Wisconsin Shuts Down Hunt After 216 Wolves Are Killed In 3 Days

[DonViejo]

02/26/2021 09:28 pm ET

Hunters blew past a cap of 119 wolves after the Trump administration ditched protections for the animals just last month.

By Mary Papenfuss

Wisconsin officials shut down a planned weeklong wolf hunt in just three days after 216 of the animals were killed — 82% more than the maximum that had been set by the state.

“This season trampled over tribes’ treaty rights, the Wisconsin public, and professional wildlife stewardship,” a spokesperson for the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission told The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“It will go down as a stark example of mismanagement, and the problems that can be expected when the state Legislature and the courts embrace special interest groups over the public as a whole.”

Megan Nicholson, director of the Wisconsin chapter of the Humane Society of the United States, called the killing spree a “deeply sad and shameful week for Wisconsin.”

more
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/wisconsin-wolf-hunt-216-endangered-species_n_60398372c5b601179ebd8716

[USALiberal]

1. Did they eat them? Nt

[harumph]

3. That's a joke - right?

[USALiberal]

5. I hear that hunters kill only for food BS! Nt

[WhiskeyGrinder]

13. I know someone who does.

[marble falls]

47. Fair question.

[Thekaspervote]

2. Shameful!

[MustLoveBeagles]

9. +1

[bronxiteforever]

4. K&R for visibility of GOP's war against wildlife.

“Let’s face it. Nature is losing. The wild places of the world are disappearing, and will continue to disappear, until they are no more. I used to think I’d be dead long before it was all gone, but I don’t think that anymore.

According to the biennial report, Living Planet Report 2020 published by the World Wildlife Fund and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), global populations of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles fell by two-thirds (68%) between 1970 and 2016.

Just two years ago, that number was only 60%. In some areas, like the Western Hemisphere’s tropics, they have declined by 94%...”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2020/09/18/nature-dying-by-a-thousand-cuts/?sh=748687ec4eb5

[fescuerescue]

27. I don't really think of Wisconsin as Red state though

Sure probably take a look at the state government we are critisizing.

[bronxiteforever]

42. Where did I write Wisconsin is a red state

Oh that’s right-I didn’t.
Sure probably take a look at how this decision was made.

[fescuerescue]

56. It sucks that Republicans control our lives

even where we think we have control.

[GulfCoast66]

53. I don't disagree at all. But hunting is generally not the problem. At least in the US.

It’s habit destruction and climate change. In many area of the US habitat is better than 80 years ago. When my dad was born in the 30’s there were no whitetail deer in his part of the south due to deforestation. But now people can kill up to 7 a year and they are still numerous.

That said as a hunter, I can’t see hunting a generally endangered animal I can’t even eat. Seems like a sin.

I hunt deer and generally take 1-3 a year but eat the whole animal. Liver and heart included. Seems the least I can do to respect its life.

[bronxiteforever]

54. I didn't write that hunting was the problem. The GOP

Is the problem. The article referenced the Trump Administration’s last minute change on the protection of the wolf.


Wolves lost protections in the waning days of the Trump administration against the objections of wildlife associations and environmental organizations. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service delisted gray wolves as endangered on Jan. 4, eliminating protections under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Experts warn that the wolf population has not yet recovered and a hunt like this could put the animals back on the road to extinction. Native American tribes, some of whom revere the wolf as a sacred animal, are also opposed to the hunt.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/wisconsin-wolf-hunt_n_60330622c5b66da5dba26725

The Trumplican party hates wildlife. The attack on migratory birds was another last minute move by that administration.

[GulfCoast66]

58. I had read they removed wolves from protection.

Which is crazy because they are not fully recovered.

Amazing how much pull cattle ranchers seem to have. And the irony is that many graze their cattle on government land for almost nothing.

[bronxiteforever]

59. The GOP will never listen to experts in the field.

It’s true in healthcare, wildlife management, etc.

Good hunters with the ethics like you are essential for species management and your fees help fund wildlife protections.

[MoonRiver]

6. Dear God, what blood thirsty monsters!

[Tree-Hugger]

7. Absolutely disgusting nt

[Tanuki]

8. This breaks my heart. It's like going out and shooting a German shepherd or husky,

just because Donald Trump said you can.

[Beringia]

10. Michigan just rushed through a resolution to allow hunting of Wolves this season

Many wolf supporters wanted Michigan DNR to do another updated review of wolf status in Michigan and the hunters couldn't wait and legislature rushed through SR 15 to open season immediately to hunt wolves. Even the DNR wanted to wait and do a thorough review first.




