of livestock and pets. Suder said if any money was left, it could be used by the DNR for wolf management.

Following guidelines used for black bear hunting in Wisconsin, the bill would limit the number of tags available. Hunters and/or trappers could accumulate preference points to increase the odds of drawing a tag in future years.

The DNR would establish the number of licenses issued.

According to the initial draft, the bill would establish a wolf hunting and trapping season from "October 15th to the end of February the following year."

The bill would also divide the state into four wolf managment zones.

Hunters could use bows, crossbows or firearms. Bait, dogs and electronic calls would be legal, too. Trappers would be required to use cable restraints.

Night hunting would be allowed after the traditional gun deer season ended in November.

Hunters or trappers who killed a wolf would be required to register it by phone.

The Department of Natural Resources would retain authority to close the season with 24 hours notice in order to "effectively manage the wolf population in a zone."

A hearing is planned before the Assembly's Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday morning in Madison.

"We've got some bipartisan support," Suder said. "I'm hopeful this bill will move ahead this session

If it gets to the Gov. desk I'm sure it will get signed.

Lets all hope it does!

Would be great if it was to happen. Not going to hold my breath, but will cross a few fingers. I too believe if it hits the governor's desk it will get signed. That is if Walker is still in there when it does. If not who knows what will happen. Depends on what we get.

That sounds great! I like the fact they are going to let you use calls, dogs, and night hunt. Your chances of getting one should be good. I hope it passes, and the other states soon follow.

It's about time if it does get that far after all of the dogs and livestock that have been lost in this state to wolves.

I wish they would set a quota and sell tags over the counter.When the quota is filled, close the season.Look at the number of license they sell in Idaho, and the money generated from it.The WI dnr will probably give out 10 tags and think they will kill 20 wolves.And half the tags will probably go to the native Americans.

I'm not holding my breath on this deal, but I would be ALL OVER hunting them with dogs. Section off a solo one and then pack that SOB with about 6 tough dogs. It's either baying or coming out, and it's all going down in a halo of gunfire. I've seen what these crittes are capable of and we are well past being able to get some payback.

What I don't understand is why the DNR can't go into problem depredation areas, say the Flag river bottoms, or East of Solon, or Shanagolden, or the Empire and just wipe out a bunch of those packs who always kill dogs. Just go in there and take out 20 of them to see if it makes a difference. It sure as heck can't hurt.

the WIDNR is missing out on a goldmine here. sell a $20 wolf hunting permit and every tom, dick and harry will buy one for deer season. say only half of all gun deer hunters buy one, thats SIX MILLION DOLLARS minimum - you could easily charge more! thats money that you could count on every year. then you can still satisfy the hippies by keeping the quota ridiculously low (like they are sure to do either way). they already have the text/email alert system in place to shut the season down when the quota is met. its the system they are using in idaho and montana and its working great. im not sure what they are afraid of. at this point, there is no way to know how the success rates will be, so they are basically going to guess - which shouldnt be too surprising, given how wolves have been managed to this point.

i don't know that i would run them with dogs without everyone having a tag. it would be tough to keep the shooter at the front of the chase, especially if its someone who isn't used to such fast-paced hunting, which you will inevitably get with a lottery draw for tags.

