(Photo: Wisconsin DNR/Gary Kramer)
If Wisconsin ever regains the ability to hold a wolf hunting season, the start date will be a little later in the year. Governor Scott Walker on Tuesday signed a bill that delays the opening of future seasons from mid-October to the first Saturday in November.
Following a bill signing ceremony in Rothschild, Walker said the change will help to address potential safety concerns raised by hunters about the start of the wolf season running up against bird hunting activity. He noted it also improves the quality of the pelts of the animals taken by hunters and trappers. “The pelts, for those that do choose to be a part of the harvest, are much better in terms of timing. They’re worth more, they’re better quality a little bit later in the season,” Walker said.
The state’s season has been on hold since 2014, after a federal judge returned the gray wolf to the endangered species list. Efforts in Congress to reverse that decision are ongoing.
Affiliate WSAU contributed to this report.