Mainstream Hunters to Enter Wolf Hunt Fray: Wisconsin hunters voice opposition to use of dogs for Hunting Wolves
November 13, 2012
A group of mainstream Wisconsin hunters received permission today to file a legal brief with the Court voicing their opposition, as life-long hunters and land-owners, to the unrestricted use of dogs for training and hunting wolves. Their brief will lend support to a lawsuit currently underway against Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (“DNR”) and Natural Resources Board seeking to stop DNR from authorizing the use of dogs to hunt wolves without the regulations necessary to prevent deadly confrontations between dogs and wolves.
Wisconsin remains the only state in the country that allows the use of dogs to hunt wolves.
Although the use of dogs to hunt wolves has been barred on a temporary basis under a ruling by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Peter A. Anderson, defendants are seeking to vacate the Court’s earlier ruling and asking that dogs be allowed for wolf hunting and training purposes this season. In opposition, Plaintiffs, a federation of over 40 humane societies from across Wisconsin as well as private citizens and conservation organizations, will be asking the Judge to find that DNR’s rule violates Wisconsin law by failing to include restrictions to prevent deadly physical encounters between dogs and wolves and will be seeking a permanent injunction until such restrictions are implemented.
Now other Wisconsin hunters and landowners are seeking a voice in this action.
“Mainstream Wisconsin hunters are concerned that the lack of reasonable rules currently governing the use and training of dogs to hunt wolves will interfere with established deer, turkey, grouse and other hunts,” states Henry Koltz, who represents a group of Wisconsin hunters. “Any interference with Wisconsin’s established hunts has the possibility to negatively impact thousands of Wisconsin jobs and the reported $1 billion economic impact of hunting in Wisconsin. We strongly recommend that DNR approve reasonable restrictions on the use of dogs for wolf hunting in order to protect Wisconsin jobs and preserve Wisconsin landowners’ rights.”
One such hunter is Ed Mathwig, who has hunted ruffed grouse with bird dogs every year in Wisconsin for over 50 years but will not be hunting this year as a result of the disputed DNR rule. “Never before now, have I had to worry about my bird dogs being placed in jeopardy while hunting.” Mathwig states, “However, this year, for the first time, I will not be taking my dog grouse hunting, because I will not put him at risk of injury or death posed by packs of dogs running loose in pursuit of wolves.”
Other Wisconsin hunters, including a number who share ownership in a 700 acre hunting camp in Bayfield County, support restrictions on the use of dogs for wolf hunting, contending that unleashed dogs in pursuit of wolves will trespass upon their lands, disrupt habitat, and degrade their hunting experience. “Whether we are hunting, hiking or just enjoying the forest, we don’t want our space disrupted by packs of dogs,” states Bobbi Rongstad, who hunts deer with rifle and bow on private lands she owns in Bayfield and Iron Counties, states, “By allowing unrestricted, year-round training of dogs on wolves across much of the state—before, during and after the hunting season—DNR is not being fair to the majority of Wisconsin hunters.”
“Dogs know no boundaries and are out of their owners control for much of the time,” states Jeff Baylis, a lifelong deer and small game hunter, “Besides leading to trespass situations and conflicts with landowners, DNR’s failure to set limits on running dogs on wolves will drive wildlife from the areas that I hunt and disrupt my hunting enjoyment.”
Baylis adds, “While there is some logic to using dogs on animals that can be treed, wolves cannot be treed but instead will be cornered by a dog pack, which is likely to be a bloody, violent and cruel business.”
The hearing on the parties’ cross-motions is scheduled for December 20, 2012. Dane County Judge the Honorable Peter C. Anderson will hold a hearing on the DNR's request to lift the injunction on the training and use of dogs to pursue wolves.
Hunters will be allowed to hunt wolves starting October 15, 2012 as planned, but, according to the DNR "the use of dogs for tracking and trailing of wolves is not authorized when hunting wolves under a wolf harvesting license. Also, the use of dogs for training to track or trail free ranging wolves is not authorized at this time."
