Wisconsin Pays Bear Hunters For Dogs Killed By Wolves. WHY?

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The State of Wisconsin allows bear hunters to use dogs in the chase. Bear hunters are even given maps, public information and common-sense warnings by the DNR to avoid letting their dogs train and run to their death near bear bait sites or known wolf rendezvous areas (read the comments) - - but the DNR still pays up to $2,500 for any dog killed by a wolf.

What's the message and justification there?

To date this year, 23 dogs have been killed by wolves in Wisconsin, records show.

DNR Secretary Stepp With Future Sport Prey

Details from the DNR's website, here, and from one recent news story:

Wolves have killed 16 dogs being trained to hunt bears so far this season, including five in the past three days....

When wolves attack dogs in hunting or training situations on public land, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources creates "wolf caution areas" to warn hunters that a specific pack has attacked a dog or group of dogs.

Bear hunters are urged to exercise greater caution if they plan to train hounds or hunt bear with hounds near any caution area, especially if near an actual kill site....

Adult wolves are very defensive of pups at rendezvous sites and will attack other predators, including dogs, that get too close to the rendezvous site or the pups.

Wisconsin pays hunters up to $2,500 per dog for dogs killed by wolves.

Using dogs in wolf-hunting is tied up in court, but no doubt state payments for dogs torn to pieces by predatory wolves would dramatically increase, were it allowed.

Anonymous said...

Very good question. Why do hunters have more rights than the wildlife? They know what they are training their dogs to do and the risk involved. What makes hunters so special? They are not the major contributors to protection of natural resources or wildlife. The major contributors are all taxpayers and tourists and not the hunters, no matter how much they say they are.

September 24, 2013 at 1:59 PM

Anonymous said...

Hounders should NEVER be paid for lost dogs. The chance of that happening is the price hounders should pay. Take responsibility. I hate hounding. It's an evil practice.

September 24, 2013 at 3:19 PM

Anonymous said...

Here’s an novel idea…...any hound hunter who has a dog killed after he chooses to turn his pack of hounds loose in a “wolf caution area”, gets a hefty fine. Let’s say $2,500., for causing the intentional death of his dog.

September 24, 2013 at 4:57 PM 

 

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