State wildlife officials say they’re confident Wisconsin’s wolf population can sustain losses from the first hunt since the lifting of federal protections even as hunters bagged far more than the established quota.
Hunters killed 216 wolves between Monday and Wednesday — about 18% of the estimated state population and almost double the quota for non-native hunters, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said Thursday.
Wisconsin wolf hunters blew past the state’s quota in just three days during the state’s first wolf season since federal protections were lifted, exceeding the state quota by more than 50%.
The Department of Natural Resources reported at 4 p.m. Wednesday that hunters had registered 182 wolves since the hunt began Monday, or about 15% of the estimated population. The quota for non-native hunters was 119 wolves.
Hunters exceeded quotas in each of the six zones and killed more than double the allotment in two that cover the lower two thirds of the state and a large portion along the Michigan border, where hunting closed at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
The rest of the state was closed to hunting at 3 p.m.
The DNR’s policy board approved a quota of 200 wolves, of which 81 were allocated to the Ojibwe Tribes in accordance with treaty rights for parts of northern Wisconsin that were ceded to the United States in the 1800s.
DNR spokeswoman Sarah Hoye said the total may not be met if the tribes do not use their allocation, which they have not done in previous seasons.
The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) opposed the hunt, which it said was held without an updated management plan, buffers to protect packs that live on reservation lands, or consultation with the tribes.
“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 organization said in a statement.
GLIFWC spokesman Dylan Jennings said he did not yet have data on how many — if any — wolves were taken by tribal members.
“Whatever the tribes choose to do with their permits, that’s their decision,” Jennings said.
The DNR estimates there were 1,195 wolves in the state as of April 2020. The state wolf management plan goal is 350 wolves living outside of tribal reservations.
Hoye said the quota was set with a goal of keeping the population stable.
“The wolf population in Wisconsin is healthy, capable of sustaining harvest, and remains well connected to neighboring wolf populations in Michigan and Minnesota,” Hoye said.
More than 27,000 people applied last week for licenses for the truncated hunting season, and the DNR issued 1,486 tags, including 21 to hunters from out of state.
The Trump administration removed the gray wolf from the endangered species list in January, returning management to the states. Wisconsin law requires a wolf hunt be held from November through February when federal protections are not in place.
The DNR initially planned to hold a hunt in November, saying it could not establish science-based quotas and comply with Native American treaty requirements, but a Jefferson County judge ordered a hunt to be held this winter after a Kansas-based hunting group sued.
A state court of appeals dismissed the DNR’s request to block the order.
Wisconsin last held a wolf hunt in 2014, but the law allows people to shoot wolves if there is an immediate threat to human safety or if wolves are attacking domestic animals on private land.
PHOTOS: SEE WISCONSIN WILDLIFE CAPTURED ON TRAIL CAMS
Photos: see bears, bucks, and fighting foxes caught on Wisconsin trail cams
A wild turkey tom displays his feathers for a hen in Adams County. Male turkeys strut to attract females and to establish dominance over subordinate males. On adult males, like the one pictured, the tail forms a full, unbroken contour when fanned out. On juvenile males, the middle 4-6 tail feathers are longer than the outer feathers, so the tail appears uneven when fanned out.
A long-tailed weasel, one of three weasel species in Wisconsin, dashes through the snow in Ashland County in a trail cam photo from the Snapshot Wisconsin collection.
A porcupine photographed in Bayfield County. Volunteers say the lumbering gait is a key characteristic to identifying porcupines -- that, and the sharp quills.
A pair of Clark County bear cubs wrestle near the end of their first summer. Black bear cubs weigh a pound or less when they're born during the winter but grow quickly after emerging from the den.
A muskrat captured in Dane County.
Primary growth forest, where the herbaceous layer stays relatively low to the ground, makes for great opportunities to capture wildlife, such as this fisher photographed near a Door County brook.
A pack of coyote cubs prowl through the woods of Iowa County.
Moose are an uncommon sight in Wisconsin, but the number of moose observations in the Snapshot Wisconsin database more than doubled in 2020, with at least four photographed in September and October across Iron, Price, and Burnett Counties.
Trail cams sometimes capture more than one species in a frame, though rarely a predator. This Juneau County shot captured two -- as a black bear and coyote cross paths.
Predator and prey come together in this La Crosse County image of a barred owl carrying off a fresh catch.
Introduced to Wisconsin in the late 1800s, the ring-necked pheasant can be distinguished from other upland game birds by its long, pointed tail. This Lafayette County pheasant makes a rare appearance after snowfall.
Not only does this Marquette County image show an uninhibited moment between two red foxes; it also showcases the distinct pelage of this iconic Wisconsin species.
A Virginia opossum carries her young on her back in this Milwuakee County image. North America's only marsupial, Opossums carry their young in a pouch until they are old enough to cling to their mother's back.
The color of wolves' coats can vary widely. Black (melanistic) wolves, are less common than those sporting the traditional grizzled coat, so staff and volunteers enjoy coming across photos like this one. The unusual eye color of this Oneida County wolf is especially noteworthy.
A deer, rabbit and skunk cross paths in this Pepin County photo. Only about 0.2% of Snapshot Wisconsin photos contain multiple species.
Greater prairie chickens lekking in Portage County. Snapshot Wisconsin teamed up with wildlife management to use trail cameras to monitor leks, such as this one, where male birds display to attract females.
A Racine County mink captured in a rare still moment. Mink are often captured at night or in motion, making it difficult to distinguish their features.
Perhaps less recognized than their relatives the hairy and downy woodpeckers, red-bellied woodpeckers are nonetheless relatively common and widespread across the state. This action shot from Richland County showcases the red caps and beautiful checkered plumage.
Wisconsin's mascot is typically seen at night, but this Sauk County badger photo shows off its fantastic markings in the daylight.
A bull elk in Sawyer County. Snapshot Wisconsin has been used to help monitor elk herds reintroduced to the state.
A bobcat caught on a trail camera in Trempealeau County. In addition to being smaller than cougars, bobcats are recognizable for their short -- or "bobbed" -- tails.
The American marten is extremely rare in Wisconsin. In more than 50 million photos, this 2019 shot from Vilas County is the only one to capture one -- or at least part of one.
This white buck was captured by a Snapshot Wisconsin camera in Waukesha County. Wisconsin law forbids hunting white deer.
This male cougar, likely from the Dakotas, photographed in Waupaca County, is one of only two captured by a network of 2,100 volunteer trail cams in the Department of Natural Resource's Snapshot Wisconsin project.
Chris Hubbuch | Wisconsin State Journal
Covers energy and the environment for the Wisconsin State Journal. Rhymes with Lubbock. Contact him at 608-252-6146.