See Wisconsin DNR Wolf Hunting and Trapping
A group of mainstream Wisconsin hunters received permission today to file a legal brief with the Court voicing their opposition, as life-long hunters and land-owners, to the unrestricted use of dogs for training and hunting wolves. Their brief will lend support to a lawsuit currently underway against Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (“DNR”) and Natural Resources Board seeking to stop DNR from authorizing the use of dogs to hunt wolves without the regulations necessary to prevent deadly confrontations between dogs and wolves.
Wisconsin remains the only state in the country that allows the use of dogs to hunt wolves.
Although the use of dogs to hunt wolves has been barred on a temporary basis under a ruling by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Peter A. Anderson, defendants are seeking to vacate the Court’s earlier ruling and asking that dogs be allowed for wolf hunting and training purposes this season. In opposition, Plaintiffs, a federation of over 40 humane societies from across Wisconsin as well as private citizens and conservation organizations, will be asking the Judge to find that DNR’s rule violates Wisconsin law by failing to include restrictions to prevent deadly physical encounters between dogs and wolves and will be seeking a permanent injunction until such restrictions are implemented.
Now other Wisconsin hunters and landowners are seeking a voice in this action.
“Mainstream Wisconsin hunters are concerned that the lack of reasonable rules currently governing the use and training of dogs to hunt wolves will interfere with established deer, turkey, grouse and other hunts,” states Henry Koltz, who represents a group of Wisconsin hunters. “Any interference with Wisconsin’s established hunts has the possibility to negatively impact thousands of Wisconsin jobs and the reported $1 billion economic impact of hunting in Wisconsin. We strongly recommend that DNR approve reasonable restrictions on the use of dogs for wolf hunting in order to protect Wisconsin jobs and preserve Wisconsin landowners’ rights.”
One such hunter is Ed Mathwig, who has hunted ruffed grouse with bird dogs every year in Wisconsin for over 50 years but will not be hunting this year as a result of the disputed DNR rule. “Never before now, have I had to worry about my bird dogs being placed in jeopardy while hunting.” Mathwig states, “However, this year, for the first time, I will not be taking my dog grouse hunting, because I will not put him at risk of injury or death posed by packs of dogs running loose in pursuit of wolves.”
Other Wisconsin hunters, including a number who share ownership in a 700 acre hunting camp in Bayfield County, support restrictions on the use of dogs for wolf hunting, contending that unleashed dogs in pursuit of wolves will trespass upon their lands, disrupt habitat, and degrade their hunting experience. “Whether we are hunting, hiking or just enjoying the forest, we don’t want our space disrupted by packs of dogs,” states Bobbi Rongstad, who hunts deer with rifle and bow on private lands she owns in Bayfield and Iron Counties, states, “By allowing unrestricted, year-round training of dogs on wolves across much of the state—before, during and after the hunting season—DNR is not being fair to the majority of Wisconsin hunters.”
“Dogs know no boundaries and are out of their owners control for much of the time,” states Jeff Baylis, a lifelong deer and small game hunter, “Besides leading to trespass situations and conflicts with landowners, DNR’s failure to set limits on running dogs on wolves will drive wildlife from the areas that I hunt and disrupt my hunting enjoyment.”
Baylis adds, “While there is some logic to using dogs on animals that can be treed, wolves cannot be treed but instead will be cornered by a dog pack, which is likely to be a bloody, violent and cruel business.”
The hearing on the parties’ cross-motions is scheduled for December 20, 2012. Dane County Judge the Honorable Peter C. Anderson will hold a hearing on the DNR's request to lift the injunction on the training and use of dogs to pursue wolves.
Hunters will be allowed to hunt wolves starting October 15, 2012 as planned, but, according to the DNR "the use of dogs for tracking and trailing of wolves is not authorized when hunting wolves under a wolf harvesting license. Also, the use of dogs for training to track or trail free ranging wolves is not authorized at this time."
See Wisconsin DNR Wolf Hunting and Trapping
