More news on the harassment of an endangered species is gaining ground in Wisconsin with a news story out from Star Tribune today. I’ve witnessed the conflict between bear hunters and wolves for two decades now. It’s getting worse, and it’s far from over. They scapegoat wolves for being wolves, continue the “loosening” of regulations and the bloody-dog-on-wolf-fights, all for sport. It’s time to open the lines of communication, sit down, and resolve this decades-old controversy.
The following article from the Star Tribune Wisconsin tradition of hunting bears with dogs comes under attack by wolf advocates
By Josephine Marcotty Star Tribune
A national watchdog group says Wisconsin bear hunters are harassing wolves with their dog packs — then claiming state compensation when their hounds are killed — and wants the federal government to launch a criminal investigation.
The practice amounts to “a state-sanctioned financial subsidy for hunters engaged in the criminal harassment” of wolves, an attorney for Professional Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) said in a letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
In 2016 Wisconsin paid out $99,400 for 41 dogs, a maximum of $2,500 each. The dogs were killed primarily in July and August, when hunters are in the woods training their packs to chase bears, and wolf pups are first emerging from their dens. More than a dozen dogs were killed, despite “caution” warnings by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that wolf packs with pups were active in the area, PEER said.
“It is harassment of an endangered species, committed by a relatively small number of hunters,” said Adam Carlesco, staff counsel for PEER. He said Wisconsin is the only state that reimburses dog owners in addition to farmers and livestock owners for wolf depredation.
Letter from PEER to USFWS on hounding in Wisconsin. Note: Some names have been redacted since they have not been charged with crimes. Read full article HERE
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For more about: Wisconsin hounders illegally harass wolves WODCW’s Blog
Harassment of an endangered species in the north woods of Wisconsin began July first WODCW’s Blog
