With State Approval, Another Hunting Dog Thrown To Wolves

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Bear hunting is big business in Wisconsin and is heavily promoted by the DNR which gives  bear hunters and related interests policy-making advisory access, too. 

Bear hunters are allowed by the state to let their packs of hounds run freely during a 60-day period in the summer - - even through known wolf activity territories - - to 'train' for the fall and winter bear hunt season.

This practice sets up hound-wolf confrontations, the inevitable killing of hounds by the larger, territorial wolves and the filing of claims with the DNR of up to $2,500 per dog.

As I have noted, some people in Wisconsin go to prison when dogs are killed, and some people get a check. Some animal cruelty is tolerated, other circumstances are condemned. It's all very situational.

The state has paid out a half-million dollars under this only-in-Wisconsin program, and will be making another payment soon, as the DNR reporter over the Labor Day weekend that there has been another such dog killing:

On August 31, Wildlife Services confirmed that wolves killed an 11 year old Plott/Walker bear hound. The attack occurred in the Town of Emery, Price County. More information and a caution area map are available on the gray wolf webpage. 

Hunters are reminded to use the caution area maps on the DNR website (dnr.wi.gov, keyword "wolf management") to help reduce conflicts during this year's bear dog training and hunting season.

DNR records show 13 such killings this year, with four in Price County where the most recent incident took place. Several Price County dog killings by wolves happened close to each other, to somewhat older dogs and and after DNR-publicized warnings. 

Seems some hunters there are paying only close attention to the dog reimbursement program.

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