After a Jefferson County Circuit Court judge ordered the state’s wolf hunt must begin this month, the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board this week unanimously approved a harvest quota of 200 wolves. WPR’s “Route 51” and “The West Side” will discuss the legal, political and biological ramifications of the hurriedly arranged hunt.
The action was set in motion following the Trump administration’s decision in November to remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list, and that delisting went into effect last month, triggering a state statute that requires the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to set up a wolf hunting season. The DNR originally planned to wait until November to plan for the season.
WPR environmental reporter Danielle Kaeding will share the latest in the quickly evolving story. Then host Dean Kallenbach will moderate a conversation with Luke Hilgemann, president of Hunter Nation, the organization that successfully sued the DNR’s decision to not immediately resume the hunt after the delisting of the wolves; Adrian Wydeven, a retired DNR wildlife biologist, now working with the group Wisconsin Green Fire of Rhinelander, which opposes opening the hunt this month; and Peter David, wildlife biologist with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission in Odanah.
Episode Credits
- Dean Kallenbach Host
- Dean Kallenbach Producer
- Rick Reyer Producer
- Joy Ratchkramer Producer
- Katharine Thomas Producer
- Danielle Kaeding Guest
- Adrian Wydeven Guest
- Peter David Guest
- Laurie Groskopf Guest
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2024, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.