5 wolves killed in first days of Wisconsin wolf hunt
| Milwaukee
聽officials said on Wednesday that hunters killed five wolves during the first two days of the state's inaugural wolf harvest, which began this week despite opposition from animal rights groups.
The state's聽聽said a gray wolf was trapped and killed on Tuesday in聽聽and hunters elsewhere across the state reported four kills on Monday as the state-sanctioned effort to reduce the population began.
So far, the state has issued 638 of the 1,160 wolf-harvesting licenses it authorized for the season, which runs through Feb. 28 or until hunters reach the quota of 201 wolves. The licenses cost $100 for state residents and $500 for hunters from outside聽.
The move to allow the hunting and trapping of the state's wolves has been opposed by some humane societies, which have filed suit challenging the use of dogs in the hunts.
In addition, the聽聽and the聽聽said this week they would sue the US Fish and Wildlife Service in federal court to restore protections for Great Lakes wolves. The two groups asked聽听补苍诲听聽to postpone wolf hunting and trapping until the case is heard.
滨苍听, where the wolf-hunting season begins on Nov. 3, the state's聽聽earlier this month refused to block the season.
About 4,000 wolves in the northern Great Lakes region - primarily in聽,听听补苍诲听聽- lost their federal status as endangered or threatened last January.
In the聽, conservationists have warred with ranchers and sportsmen over wolves since they were reintroduced to the region by the聽聽in the mid-1990s.
Conservationists welcomed the restoration of an animal that had been shot, trapped and poisoned to near extinction in聽,听听补苍诲听. But ranchers and outfitters contended wolves would prey on livestock and big-game animals targeted by hunters.
Moves by the聽聽in recent years to strip wolves in the region of federal protections were blocked by lawsuits by conservationists.
聽last year lifted federal protections from wolves in聽听补苍诲听, which have since sought to cut the number of wolves - mostly through hunting and trapping - to as few as 300 from an estimated 1,500.
Wolves in聽聽were delisted on Oct. 1, the first day of聽's regulated hunting season. There are an estimated 350 wolves in the state.
Under a plan approved by the聽,听聽permits restricted hunting in certain areas but classifies wolves in most of the state as predatory animals subject to unlicensed shooting and trapping.
罢丑别听聽and other groups last month notified the Fish and Wildlife Service they intended to sue the agency over its approval of聽's wolf-management plan.
All three states must maintain at least 150 wolves, including 15 breeding pairs, to prevent relisting.
Additional reporting by Laura Zuckerman; Editing by James B. Kelleher and Peter Cooney
