First Wisconsin wolf season will proceed; application deadline extended

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MADISON – Dane County Circuit Judge Peter Anderson issued a partial injunction Friday afternoon involving the use of dogs for Wisconsin’s wolf season.

Anderson’s partial injunction makes it clear that Wisconsin’s wolf season will proceed.

Department of Natural Resources spokesman Bill Cosh issued the following statement on the ruling:

"We understand that some individuals may have decided to wait for today’s ruling prior to purchasing a wolf application. Considering the importance of getting a preference point in this initial season, we will be extending the wolf application deadline until Sept. 7.

"Regarding the use of dogs and the injunction, we will consult with our attorneys and assess all of our options. Further, it is important to note that this is a temporary injunction, that suspends the use of dogs in wolf hunting until the judge and parties have more thoroughly investigated, briefed, discussed an litigated the issue so the judge can make a final ruling.

A schedule to do that will be set up with the judge, pending the results of the Sept. 14 hearing on the State’s motion to dismiss.

As of mid-afternoon Friday, the WDNR had received 17,859 applications from residents and 442 from non-residents to enter the drawing for a limited number of permits to harvest a wolf later this year.

Hunters and trappers interested in participating in Wisconsin's inaugural wolf hunting and trapping season were invited to apply for a permit between Aug. 1-31. The permit application fee is $10.

Just 1,160 wolf harvest licenses will be issued with goal of taking about 115 animals. Additional licenses will be available to Wisconsin's Native American population.

The wolf hunting and trapping season runs Oct. 15 to Feb. 28, 2013.

For the 2012-13 seasons all wolf permits will be awarded by random choice in a drawing that will be held shortly after the close of the permit application window. Successful applicants will be notified by letter. Applicants who are not successful in the drawing will be awarded a preference point toward future drawings.

Starting with the 2013-14 season one half of available permits will be issued randomly among all permit applications and the second half will be issued through a cumulative preference point drawing.

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