June 07, 2014 11:45 am •
Almost as soon as gray wolves were stripped of their federal protections, Wisconsin commenced a hunting season on them.
Last winter, in just one season, Wisconsin wildlife officials perpetuated a 19 percent decline on the state’s wolf population. They set too high a quota. Worse, the state sanctioned methods of hunting wolves that are barbaric and unsporting.
Why? Because state wolf managers cater to a vocal minority, defying the majority of voters’ wishes.
This travesty of the public commons can be rectified if Wisconsinites speak out now on behalf of wolves during an upcoming public process.
Biologists warn that hunting this iconic species — even at low levels — prevents population recovery. And not every wolf that is killed is counted.
That’s because when fellow pack members are killed, wolf packs can disband, leading to starvation of the pack’s youngest members.
Allowing this to happen is just poor wildlife management.
For the upcoming wolf hunting season, Wisconsin’s Wolf Advisory Committee has proposed a hunting quota of 156 wolves, even in the face of their drastic population decline last year. Instead, Department of Natural Resources officials should call a cease-fire.
Wisconsin’s wolf hunting practices are an embarrassment. Ours is the only state that allows packs of dogs to hound wolves. As you can imagine, wolves and dogs invariably get into fights.
Both animals sport canine teeth that cause terrible wounds and even mortalities to the other. Breeding females and young pups are particularly vulnerable to the packs of dogs. Furthermore, hounding is disruptive to all wildlife and the landowners in the regions where hounds are released.
Wisconsin permits the cruel use of cable neck snares and leg holds to trap wolves. Debilitating injuries to wolves and other wildlife can include broken limbs and teeth, stress and pain, dehydration and exposure.
In Wisconsin, bait piles and electronic calls are used to lure unsuspecting wolves while the shooter waits for an easy target. This is as unsporting as it gets. Where’s the fair chase?
Wisconsin’s wolf management is a mess. Instead of relying on wolf experts, state officials convened a wolf advisory committee and stacked it with trophy-hunting advocates — a poor representation of the general public.
A Mason-Dixon poll last year showed a majority of Wisconsin voters oppose trophy hunting of wolves by 81 percent. And 87 percent of voters believe trapping, baiting and hounding wolves is unfair.
Wildlife officials need to hear at a June 25 meeting in Milwaukee that allowing hunters to use these brutal and archaic practices to hunt wolves is intolerable. Wisconsin can – and should – do better.
Tedrowe, of Wauwatosa, is state director for The Humane Society of the United States.
Exposing the Big Game 
Reblogged this on Howling For Justice.