Wolves Kill Hunting Dogs Released Into Harm's Way

I'd noted here recently that the number of hunting dogs killed by wolves is rising this year, and now there is a long piece posted elsewhere from the hunters' perspective about fresh losses of hunting dogs killed by wolves, too.

Wolves blamed for 13 dogs deaths in state

But "blamed" is an odd word to lay on the wolves, as if they went out to slaughter dogs.

Myths surround wolves, like anthropormophising them with intent.

Or blaming them for a state deer herd deemed too small by some hunters; the DNR has knocked down that myth, too.

Hounding hunters choose to let their dogs run into harm's way where known wolf activity has taken place - - in other words, into territory protected by the larger, stronger wolves, even when training dog in preparation for bear hunting through territory where bear bait left by hunters can attract wolves. 

The wolves, sacred to the Ojibwe people, were here before European settlers arrived into what is now known as Wisconsin.

And there will be more dogs killed or injured in confrontations with wolves because the Wisconsin wolf hunt law rush to passage through a weak legislature by special-interests now allows hunters to let their dogs loose to 'train' against wolves year-round - - right through mating and breeding seasons - - as well as during the closing weeks of the wolf hunting season after the deer hunters have cleared out.

What do you think wolves will do when the dogs come running through their dens, and there are pups or mates to be protected along with wolf pack territory?

It baffles me that hunters risk their dogs' lives for what sport and trophy bear and wolf hunting, not for food and sustenance. In the face of Ojibwe cultural traditions and beliefs.

And then complain that the only-in-Wisconsin public reimbursement program for wolf-killed dogs up to $2,500 per dog isn't adequate compensation.

But back to the rest of the life-and-death basics:

Are the risks and the consequences in their totality really worth it - - for the dogs and he hunters, not to mention the harassed, hunted, trapped and shot wolves and bears? None of these animals, wild and domestic, have a say in the matter.

What's the message about stewardship and respect for living things and our alleged opposition to cruelty to animals being sent to the rest of the state population, to hikers, tourists or new residents and businesses in the more rural areas of the state?

To city folk interested in a walk in the Wisconsin woods?

Why show them this bloody, life-is-cheap (wolf kill permits have been halved by Walker's second budget tp just $49) face put up by politicians at the behest of hunting and gun lobbies - - one legislator being so giddy at the thought of hunting wolves that he said he could imagine them "marinating" - - to serve a very small portion of the population?

Another writer, Rachel Tilseth, has a few suggestions.

New Effort To Ban Dogs In WI Wolf Hunt; Legal Appeal Filed

Dogs should be banned from the Wisconsin wolf hunt, according to a court filing announced today by a coalition of humane society organizations, hunters and animal experts:

"Wisconsin remains the only state in the United States that allows the use of dogs to hunt wolves.  The controversial practice, opposed by wolf experts and animal welfare advocates alike, has been met with mounting opposition since the enactment last April of Act 169, the state law authorizing dogs in wolf hunting." 

The legal action follows votes of citizens earlier this week at 72 meetings statewide where a majority said "no" to allowing dogs in the already-controversial WI wolf hunt.

Legislators ordered the wolf hunt for the 2012-13 season after an absence of decades; a circuit court judge kept dogs from that initial season's hunt, but has since lifted his ban - -  thus paving the way for dogs to chase, confront and fight wolves later this year.

Here is the full text of the release:

For Immediate Release:  April 12, 2013

Contact: Jodi Habush Sinykin, HS Law (414) 507- 0004; Carl Sinderbrand, Axley Brynelson (608) 260-2472

Appeal Filed in Wolf Hunt Lawsuit. Without judicial intervention, serious risk of animal cruelty in Fall hunt

MADISON—Plaintiffs filed an Appeal Friday morning with the Wisconsin Court of Appeals from the final judgment entered by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Peter C. Anderson on January 16, 2013, regarding Wisconsin DNR regulations governing the use of dogs to hunt wolves. 

“We are appealing because we believe that Judge Anderson failed to address plaintiffs’ request for a declaratory judgment holding DNR’s wolf hunting regulations--allowing dogs to hunt wolves without necessary safeguards--in violation of Wisconsin law prohibiting cruelty to animals, both domestic and wild,” explains Robert L. Habush, of Habush, Habush & Rottier, one of the attorneys representing a mainstream coalition of Wisconsin humane societies, conservation groups, hunters, and volunteer wolf trackers, “Judge Anderson also didn’t address our request for a permanent injunction against the use of dogs to hunt wolves.”

