Wednesday, December 24, 2014

WI State Sen. Tiffany wrong on wolf program defunding

Just because the feds have told Wisconsin the state cannot authorize and supervise a wolf hunt doesn't mean Wisconsin should defund its wolf programs and waive off its responsibilities, as State Sen. Tom Tiffany, (R-Hazelhurst) suggests.

That's a cop-out and a signal to potential poachers that the state will look the other way at so-called 'shoot, solve and shut up' illegal hunting.

There's more to wolf management than licensing killing their killing.

The Legislature still needs to fund wolf science as part of Wisconsin's wildlife management mission and the DNR needs to protect wolves from poaching, since the DNR regularly collects wolf-tracking data and knows a lot about wolf location.

As do experienced hunters and trappers.
Wisconsin is killing its wolves
The DNR needs to assertively use its wardens and statewide educational tools to discourage poaching and encourage citizen reporting of illegal wolf killing.

Step one: reconstitute an authentic advisory committee, not a one-sided pro-gun and hunter group that was most interested in big hunting quotes.

There's more to wolf management than licensing their killing.

More on Sen. Tiffany, here.

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