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 It's back,
after being vetoed by Gov. Evers last sesson.
In the
wake of the disastrous 2021 Wisconsin Wolf Hunt, when the finally tally of
wolves killed was nearly 100 over the set quota, the Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources, in their new Wolf Management Plan, is refusing to set a
numerical population goal. Instead, they are recommending the more sensible
alternative of the agency working with advisory committees to determine whether
local packs should be maintained, grown or reduced. Needless to say, the wolf
hunters are not happy with this arrangement.
SB
665, relating to: establishing a statewide wolf population goal was
reintroduced on November 20, 2025 by Senators Senators Stafsholt, Nass, Quinn
and Tomczyk; and cosponsored by Representatives Green, Behnke, Brill, Callahan,
Kreibich, Krug, Melotik, Moses, Mursau, O'Connor, Penterman, Summerfield,
Swearingen, Wichgers, Knodl and Gustafson. It was assigned to the
Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage
(of which, Sen. Stafsholt is the chair.)
On
November 26, 2025, a companion bill, AB 687, was introduced by Representatives
Green, Behnke, Brill, Callahan, Kreibich, Krug, Melotik, Moses, Mursau,
O'Connor, Penterman, Summerfield, Swearingen, Wichgers, Knodl and Gustafson;
and cosponsored by Senators Stafsholt, Nass, Quinn and Tomczyk. It was referred
to the
Committee on Sporting Heritage.
This
bill simply states: "If the wolf is not listed on the federal endangered
list and is not listed on the state endangered list, the department shall allow
the hunting and trapping of wolves, shall regulate such hunting and trapping as
provided in this section, and shall implement a wolf management plan that
establishes a statewide wolf population
goal. In regulating wolf hunting and trapping, the department
may limit the number of wolf hunters and trappers and the number of wolves that
may be taken by issuing wolf harvesting licenses. " [Emphasis in the bill
text.]
WE STRONGLY OPPOSE this bill that would
essentially make any number of wolves over that "population goal,"
which the DNR has chosen NOT to set in the new Wolf Management Plan for good
reason, fair game for hunters when -- not if -- the wolf is once again delisted
from the federal Endangered Species list.
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WHAT YOU CAN DO:
 General guidelines for contacting
your representatives: Try to keep your message brief, and be sure to give your
name, complete mailing address, and phone number. Let your representative know
that you are a constituent. Please, ALWAYS be polite and respectful.
Name-calling, and rude or abusive letters or emails will hurt, rather than
help, our cause.
PLEASE contact your WI State Legislators and ask them to
OPPOSE SB 665 / AB 687, relating to: establishing a statewide wolf population
goal! Once again, the supporters of this bill will be
VERY vocal. We are hoping that those who wish to leave the management of WI
wolves in the hands of experts at the DNR will be even MORE vocal. Please put
something like "NO to SB 665 / AB 687" in the subject line. All you
really need to say is, "I am a constituent, and I am asking you please to
vote NO on SB 665/ Ab 687, relating to: establishing a statewide wolf
population goal." You can add your reasons for asking if you wish to do
so. (Scroll down this page for more info on the bill and Talking Points, if you
need them, and, as always, please keep your tone polite and respectful.)
WE STRONGLY OPPOSE this bill that would
essentially make any number of wolves over that "population goal,"
which the DNR has chosen NOT to set in the new Wolf Management Plan for good
reason, fair game for hunters when -- not if -- the wolf is once again delisted
from the federal Endangered Species list. We believe that the Wisconsin wolf
population should be left up to the discretion of wildlife experts in the WI
DNR, who are qualified to decide, on a pack by pack and area by area basis,
where an annual hunt will/should be held and what the quotas in each zone
should be -- instead of putting WI wildlife at the mercy of politicians,
special interest groups, and lawsuits by out-of-state hunting groups, as
happened in the January 2021 wolf hunt.
 Find your WI State
Representatives What To Expect At A Public Hearing
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