Wisconsin Republicans want to see a statewide population goal on wolves.
Last Wednesday (November 15th), the Wisconsin Assembly Sporting Heritage Committee voted 7-4 on party lines for the population limit.
According to WisPolitics, the Wisconsin Department of Natural last month approved a plan that eliminated the previous 350-wolf goal in favor of one focused on adapting to the changing population.
But 2nd District Republican Assemblyman Shae Sortwell claimed that there is nothing that makes the DNR commit to that number.
“So over the next couple of years, they (DNR) can simply allow for another 200 under their estimates to continue to devastate the northern counties deer population and continue to create havoc on farmers up in the northern part of the state,” he explained. “And they can say that they are still responsible in keeping with their goals.”
Democrat Representative Kristen Shelton from Stevens Point says she’s worried about parts of the bill that would force the DNR to pick a number.
“There are many people who are passionate about this issue and want to make sure that in the future that when wolves are delisted the state maintains that management authority,” she says. “I think this bill could take that away or at least lower the likelihood of state management authorities.”
The full bill was passed by the Wisconsin 22-10 also along party lines last month.
