While Driving WI Wolf Hunt, Bear Hunters Want To Kill More Bears, Too

You can see the hand of the bear hunting lobby behind the accelerating and controversial wolf hunt in Wisconsin, and while the wolf hunt has been the recent focus of some Wisconsin naturalists' attention, the bear hunters at the Wisconsin Conservation Congress connected to the DNR - - 

WI DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp
- - want an even larger bear hunt in 2014, too, DNR records indicate:
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Date: January 22, 2014

To: Chair Cole and members of the Natural Resources Board
From: Rob Bohmann, WCC Chair

Subject: 2014 Wisconsin Bear Harvest Quotas

The Wisconsin Conservation Congress’ Bear Study Committee met at the Mead Wildlife Area Visitor Center in Milladore on Saturday, December 7, 2013.

A couple of items that were on their agenda that day were the 2013 bear season harvest summary and the proposed 2014 harvest quotas/permits. Dave MacFarland, DNR Carnivore Biologist, did an excellent job in providing the information on both of these items to the committee. 

The quota levels that Dave presented to the committee were 1100/Zone A, 650/Zone B, 1350/Zone C and 1600/Zone D. These levels were generally well received by the committee. 

However, some of the committee members felt there were still more than enough bears in some of the areas of Zone B. The permit levels that were presented to the committee were 2100/Zone A, 1010/Zone B, 5100/Zone C and 2250/Zone D. 

The committee was pleased to see that permit levels were being raised in Zones B, C and D. 

The Congress Bear Committee supports both the proposed quotas and permit levels for the 2014 season.
The Bear Committee also supported the continuation of another 5 year interval for the tetracycline based bear population study with this study effort to be done again in 2016.

Rob Bohmann, Chair
Wisconsin Conservation Congress

As established by Wisconsin State Statutes, the Wisconsin Conservation Congress is officially recognized as the only natural resources advisory body in the state where citizens elect delegates to represent their interests on natural resources issues on a local and statewide level to the Natural Resources Board and the Department of Natural Resources. Their mission is to represent the citizens of Wisconsin by working with the Natural Resources Board and the Department of Natural Resources to effectively manage Wisconsin's greatest asset, our abundant natural resources, for present and future generations to enjoy.