i have confidence in this bill cause as the numbers grow, the dnr is become over whelmed and will have no choice. I m not sure if someone has already said this and i missed it but here is what coming down the pipeline for possible tag available. There will be 750 tags BUT there divided up between Min., Wis, and Mich. And where(Wis) getting the least at 200 and the rest will divided up for Min. and Mich. the first is a random lottery and then it goes like bear tags with preference points. There is some good news for farmers and other livestock owner/operators you'll be able to apply for damage permits and i don't think there is a number on those but don't quote me on that. And as the above comment about running dogs on them i c the appeal and from my personal experience deer hunting in northern wisconsin i ve seen them in the woods from 50ft while i was in a ground blind(need less to say i didn't catch a nap that day). There huge, small ones(around 100lbs) have about 30lbs on most big hounds. my dads seen them in a full run and he said hes never seen a dog run any where to that fast. remember they run down deer and i have never seen a hound get close. there very territorial and for being able to run just on one. rule of thumb for every one u c theres 1or 2 more in bush that u cant c. the only dog i think would the size to bay them would be bloodhound but there to slow. if they start chasing them theres a good chance they ll either turn and fight if there close enough to there den and call for others. for the cost of a box of rifle bullets and a call i think its worth more than a hounds life. remember there fighters by in stinkt. another problem is that the wolves are getting bold cause theyve gone unchecked for so long. wolves are the only animal that holds a grudge. and its not a federal offense to shot them u cant go to jail any more u just get a fine. And if u guys run into dnr agent out in the field don't bit there head off about they know the problem its the ones in office building all day they right the rule that are lost.

hey i dont c dogs working but if i c it done without alot dog losses i ll believe it then.

Some more info I found from yesterday.



Feb. 1, 2012

Madison - The state's management of the gray wolf has been dominated by protection of the federal Endangered Species Act for nearly all of the last 40 years.

That officially changed last Friday, when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service returned the species to state management.

In the last six days, the wolf became classified as a protected wild animal in Wisconsin; the state began issuing wolf kill permits to landowners and farmers who incurred depredation to livestock; and a wolf hunting and trapping bill was introduced in the Wisconsin Legislature.

If you detect pent-up desire for action on wolf issues, you're not imagining things.

"It might seem fast, but we've been waiting for years to be able to do more to control wolves in Wisconsin," said Rep. Roger Rivard (R-Rice Lake). "This bill didn't happen overnight."

Rivard and Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) are co-authors of Assembly Bill 502, legislation they're calling the Wisconsin Wolf Management Act.

The bill had a hearing at the Capitol on Wednesday before the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

The bill spells out provisions for a "public wolf harvest."

"We want to carefully manage the burgeoning population of wolves," Suder said. "This is not an open season. We've been working very hard with the DNR to put the proper controls in place."

Modeled after rules used for bear hunting in Wisconsin, the bill would limit the number of tags. Hunters and/or trappers could accumulate preference points to increase the odds of drawing a tag in future years.

It would cost $10 to apply for a wolf license. If selected through a drawing, it would cost state residents $100 and non-residents $500 to buy the license.

According to the initial draft, the wolf hunting and trapping season would run from "Oct. 15th to the end of February the following year."

The bill would also divide the state into four wolf management zones. Hunters could use bows, crossbows or firearms. Bait, dogs and electronic calls would be legal, too. Trappers would be allowed to use snares or leg hold traps.

Night hunting would be allowed after the traditional gun deer season ended in November.

Hunters or trappers who killed a wolf would be required to register it by phone.

The DNR would retain authority to close the season with 24 hours notice in order to "effectively manage the wolf population in a zone."

Fifteen groups or individuals testified or registered in support of the bill, including the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, National Rifle Association, Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Association, Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association, United Sportsmen of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association.

It was opposed by two individuals and the Humane Society of the United States.

The Department of Natural Resources testified "for information only." But Kurt Thiede, administrator of the agency's Land Division, called it a "historic day."

"With the introduction of AB 502, and our discussion of a potential wolf harvest season, we acknowledge that the gray wolf population has improved in our state beyond multiple recovery standards and is a remarkable success story of endangered species management," Thiede said.

Thiede said the department had not determined the maximum safe harvest level for wolves in the state. Wisconsin had an estimated 800 wolves at the end of last winter.

But he said it was crucial to be conservative in the first years of state wolf management.

“We need to be able to assure we maintain a sustainable population of wolves and that wolves are viewed as a valued species on our landscape,” Thiede said. “It is in everyone’s interest that we effectively manage wolves so we are able to retain management of these majestic creatures.”