“Our plaintiff organizations, mainstream hunters, and team of wolf and dog experts are in perfect agreement—without this Appeal, there will be nothing to stop the bloodshed and state-sanctioned “dog fighting” certain to ensue this Fall when dogs are set on wolves without the common sense restrictions needed to prevent deadly confrontations between the two canine species,” states Jodi Habush Sinykin, another attorney representing plaintiffs in this matter.

Pam McCloud Smith, executive director of Dane County Humane Society and Board President of Wisconsin Federated Humane Societies, whose members include more than forty humane societies across Wisconsin agrees; “We need a judicial backstop here; the DNR’s inaction in the face of known risks and harm to animals is not in accord with longstanding Wisconsin animal cruelty protections or our values regarding humane treatment of animals.”

“Our appeal is necessary because only judicial intervention can protect the public interest from a state agency acting in an arbitrary and capricious manner;” explains Robert Habush, “Regarding dogs being used to hunt wolves, Wisconsin DNR’s rule-making process has been unduly influenced by lobbying—which has led to agency rules that ignore wolf biology, documented dog mortality, and mainstream Wisconsin ethics.”

Carl Sinderbrand of Axley Brynelson, LLP, added:  “Our appeal raises important issues regarding the function of Wisconsin’s state government and management of our natural resources.  The wolf hunting rules unfortunately reflect the elevation of political influence over science-based, responsible management of public resources.”

Wisconsin remains the only state in the United States that allows the use of dogs to hunt wolves.  The controversial practice, opposed by wolf experts and animal welfare advocates alike, has been met with mounting opposition since the enactment last April of Act 169, the state law authorizing dogs in wolf hunting.
    

More data, maps reveal Wisconsin bear hunting cruelty

Of the 23 bear hounds killed in Wisconsin this year when their owners unleashed them into conflicts with wolves, ten of the deceased dogs were Walker hounds like this one,

one was a Walker mix and three additional Walkers were injured by wolves, according to data and maps posted online by the Wisconsin DNR.

Note also that hound owners in Wisconsin are eligible for a $2,500 per killed hound - - details about the payments and other licensed hunting/training methods which have cruelty written all over them, here - - even if the hound died in a known wolf activity area which the DNR posts for all to see.

Take a look at just one in a long list of maps the DNR has posted this year which show the location wolf-hound encounters which have led to eight dead hounds during bear hunt training this month in Bayfield County alone...

8/13/2016	Bayfield	2 dogs killed (Black and tan, female, 2.5 years; Bluetick, female, 2.5 years)	Bayfield depredation location map [PDF]

and decide whether hounders are consulting the DNR maps and if they are putting their dogs' survival first.

The bear hunting season begins September 7th and ends October 11th, preceded by the training/running periods.

Wisconsin ranks at or near the top in the number of bears killed in what the DNR and bear hunting lobbies call "a quality" experience - - though hardly for bears, wolves, dogs, other  Wisconsin wildlife which is all owed by the public, by the way, and people's peace of mind in the north woods.

One organization, Wolves of Wisconsin Douglas County, is pursuing a legislative ban on bear hounding. Details,here:

The sport of bear hounding  is not part of “fair chase” used in ethical hunting practices.  

That’s why; Wolves of Douglas County Wisconsin is beginning a campaign to legislatively end bear hounding in the north woods of Wisconsin.  

When this sport of pursing bear with dogs began in 1963 there were no wolves present in Wisconsin. Conflicts arise between bear hunters and wolves because bear hunters run dogs through rendezvous sites where wolves keep pups. Bear hunters are reimbursed $2,500.00 per dead dog killed by wolves forced to defend their pups from free ranging dogs in pursuit of bear. 

Consult this 2015 post on The Political Environment for additional details about the situation in Wisconsin, including:

Various DNR webpages reference the "thrill" of bear hunting or its "quality experience," and the agency's large carnivore expert told the Wisconsin Bear Hunter's Association in a pre-hunting season missive that the state provides a "high quality bear hunting experience." 

For an adult, the license costs $49. 