A resolution to urge the Natural Resources Commission to authorize, and the Department of Natural Resources to organize, wolf hunting and trapping as part of the state's wolf management efforts beginning in 2021.


http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2021-SR-0015

[Kaleva]

17. in Trump Country MI, many wolves are shot by residents

[roamer65]

37. Too bad the wolves couldn't have a Trumper season.

[Kaleva]

39. lol!

[Paladin]

11. The wolves exhibit a lot more intellect and nobility than do their killers.

Leave the predators alone---unlike their killers, the predators are fulfilling a useful function.

[housecat]

34. absolutely!

[SmartVoter22]

12. Let's hope DNA is collected from the cull

The University of WIsconsin should collect DNA from the culled wolves, for free and start or improve on the genetic data that we collect from our furry co-habitants. It's a good start to address long-term health issues with our wolves and other speices.

It could also help a national breeding program to avoid inbred 'pet' markets, where a wealthy must have a wolf.

[soothsayer]

15. Disgusting

[Hotler]

16. It's all about killing something with these folks. If they can't kill Democrats and liberals

might as well go after something else.

[mountain grammy]

30. Exactly!

[leftyladyfrommo]

18. Now they will complain because there are too many

deer and elk and moose.

[Major Nikon]

22. Wolves are a vital part of the ecosystem

Not only do they keep wild ruminant populations in check, they keep them from loitering near streams and rivers which destroys vital vegetation. Even if you have a wildlife management program which accomplishes the first of those things through hunts it won't accomplish the second.

[zeusdogmom]

48. This was proven when wolves were re-established in Yellow Stone

The link below will take you to good information

https://www.yellowstonepark.com/things-to-do/wolf-reintroduction-changes-ecosystem

[Major Nikon]

49. The biggest reason the rubes don't want the wolves is competition

Wolves are very efficient at culling wild ruminants, which makes hunting less necessary. The wolves also go after the weak and diseased animals first which is what you want vs people hunters who go after the strongest.

[Baitball Blogger]

19. Horrible.

[Judi Lynn]

20. DU'ers may remember Trump was fast to remove so many species from the endangered lists.

From the article:

But the number was reduced to 119 after the Ojibwe claimed their treaty rights to 81 of the animals. The Ojibwe consider the animals sacred and opposed the hunt. “To many Ojibwe communities, hunting in late February, a time when fur quality is poor and wolves are in their breeding season, is regarded as especially wasteful and disrespectful,” the Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, which represents 11 Ojibwe tribes in the Midwest, said in a statement.

. . .

Hunter Nation rushed to sue for the hunting and trapping season after wolves’ protections were eliminated when the Trump administration delisted the animals from the Endangered Species Act in January, just weeks before Donald Trump left office. GOP lawmakers backed the rush because they feared the Biden administration would reestablish protections for wolves.

The hunt began Monday and was supposed to run through Sunday. But the state Department of Natural Resources halted it on Wednesday afternoon when the body count skyrocketed. Hunters and trappers were given a 24-hour “grace period” allowing them to remain in the field until Thursday afternoon.

Officials said nearly 90% of the hunters used dogs to chase down the animals, and that fresh snow helped them track the wolves. Since the hunt occurred during breeding season, pregnant females were almost certainly among the dead. Forty-six percent of the animals killed were female, the Journal Sentinel reported.

[DenaliDemocrat]

41. This is what bothers me

As an Alaskan, we know that wolves will literally eat themselves out of home, crash ingulate populations, then starve themselves, then start it all over again. The classic predator/prey boom and bust cycle.

We artificially manage wildlife populations to avoid this, so proper management is required if you don’t want these cycles but rather a steady state balance. Taking of both prey and predators is required to do this. I don’t have a big problem with this if done as part of biological management. I am not emotionally vested an individual animal, but the population as a whole

I also expect any predators taken to have a purpose with their carcass. In this case, the pelts are unusable and the wolves are prepping to raise their Cubs. This is NOT management by science.

Travesty.

[bronxiteforever]

44. +100

[Johnny2X2X]

21. Ranchers are con artists.

Wolves rarely take livestock and when they do it’s usually the sick or dying. Or they scavenge off already dead animals.

Ranchers get compensated by the government if wolves kills their livestock, so they have friendly livestock officers who will call just about anything a wolf killing. An animal dies of sickness or an injury and gets scavenged in overnight by any critters in the area and they call it a wolf kill.

The wolves are no threat to humans. A very minimal threat to livestock. And they kill and eat an incredible amount of deer who are a very destructive problem for farmers. They’re not letting experts manage them, they’re letting blood thirsty hunters and lying ranchers dictate all of this. It’s a shame.