Thiede asked for eight months (twice as long as the legislators had requested) to allow the agency to review the economic impact, assess the latest population information and develop permanent rules for the potential hunting and trapping season.

Several people recommended modifications.

Dick Thiel, one of the state's foremost wolf authorities and recently retired from the DNR, recommended the number of wolf management zones be increased to allow more flexibility. He also advised against night hunting.

“These are not raccoons,” Thiel said. “It’s asking for trouble to pursue them after dark.”

Thiel advocated for a season that ran in December and January and ended before the annual late winter wolf population survey.

He also recommended that hunters or trappers be required to bring harvested wolves to registration stations.

Such a measure would allow biologists to gather valuable information on sex, age and condition of wolves as well as provide hunters and trappers with a CITES tag for transport of the animal outside the state.

Randy Jurewicz, also a recent DNR retiree, worked on wolf management for 31 years and is intimately familiar with damage claims.

He recommended the bill be redrafted to make sure money from the Endangered Resources fund is not used for wolf damage compensation now that the species has been delisted.

“If you don’t change that, it will devastate the Endangered Resources fund,” Jurewicz said.

Tim Van Deelen, an associate professor of wildlife ecology at the University of Wisconsin, testified in favor of the bill.

“I am a fan of Wisconsin’s conservation legacy, I support hunting as a means to achieve wildlife management goals and I support having a public wolf hunt in Wisconsin,” Van Deelen said.

Van Deelen said there should be two imperatives for state wolf management: to minimize depredations and to avoid population declines that would trigger Endangered Species Act protections.

Van Deelen, Thiel and Randy Jurewicz helped write the state's 1999 wolf management plan. At the time, the recovery goal was considered 350 wolves. All three testified that 350 should be seen as a minimum number, not a target.

“The last thing we want is to drive this species down to the point the federal government will step in,” Thiel said. Alyson Bodai, state director of the Humane Society of the United States, opposed the bill.

“The state’s principal goal now should be the resolution of wolf conflicts with farmers, not hunting and trapping of wolves,” Bodai said. “As long as wolves remain delisted, the state can authorize owners of livestock and domestic animals to address bona fide incidents of depredation. This, we believe, will largely resolve the issue of wolf depredation, which has been underlying wolf conflicts for many years.”

Bodai urged development of non-lethal techniques to discourage wolves from depredating livestock.

The bill is attracting bipartisan support; several amendments are expected in coming days and no one at the hearing doubted it would pass the Assembly.

Legislation alone might not be enough to allow for wolf hunting and trapping in Wisconsin.

Thiel stressed the importance of moderation in wolf issues.

"I've been in the wolf business for 40 years," Thiel said. "Some portions of this will offend people. To underestimate these opponents is to invite litigation in the state and federal courts that could lock up wolf management efforts for more years. And that would only increase the problems that we hope to begin addressing this year."

Suder and Rivard said amendments will be drafted in coming days. They hope to have the bill passed by the Assembly and Senate and signed into law by Gov. Scott Walker by April.

Just curious. I don't have wolves where I hunt.
This law seems to specifically allow hunting wolves with dogs, but it sounds like most of you with decent hounds don't want them anywhere near wolves. I'm all for allowing as much freedom as possible, but it sounds like anyone who tries to hunt wolves with dogs is going to give houndsmen a bad name because the dogs are going to be hurt. On the other hand, there are old world breeds with names like "wolfhound" which suggests it is possible to hunt some wolves somewhere with wolves. Are you just for allowing dogs to hunt wolves because this law allows wolves do be hunted and it happens to include a provision for dogs or is there some other logic going on here that I don't get?

I've heard the dog running is out....just what I heard...it would be sad if it's out..

Emily,

I would go for european stock or russian, they still use dogs on them all over there. A guy on here was using running bred dogs to run them somewhere in europe. But they have a small specie of wolves than us so I do not know if it would work well for sure but it is for them so probably would for us?