Speaking of bear hunting and dogs, another DNR webpage discloses that in the last few weeks, nine dogs training against bears have been killed by wolves; under a program unique to Wisconsin, the DNR will reimburse each hunter up to $2,500 per wolf-depredated dog. 

Payments may go to repeat claimants, and scofflaws; by January, 2014, the amount paid out for bear hunting dogs lost to wolves was nearing $400,000, a comprehensive report had shown.

For bear hounds in 'training,' owners & wolves create extra-bloody weekend

I've been pointing this out all year, as I have done in the past: 

Wisconsin bear hunters are allowed to 'train' their dogs by running them through known wolf activity areas, and the result is five more dead dogs on top of another 13 over the last few months. 

The state encourages this bear hunt training practice by paying hounders up to $2,500 for any dog depredated by wolves. Here's the latest from the WI DNR:

Bear Hounds killed in Bayfield and Florence Counties

Over the weekend, Wildlife Services confirmed that wolves depredated the following bear hounds: 

- A 3-year-old Walker hound killed on 8/12/16 in the Township of Drummond, Bayfield Co. 

- A 4-year-old Walker hound killed on 8/13/16 in the Township of Drummond, Bayfield Co. 

- A 2½-year-old Black and Tan hound and a 2½-year-old Bluetick hound killed on 8/13/16 in the Township of Drummond, Bayfield Co. 

- A 4-year-old Plott hound killed on 8/13/16 in the Town of Tipler, Florence Co. 

More information and caution-area maps are available on the gray wolf webpage.

Are humans the dogs' best friends? 

WI hunters keep throwing hounds to wolves in Bayfield Co.

Every summer and fall, it's the same nasty story:

So-called 'hounders' - presumably releasing their GPS-collared hunting dogs as training for the fall bear season  - keep running some of their dogs despite warnings posted online by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources straight into the jaws of wolves in Bayfield County where known wolf activity is mapped and posted online

Between July 9 and August 13, five hunting dogs have been killed - four of them Walker hounds like this one - 

- and two additional Black and Tan hounds were injured by wolves, according to WI DNR data and maps.

One reason for this gory sloppiness: 

A unique Wisconsin state reimbursement program wherein the owner of hound killed during hunting training by a wolf - even if killed in known wolf territory, or released into a fatal encounter with a wolf by an owner who has done so in the past and is even a scofflaw has even run afoul of the law - is entitled to a $2,500 state check.

I have written often about this shameful state-subsidized wolf-dog carnage; a sample post put up nearly two years ago to the day is here -

2 more WI hounds thrown to wolves. Total DNR reimbursements to owners will exceed $800k

Life continues to be cheap for too many Wisconsin hunting hounds, but their sacrifice sure is remunerative to their owners, even to repeat state check applicants. Even to scofflaws....

Two more hunting dogs have been reported killed by wolves during this summer's continuing bear hound 'training season' - - a two-months period during which bears and wolves are needlessly chased, harassed, and traumatized, while anyone out in the woods not running hound packs gets no relief.

That brings to twelve the number released off-leash this summer to their deaths by owners now eligible for $2,500 state reimbursement checks. That's $30,000 down the drain, too.

- And this state-enabled practice and payment plan operates in a state that otherwise outlaws dog fighting and cruelty to animals. Talk about your double-standard, as I noted in 2014:

In Milwaukee,  a man involved in dog-fighting for money got five years in prison....

Elsewhere in rural Wisconsin - - right now - - other dogs are being allowed to chase bears as part of hunting dog training.

And should a dog get killed by wolves in the bear-hunt training, even if the dog was let loose in a known wolf activity area - - not to worry - because the same state and taxpayers now housing the Milwaukee dog-fighting perpetrator will pay the hunter who let his dog get torn apart by the larger wolves up to $2,500 - so the hunter can go get another disposable dog.

This Wisconsin DNR chart shows that state payments for so-called wolf 'depredated' dogs is approaching $850,000 since the program began decades ago.

The state, as the chart shows, also pays farmers for wolf-related livestock losses and pet dog owners for animals killed by wolves, too.

More about the whole sad, sick and worsening Wisconsin FUBAR wolf 'policy' is here, as I wrote Friday:

Another Wisconsin wolf policy announcement came by email Friday, below. 

It needs close examination because:

1. The state's Natural Resources policy [sic] board - chaired by a Walker appointee who refuses to relinquish his now-expired appointment, influence and seat - just arbitrarily threw out a DNR staff recommendation for a fall wolf kill of 130.

