Wolf's Days Are Numbered in WI

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Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
101 S Webster, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707
Phone: 888-936-7463 TDD: 711
dnr.wi.gov - www.wisconsin.gov
Archived under: [dnr.wi.gov/news]

Wisconsin's long fought battle to manage growing wolf populations within its borders is nearly over
Contact(s): Bill Cosh, DNR spokesperson – (608) 267-2773
MADISON -- With the announcement today that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is removing the gray wolf from Endangered Species Act protection (exit DNR), Wisconsin’s long fought battle to manage growing wolf populations within its borders is nearly over. Gov. Scott Walker has charged the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources with being ready to begin implementing Wisconsin’s Wolf Management plan by Feb. 1, 2012.
“We are eager and ready to take on the challenges of wolf management,” said DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp. “We appreciate Governor Walker’s attention to this issue.”
More information about the gray wolf in Wisconsin and a copy of the Wisconsin Wolf Management Plan are available on the DNR website.
Stepp also thanked the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (exit DNR) for their responsiveness to the concerns that she raised, especially with regard to their finding that the population of wolves in the Western Great Lakes is a single species. In addition, she praised the work of Wisconsin’s Congressional Delegation and that of Michigan and Minnesota in raising the importance of addressing this issue now at the national level.
“I want to acknowledge the citizens of Wisconsin for their patience as we worked on the delisting,” said Stepp. “They were persistent in bringing their concerns to my attention. It is because of that persistence that we were able to achieve the delisting.”
Today’s action is only the first step in the process. Once wolves are delisted, the DNR will be able to do depredation controls, via trapping and permits to landowners in depredation areas.
“While the department is committed to long-term conservation of wolves in Wisconsin, it is critical that we be allowed to manage wildlife populations within our borders,” said Stepp.
 
It's good news. They say we have 800 but I say that not possible. It's way more than that. Spend time in the northern or central forest part of the state when there is snow on the ground. The ratio from deer to wolf tracks you'll see doesn't jive with the numbers the DNR tries to sell.

Total species wipeout isn't what I'd want they do need to be managed the deer herd is hurting up north. They are also targeting a lot of dogs.

Within legal hunting methods I don't believe we could really kill them all probably not even most. Out west they are having trouble filling their season quota limits, Montana just extended their season or at least there was talk about it. Alaskans use aerial gunning. Year ago they used poisons and dug up dens to kill the packs.

I look forward to the chance to hunt wolves but realistically it's probably not going to happen soon.
 
Theyre certainly around at our place up north. I hear them and I dont see many deer anymore.

Will be good to control them - whatever that number is.
 
Our family's traditional deer and grouse hunting grounds are near Elcho. 3 years, 18 days total spent in the woods during gun season without seeing a deer. There are very few left. For 10 years the wolves and man [with unlimited doe tags] have ravaged the herd. Now there are so few deer the wolves have moved on to better hunting grounds.

My wife and I have a lake cottage in Vilas County and the deer hunting is as bad up there. Wolves are very active, too. We've had several wolf attacks on dogs in peoples' back yards. I no longer let my setter run loose around the cabin. He goes on a long leash when he goes outside to pee. Even then I watch him closely.

The sire of my newest pup was killed this summer by wolves up south of Ashland. A pretty sad situation for that family and the kennel lost a good breeding male.

Also a lot of coyotes in both locations. It's gotten to where I will think really hard about shoot/shovel/shut up if I see a wild canine in the woods. DNR says 7 wolves shot during this past gun season. I hear a lot of talk that would blow away that number, if true.
 
Grouse hunt with a french brittany and a drahthaar. They especially the britt are a lot of times out of site more times then not when the leaves are still on the trees. They check in often and we have an astro so always know where they are at. I'd rather not hunt in wolf country with a big ranging dog that is rarely seen also like to watch my dogs work too. Wolves are not something I worry about much though. Porcupines are much more of a realistic problem.

I carry a double stack high capacity .45 pistol.
 
I don't worry about wolves when bird hunting. They are still a reclusive animal for the most part. But dogs have been attacked when in close proximity to their owners, so it's possible. My setter ranges up to 50 yards and in a lot of cover you can't see him at 10. Wolves can kill or maim in a very short attack, but what's the point of worrying about it? I'd rather hunt.
 
Who here is going to hunt them when we get a season?

I like hunting coyotes with calls and plan to do the same for wolves if we get the chance but I think they will be very hard to hunt. 12/23 of this year we were spending the night at our cabin near black river falls I went out behind the cabin in the dark in a small opening. Within a minute of calling I heard something running behind me turned to see a canine of sorts but it was much to large to be a coyote. Sure it was a wolf and it was heading right down wind of me. Didn't get a good look with just the dusting of snow and no light to use he blending into the thick hazel brush and jack pines. A lot of wolves in that area of Eastern Jackson county. I've seen several.
 
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