Derek Bakken News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Charges that private meetings with pro-wolf group influenced plan ignoring science and public comments.

Plan doesn't include population target, drawing ire of Republican lawmakers and hunters.

Three-fourths of state citizens, the non-hunters, getting stonewalled by group.

‘Constitutional rights’ or ‘sad and shameful week’? //end headline wrapper ?> Gray wolf. Photo by Derek Bakken / (CC BY) As Wisconsin reflects on its February wolf hunt, opinion remains split regarding the impact of the hunt. Some 216 wolves are known to have been killed during that brief period, exceeding a quota of 119 wolves that was set by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) outside of reservation lands. By Feb. 24, the hunt was closed by the DNR, four days ahead of schedule. Advocates for the hunt saw it as necessary species management, as well as an issue of constituti...

Hunter Nation contends the agency’s decision violates the rights of their roughly 20,000 members in Wisconsin, according to Luke Hilgemann, the group’s CEO and president. “Clearly, this comes down to whether or not the administration is going to follow the law, and whether or not they want to have the management of a wild population of wolves that’s growing beyond our stated goal of management,” said Hilgemann. Hilgemann said they’re suing to force the DNR to immediately resume the wolf hunt in compliance with state law. Under state statute, the DNR is required to hold a single...