2. And substituted instead - against the recommendations of DNR staffers, scientists, Native American and allied advocates - the authorized and unprecedented science-free wolf-slaughter of 300 wolves. It's a number pulled from a Republican special interests' grab bag of bloody treats that echoes the winter, 2021 all-too-predictable Wisconsin quota-busting overkill, so...

I urge the DNR and the WNRB to add this simple disclaimer to future invitations for public participation in decisions which effect the people's water, land, clean air and wildlife:

*Note: Any decision by the Department of Natural Resources or its oversight body Wisconsin Natural Resources Board is subject to partisan tampering, special-interest manipulation or outright cancellation regardless of documentation, facts or other pesky evidence and/or commonsense.

Three more dogs killed in WI-sanctioned hound-wolf/bear harassment

Three more Wisconsin hunting dogs like this Walker hound

were thrown over the weekend into fatal confrontations with wolves - - bringing to ten the number of bear hounds killed by wolves in recent weeks, reports the DNR.

Owners whose hounds are killed when let loose to chase, tree and otherwise 'train' for the bear-killing season later this year are eligible for a Wisconsin-only reimbursement from public funds of $2,500 per dog.

The money can be collected even if the hound owners run their dogs where they are attracted by bait the state allows hear hunters to spread.

And the animal cruelty doesn't stop with the bear-and-wolf chasing:

Wisconsin hunters are also allowed to train their dogs against a variety of living, captive, caged wild animals, including bears. 

In some cases, small animals, like trapped raccoons, are allowed to be put into cages that roll - - so-called "roll cages" - - as part of the dogs' training.

This was the report from the DNR today:

Wildlife Services confirmed that wolves depredated the following hunting dogs over the weekend: 

- A Walker Hound on 8/12/17 in the Town of Blaine, Burnett County. - Two Walker Hounds in the same incident on 8/13/17 in the Town of Blaine, Burnett County.

More information and a caution-area map are available on the gray wolf webpage. 

Hunters are reminded to use the caution-area maps on the DNR website (dnr.wi.gov, keyword "wolf depredation") to help reduce conflicts. 

Separately, more here about a wolf film presentation in Madison later this year.  

It's bear-chasing, dog-wolf-fighting, get a WI DNR dead-dog-check time again

And so the state-sanctioned blood-letting begins anew. What sport!

Also on tap - - state-mandated, only-in-Wisconsin payments of $2,500 per dog killed in confrontations with wolves.

One of the hounds killed in this state-enabled dog-wolf fighting was a Redbone hound, like this one.



Sponsor a dog fight in your basement or yard, go to jail, as it's animal cruelty in the extreme.

Lose a dog to a wolf which you let run free during bear-hunting season, get a check from the state per the Legislature for $2,500! Talk about a double-standard. 

In Milwaukee,  a man involved in dog-fighting for money got five years in prison.

And the payment system reimbursing hounders for their thoughtlessness in wolf country is an only-in-Wisconsin practice, though for first time in memory some restrictions on hounding have been implemented after widespread condemnation.

The record year for dogs thrown this way to the wolves was 2016. 41 hounds were killed in dog-wolf confrontations that year where the smaller dogs were going to lose to the heavier, pack-hunting wolves just as nature set it up.

That math isn't hard: hounders were eligible that year to collect one $2,500 dog over $100,000 in state funds.

I've been writing about this Wisconsin scandal for more than five years; hound owners including scofflaws, including repeat dead-dog fee collectors, are free to 'train' their dogs for the upcoming bear hunting season by letting the dogs run off-leash through territory the wolves have claimed - - and are often attracted to by bear bait left behind by the hounders.- - while chasing bears up trees and also harassing wolf packs, too.

Or any neighbors who would care to be outside dealing with hounders racing down the roads following their packs of dogs which are outfitted with GPS collars, chasing down wildlife which belongs to all the people as part of the public trust, and which do not belong to any special interest, lobby or thoughtless dog 'trainer.'

What sport!

GOP US Rep. Sean Duffy wanted to remove federal protections against wolf-hunting which is now banned, turning to over to states like Wisconsin which had already shown itself to be a weak regulator by letting quotas slip and allowing some dog-assisted wolf hunting, and if GOP legislators had had their way not long ago, you could go wolf killing any time you chose. Imagine how high those DNR payouts would skyrocket.