[Elessar Zappa]

29. Most ranchers don't lie about that, at least in my experience.

It is true that ranchers hate wolves and that wolves very rarely kill livestock but the ones I know wouldn’t scam the government by claiming livestock that died from other causes were killed by wolves. I’m sure some do but not the majority.

[yardwork]

23. Oh no.

[fwvinson]

24. I stepped outside this morning, I live in the middle of nowhere, which I love,

and heard a couple of wolves howling. What a beautiful sound.

[housecat]

35. indeed

[Disaffected]

25. Scum

[seta1950]

26. Sadly

We humans are the worst animals, we are bad for the planet and it’s inhabitants to say the least.
I LOVE WOLVES 😢

[fescuerescue]

28. Why would Wisconsin let this happen?

It's a BLUE state.

And Trump isn't President anymore.

Someone in Wisconsin government really messed up.

[Nasruddin]

43. Wisconsin: hunting culture

Hunting is a huge part of Wisconsin culture. Many fathers raise their sons to be hunters. A lot of money goes into prepping for hunting. I think some schools also take off time for hunting weeks or long weekends.

It's also big in neighboring states but Wisconsin may be the peak.

They have distorted their ecosystem to promote deer. It's probably unbelievable to most of you but when you drive along the roads (interstates, state highways, backroads) the carnage of dead deer along the roads is astounding. It's also dangerous to drive at night - wandering deer are everywhere. Of course promoting deer means promoting wolves (& bears, but there are relatively few of those). However wolves are a traditional hunters' target too.

I wouldn't get in front of this hunting culture if you want to keep Wisconsin blue. Control and licensing is one thing (not a problem there) but hunting's a part of the local scene.

[jukinbone]

31. Send a letter to your Reps and Sens

Hi Everyone,

Been a member since forever but this is my first post because this is a subject that goes straight to my soul. I live in Colorado and composed a note to Joe N., Michael B. and John H. I know folks are here from all over but I composed a Colorado-borne email below. Feel free to tweak and use.

Dear Senator Bennet,

On Nov. 6, 2020, Coloradoans voted to reintroduce wolves in Colorado. I'm writing you because wolves need to be protected at the federal level before this can be successful. Unfortunately, the wolves don't know where the state boundaries are. If a wolf steps over the state line into Wyoming, it's considered vermin and can be shot. This year, Wisconsin's wolf hunt resulted in 216 being killed which is 82% over their own self-imposed quota of 119. The wolves were removed from protection under the Endangered Species Act on January 4, 2021. Please do what you can to reinstate wolves for protection under the Federal Endangered Species Act.

Thank you.

[bluestarone]

32. Wouldn't bother me a bit if

The wolves they were shooting were the true wolves in the house and senate. (Sorry but i hate RETHUGS and QTHUGS)

[c-rational]

33. Sadness. We (humans in charge of such things) are truly ignorant.

[niyad]

36. May Artemis the Hunter deal with these killers appropriately.

[Elessar Zappa]

38. Disgusting.

Killing for thrills.

[wendyb-NC]

40. Blood thirsty, violent lunatics, with their right to keep arms

This is sad, sordid, willful, destruction of wolves, who pose no threat. I am so heart broken, by this mindless killing spree.

[Ziggysmom]

45. Our Wisconsin Republicans demanded the hunt take place

Everything repubes touch dies

[johnthewoodworker]

46. Wisconsin Republican/Nazi's are upset about the coup, so they kill things.

[BobTheSubgenius]

50. Not only are 216 dead, a good number probably suffered a great deal, too.

Barbaric and unnecessary slaughter.

[Blue Owl]

51. Did Sarah Palin move to Wisconsin or something?

[misanthrope]

52. Gee, who could have seen that coming?

Only everyone with a couple of working brain cells.

[Neema]

55. Absolutely revolting and enraging. I am an

omnivore so I do not blame those who hunt for food (unless they are hunting endangered species), but I will never, ever, ever understand on any level how one could derive an ounce of pleasure from killing another living being just for the fun of it.

When I see an animal in the wild I get so excited. I want to watch it, take photos, see it forage or interact with it’s young, etc. I have never once thought “oh it would be cool to shoot it and put it on my wall.”

God this makes me sick to my stomach and more ashamed of my species than ever.

[Initech]

57. This is why I hate hunting.

It takes a truly sick mind to do something like that.

[Elessar Zappa]

60. I don't mind hunting if it's for over populated animals

and that the hunters eat or donate their kill. Trophy hunting is just disgusting.

[lagomorph777]

61. Disgusting.