Close up image of a gray wolf in winter
In a 4-3 vote, the Natural Resources Board decided to hold off on the 2021 wolf hunt season in Wisconsin at least until November 2021. The meeting was held to discuss a wolf season yet this winter.
Wisconsin Farm Bureau had some things to say about the decision. “WFBF requests that the members of the Natural Resources Board instruct the DNR to move forward with wolf hunting this winter,” said WFBF Director of Governmental Relations Tyler Wenzlaff. “WFBF has requested resumption of a wolf hunting season immediately upon federal delisting with the DNR, state legislature and Natural Resources Board.”
Wenzlaff explained to the board that the 2011 Wisconsin Act 169 and the 2019 Wisconsin Act 285 provided the needed steps to move forward with a winter wolf hunting season this year.
Wenzlaff wasn’t the only WFBF member to voice his opinion. Farm Bureau Board of Director Ryan Klussendorf also talked about the issue at hand. Klussendorf has experience with wolf depredation on his dairy farm in Medford. He mentioned that the DNR has enough time right now to start putting together a hunt to manage the population of wolves and protect livestock. “I am not an expert on wolves, but I am an expert on how one pack of wolves can torment you, threaten your livelihood and haunt you until you want to give up,” said Klussendorf.
He explained that the wolf problems by his farm started back in 2011 and haven’t stopped. “I have moved my animals within 100 feet of my farm buildings at night to protect them and what it did was bring the wolves closer to my children and home,” Klussendorf went on to say that over the years, the wolves have gotten closer and closer to humans. Things have gotten so bad that he even said they’ve stalked kids who’re waiting for the school bus.
“The reality is that the natural world is brutal and less than picturesque,” Klussendorf said. “Help us, those who live in the natural world, set up a hunt now, using the plan that is in place to manage the wolf population now.”
WFBF President Kevin Krentz also spoke up and wants the DNR to include farmers in the 2021 DNR Wolf Management Advisory Committee. “We believe that including farmers on the committee is critically important in order to ensure that management issues related to livestock are discussed and addressed,” said Krentz.
Wisconsin Farm Bureau plans to keep a hand in the wolf hunting conversations in hopes that a season is implemented this year.
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