From the DNR, and there will be more before the training season ends:

07/07/2019	Burnett	1 Hunting dog killed (Cur, 6-year old male)	Burnett depredation location map [PDF]
07/13/2019	Forest	1 Hunting dog killed (Redbone, 4-year old male)	Forest depredation location map [PDF]
07/21/2019	Forest	1 Hunting dog killed (Plott, 7-year old female)	Forest depredation location map [PDF]
07/21/2019	Forest	1 Hunting dog killed (Walker, 5-year old female)	Forest depredation location map [PDF]

1st-Hand Account Of How DNR's Advisory Committee Set 2014 Wolf Kill Quota

There has been extensive discussion on this blog about wolf hunting in Wisconsin. I count 121 posts since 2011, with a recent focus on how the State of Wisconsin sets its wolf hunting season kill quotas. 

Other subjects have included the only-in-Wisconsin permitted use of dogs in wolf hunting and legal efforts to ban the practice.

The Wisconsin Legislature authorized the wolf hunt in 2012.

One recent post was a guest submission by Douglas County wolf advocate Rachel Tilseth. She has submitted the account below of the May 19, 2014 meeting of the DNR's Wolf Advisory Committee meeting where its members made their 2014-'15 wolf kill quota recommendation.

The final kill quota determination will be made by the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board, to which the DNR reports. The Board accepted the committee's 2012-'13 and 2013-'14 wolf kill quota recommendations.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The division between science-based versus recreational hunting factions was very apparent at this meeting. Fortunately for wild wolves, the science and biology experts were heard.

The agenda was to cover the following:

Review of US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan (PDM) criteria

http://www.fws.gov/pdm/regs.html

Tracking report by Biologist David MacFarland

 http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/volunteer.html

It was noted that more DNR personnel tracked wolves than in past years. Pro- hunter committee members stated several times that they receive numerous calls of wolves in areas not being tracked. DNR asked them to send in these incidents and they would investigate the sighting and add more trackers if necessary. DNR reiterated that this winter track survey is a minimum number, but not exact science. However, this is the best model for tracking wolves, to date.

Review of population data

http://dnr.wi.gov/news/BreakingNews_Lookup.asp?id=3195

This is the concern noted by the DNR biologists, that the quota must be lowered this years to maintain a healthy population of wild wolves. Discussion on the data revealing that pack size is smaller this year, down to 3.2 wolves per pack. And unfortunately, the breeding numbers were down. The majority of the committee was in agreement that the quota should be kept within a 12% or lower number in order to stabilize the population.

Adrian Wydeven suggesting that 40 to 180 number is best to maintain healthy wolf populations. There was sharp disagreement from Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association

and Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, who are members of this committee. 

These members believe the 1998 wolf management plan calling for a maximum wolf population of 350 must be the objective goal. Other members of the committee explained that 1998 plan is out-dated and a new one would be written that takes in all of the scientific factors of today.

2014 season objective/quota considerations

Chair Dave MacFarland asked each committee member to fill out an anonymous questionnaire putting their highest quota and their lowest quota numbers and quota percentile on them. The chair then put the data gathered from the questionnaire into a chart. 

It was noted that one committee member abstained. This data showed the consensus of the committee to be 156. Committee members raised concerns for or against the quota, with the majority in agreement to accept the 156 numbers, except Wisconsin Bear hunters Association which wanted a 300 quota and maintained an objection to the 156 numbers. 

Review of population models Stenglein/Roberts

http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/vandeelen/people/jennifer-stenglein/

Quota recommendations

A consensus of 156 was approved and was then distributed to the zones.

Quota allocation to zones

Each zone was filled with numbers based on need for problem areas of wolf depredations or public safety. There was considerable discussion on Zone 6, which is part of the state considered unsuitable wolf habitat. Wisconsin Bear Hunters suggested a unlimited number of wolf tags with Timber Wolf Alliance objections.  It was decided that  a higher number of tags could be allotted in Zone 6 but not an unlimited number as requested.  

Dog training regulations

Due to time constraints, sadly this was not addressed. This was the most important topic for Wolves of Douglas County, (WODCW).

Hunting/trapping regulations

Lack of time tabled this discussion as well.

For the first time the chair allowed the public input portion of the meeting to take place before the quota was decided, asking them to be as brief as possible to allow for more discussion.

