Walker budget, Congress could further remove science from wolf policy

Northern Wisconsin's US Rep. Reid Ribble, (R), wants Congress to throw out a recent federal court ruling that reinstated endangered, protected status to Wisconsin's grey wolf population and return so-called wolf management to the states.

That would mean that the wolf hunt in Wisconsin would be continued under the auspices of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - - where an advisory role had already been turned over to a committee dominated by hunting and trapping special interests - - and where the proposed Walker budget is further gutting both public policy oversight and scientist availability.

In other words, kill more wolves without paying attention to the impact on pack health and its relationship to Wisconsin wildlife and lands - - all public resources.

By making sure there would be more control of the wolf hunt by special interests and the political appointees they serve, with less introduction into the process of balanced opinion and objective biological data presented by a broad range of citizens and a shrinking DNR expert staff.