Wisconsin’s second wolf hunt gets underway today. The Department of Natural Resources estimated the state’s wolf population at between 809 and 834 animals earlier this year. The quota for this year’s hunt is 251, up from 116 in 2012.
This year, unlike last, it will be legal to hunt wolves with dogs – but hunters won’t be compensated for hounds that might be killed. Dogs will be allowed after the close of the nine day gun deer season on December 2nd. Wisconsin is the only state in the nation that allows hounds to be used in a wolf hunt. The use of dogs was blocked by a court order last season.