Public Input

The public input part of the meeting there were 9 pro-wolf attendees that made statements. I made the statement that we would like to see the wolves back on the endangered species list, in total agreement with both Humane Society of the United States statements from new state Director, Melissa Tedrowe and Minnesota Director, Howard Goldman.

Then went on to discuss WODCW‘s primary focus to remove the dogs from the wolf hunt because we believe than this is not necessary, and that public does not want dogs in the wolf hunt. Furthermore, that we will be conducting a statewide petition drive to remove the dogs from the wolf hunt. I requested that the dogs be removed from the hunt. Other pro-wolf commentators also gave their statements against the wolf hunt. It must be noted that this committee is stacked heavily in favor of pro-wolf killing interests. But it was made clear by other anti-wolf hunting commentators that a wolf hunt is not needed.  Interestingly enough, the only pro-wolf hunting advocates in the room, sat on the Wolf Advisory Committee.

It is important to note here that this is a middle-of-the-road number, the 156. It was clear that a few members of the committee, namely, Wisconsin Bear Hunters and Wisconsin  Wildlife Federation, refused to acknowledge any scientific justification on keeping quota within safe numbers for the health of wild wolf populations. I had heard about a lack of science being taken seriously by committee members, but what I saw amounted to a shameful lack of compromise from these two organizations' representatives on the committee.   

However, I do have to complement the DNR biologists, Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife, and Timber Wolf Alliance for holding the line in favor for  sound scientific data that supports wild wolves in Wisconsin. If given the vote on this issue, I would advocate for 0 quota, instead focus on non- lethal methods of wolf management. 

I would like to add that this is not over yet, that this is an advisory committee and that these numbers will be discussed at the June 25th Wisconsin Natural Resources Board meeting in Milwaukee. 

- - Rachel Tilseth is founder of Wolves of Douglas County Wisconsin, a wolf advocacy organization.

www.facebook.com/WolvesOfDouglasCountyWisconsin

"Wolf hounding is barbaric, in-humane and archaic and has no place in a civilized society." Rachel Tilseth 

WI hunters lose two more hounds to wolves

The WI DNR reports two more hunting-hound/wolf encounters in the last five days that left two dogs dead. 

One was a ten-year-old Plott hound like this one. 

Through an only-in-Wisconsin program, hunters can collect up to $2,500 from the DNR for each such dog lost, even if the dog was allowed to run off-leash in known wolf activity areas, or if the owner was a repeat payment collector - - even a scofflaw. 

The program also reimburses livestock and pets owners for animals killed by wolves, but owners of hunting dogs have received the most money, a DNR record shows.

Twelve hunting hounds have been killed in Wisconsin this year - - the majority during 'training runs' against bears - - and another twelve were injured, according to the DNR. 

Wolf hunting and trapping was outlawed years ago in Wisconsin after wolves were nearly wiped out. Legal wolf killing was reinstated by Wisconsin legislation between 2012 and 2014, then was banned again by a federal judge.

Various efforts to reinstate wolf hunting in Wisconsin, Michigan and elsewhere have failed, though Trump's Interior Department wants to loosen prohibitions against trophy hunting in Alaska. 

The Trump administration is moving to reverse Obama-era rules barring hunters on some public lands in Alaska from baiting brown bears with bacon and doughnuts and using spotlights to shoot mother black bears and cubs hibernating in their dens. 

The National Park Service issued a notice [in May] of its intent to amend regulations for sport hunting and trapping in national preserves to bring the federal rules in line with Alaska state law. 

Under the proposed changes, hunters would also be allowed to hunt black bears with dogs, kill wolves and pups in their dens, and use motor boats to shoot swimming caribou.

The Interior Department has also opened federal nature preserves to more hunting and fishing nationwide, including one in Trempealeau County.

Here is more information about the Wisconsin bear hunting season which began September 5th.

In the DNR information below, note that three hounds have been killed not far from each other in separate encounters with wolves in Bayfield County. 

The DNR does not provide on its website detailed information about the circumstances of the hound/wolf encounters.

09/13/2018	Lincoln	1 dog killed (Plott, male, 10 years)	Lincoln depredation location map [PDF]
09/14/2018	Bayfield	1 dog killed (Walker, female, 4 years)	Bayfield depredation location map [PDF]