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State Senate Advances Bill Requiring DNR to Set Statewide Population Goal for Wolves

Thursday, October 19th, 2023 -- 8:08 AM

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(By Danielle Kaeding, Wisconsin Public Radio) The Wisconsin Senate has advanced a Republican-authored bill that requires the state Department of Natural Resources to set a statewide population goal for wolves.

According to Danielle Kaeding with Wisconsin Public Radio, Republicans in the Senate voted 22-10 Tuesday in favor of the bill, with all Democrats voting against. It now heads to the Assembly.

The DNR nixed a statewide population goal when it released the first major update of its wolf management plan in more than 20 years last November. Following that, Republican lawmakers introduced a bill earlier this spring to force wildlife managers to set a population goal.

The agency has since made changes to its plan that would seek to maintain the state’s population at levels between 800 and 1,200 wolves. Last month at an event in Hayward, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers indicated he may veto the bill.

He expressed support for the DNR’s position to refrain from setting a statewide population goal, saying it "seems like a reasonable place to be." The last wolf plan approved in 1999 and revised in 2007 set a population goal of 350 wolves.

When it was first written, Wisconsin had roughly 250 wolves. Since then, DNR data shows the animal’s population has grown four times that number to nearly 1,000 wolves and appears to be stabilizing.

Sen. Mark Spreitzer, D-Beloit, said Tuesday that the bill takes the wrong approach. While he said it’s time to delist the wolf, Spreitzer argued partisan politics may threaten the DNR’s ability to regain state management of wolves. The animal is currently listed as an endangered species.

Spreitzer said the bill ties the hands of the DNR, and it puts in place "arbitrary" and "unscientific" numbers. Sen. Rob Stafsholt, R-New Richmond, disputed that. Stafsholt, who co-authored the bill, said the legislation doesn't set a numeric goal, leaving that up to state wildlife regulators.

He said they crafted the bill to ensure Wisconsin can delist wolves as an endangered species.

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