Northern Wisconsin Gray Wolf Concerns Could Soon be Addressed

Northern Wisconsin residents have debated how to handle the gray wolf population for years, and soon the wolves may no longer be protected.

On Friday, the Biden administration asked an appeals court to bring back a rule from the Trump administration that lifted Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in the country. If the appeals court agrees, protections for the gray wolf population would be put under state control.

The gray wolf population has been a major topic of controversy for Northern Wisconsin residents in recent years. Conservation groups have argued that a management plan for the population needs to be flexible to balance the needs of the wolf population and local residents. Some hunting and farming groups say the wolf population has grown too large and is now posing a risk to livestock.

Those disagreements have led to both legislative and legal efforts from both sides of the issue. Governor Tony Evers also vetoed a bill that would have required the Department of Natural Resources to establish a statewide population goal earlier this year.

The gray wolf population in Wisconsin was estimated to be somewhere between 800 and 1,200 in 2022. Some hunting and farming groups have called on the Department of Natural Resources to set a population goal of just 350 wolves.

Officials like Congressman Tom Tiffany say it’s time to allow hunting for the wolves again. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources currently prohibits the harvest of gray wolves. The protections under the Endangered Species Act will remain in place while the appeals court makes its decision on the rule.