State Payments For Dogs Killed In WI Bear Hunt Has Little Support

Bear hunters release their dogs into a dangerous hunt - - even into known wolf caution areas during bear-hunt training - - and can receive up to $2,500 from the state if a bear or wolf kills a do. That's a testament to experienced lobbying.

Aside from constituting state-sanctioned and subsidized cruelty, the payment practice has been found to be unpopular. From a 2009 study:

In Wisconsin (USA), gray wolf damage payments grew notably over 28 years and eventually undermined budgets for conserving other endangered species. We measured attitudes to compensation among 1,364 state residents, including those who voluntarily contributed funds and those likely to receive compensation, and we interviewed elected officials about the politics of payment rules.

Most respondents endorsed compensation for wolf damages to livestock—even when wolves are no longer endangered—but opposed payments for wolf damage to hunting dogs on public land. Most donors opposed killing wolves and over one-fourth unconditionally rejected a wolf hunt.