Wisconsin sifts through 3,500 comments about wolf plan

Nearly 3,500 comments have been collected regarding Wisconsin’s new wolf management plan. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) released its draft plan in November – the first new plan in about 25 years – and collected public comments through the end of February, according to the Associated Press.

The new plan eliminates the 350-wolf objective and, instead, recommends that WDNR “work with local advisory committees” to determine if populations should be reduced, maintained or increased. The comments collected were all over the place – some calling for restoring the state objective; others after a complete hunting ban. 

Wolf management is a controversial topic with supporters and opponents on all sides. Those in favor of restoring the 350-wolf goal include the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association and Safari Club International. However, comments from the Chippewa tribes, which hold the wolf “as a sacred brother,” said that “they cannot support hunting wolves” and requested inclusion on plan revisions with WDNR.

There is no known date for submission of a final Wisconsin wolf management plan. Officials say they are still sorting through the thousands of comments to consider for revision of the draft plan. Stay tuned to GOHUNT for further updates.