MADISON, Wis. - Animal protection groups hope to overturn Wisconsin's controversial law allowing wolf hunts. A newly filed lawsuit follows months of criticism of key decisions about the program and its effect on the gray wolf population.

A handful of groups have argued that the state law is unconstitutional because it limits the impact of population estimates. After the gray wolf was de-listed from the federal Endangered Species Act, hunters far exceeded a quota in a special hunt in February. There also is concern that the established quota of 300 for a wolf hunt this November is too high.

Melissa Smith, executive director of the group Friends of the Wisconsin Wolf and Wildlife, said it's proof the state statute is aggressive.

"Wolves don't know state borders. They don't know if they're in Michigan or in Minnesota or in Illinois," she said. "But if they cross in here, they're in a really deadly place."

She noted that many other states aren't scheduling wolf hunts, even with federal protections removed. The Department of Natural Resources, named in the suit, declined to comment on the case. Agency biologists recommended a smaller quota this fall, but the Natural Resources Board still approved a higher total. Wisconsin law requires an annual hunt when federal wolf protections aren't in place.

Plaintiffs said the Resources Board ignored the science, and call attention to a panel member still being allowed to cast votes, even though their term expired in May.

Michelle Lute, national carnivore conservation manager of the group Project Coyote, said the current system in Wisconsin is broken.

"There are problems with DNR's population modeling," she said, "the February hunt interrupted their winter count of the population, and by the DNR's own admission, the level of uncertainty in their understanding means we must proceed cautiously."

Conservation groups contend the wolf population is still too fragile to resume activity. Smith said they've exhausted other avenues available to the public to pause the hunts, but were eventually left with no other option.

"We deserve a voice," she said, "and this is the best way we could find to have that voice."

In addition to some big-game hunters backing the program, farmers have argued that wolves prey on their livestock. The state-level lawsuit is not connected to national efforts to reinstate federal protections.

Some $20 million of Utah's whopping $29 billion state budget will be spent on building wildlife crossings and fences across the state in an effort to keep wildlife off of highways.

Rep. Doug Owens, D-Salt Lake, said the appropriation is "non-lapsing," meaning the funds can be spent over time. Owens added the federal government needs to approve a four-to-one match, which would make a grand total of $100 million available for the projects statewide.

"That is a lot of money for fencing, and crossings and underpasses," Owens pointed out. "Hopefully we'll get all that $100 million spent here in the next few years, to keep our roadways safe."

Owens noted before the legislative session began, he asked the Utah Department of Transportation to put together a list of the top 10 hot spots where wildlife mitigation projects are needed most. He added with the estimated cost of the projects, $100 million will be enough to fund them.

An estimated 5,000 deer and 1,000 elk are involved in vehicle collisions in Utah every year.

Owens argued the number of large animal and vehicle collisions needs to come down, to prevent injuries and deaths for humans and animals alike, as well as the material damage. He called the appropriation a "win for everybody."

"Utahns incur about $130 million of expense every year fixing cars that have hit animals," Owens reported. "And that doesn't even include any of the medical costs, and even the occasional fatality of a person hitting a large animal."

Utah made history in 1975 as the first state to complete a wildlife overpass on Interstate 15 near Beaver. Since then, more than 100 projects have been executed, and Owens added he is excited to see more implemented around the state.


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As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, the Interior Department has announced it is investing $120 million to restore and rebuild key segments of America's wildlife management systems, especially in key areas of the Midwest.

The money will be used to address species climate adaptation and invasive species threats, and provide additional data collection needed to support successful natural resource resilience. The money will be especially important in high-priority areas of the Midwest known as Prairie Potholes.

Christy Plumer, chief conservation officer for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, said the potholes are shallow wetlands where wildlife have been threatened.

"It is what we call the duck factory," Plumer explained. "A lot of waterfowl species spend really important components of their life within the Prairie Pothole region. It is a region that has a complicated set of both threats and opportunities within it."

Some $23 million is earmarked for landscape conservation and restoration in parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, and North and South Dakota. The investment comes at the same time the Endangered Species Act turns 50 years old.

Plumer added much of the $120 million investment will go right to work on the land of individuals who want to protect sensitive, low-lying wetlands on their property ...

"... but still utilize the upland areas for growing crops, ranching and for other needs," Plumer emphasized. "I think a program like this provides that blend of opportunities for willing landowners to do great conservation work while also thinking long term about the economic vitality of their farms and their ranches."

Plumer noted in addition to restoring habitat and increasing land resilience, the Prairie Potholes project will also secure environmental justice for historically disadvantaged communities.

Wildlife conservationists are calling for Utah Gov. Spencer Cox to veto House Bill 469, which would allow year-round cougar hunting in the state.

During one of the bill's final readings, Sen. Scott Sandall, R-Tremonton, introduced a provision to remove the state's current requirement to carry a cougar hunting permit to hunt and kill the large cats.

Kirk Robinson, founder and executive director of the Western Wildlife Conservancy, said the bill is concerning because Utah already kills more cougars each year than almost any other state. Robinson reported in the 2021-2022 hunting season, 753 cougars were killed out of the roughly 2,500 accounted for by the state's Division of Wildlife Resources.

"Why are we killing so many in the first place?" Robinson asked. "Which makes the question: Why would we have a change in the law to allow even more killings?"

Robinson argued the bill has garnered support because some people believe cougars are responsible for the struggling Utah deer population and also cause public safety concerns. While Robinson recognizes human-cougar encounters have increased in recent years, he argued the bill is "scientifically uninformed and ethically fraught," and killing so many cougars upsets the ecological balance.

In addition to the impact the bill could have on Utah's cougar population, Robinson claimed the way the provision was introduced was "sneaky" and called it a "horrible way to run government." He pointed out if the law were to be enacted, it would remove cougar management from the purview of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and put it in the hands of the Utah Wildlife Board, which is managed by hunters and livestock producers.

Robinson emphasized research has shown there is a correlation between heavy hunting and more conflict incidents, including predation on livestock and encounters with people.

"Why would that be so if killing cougars really does prevent or mitigate conflict? When you take out the dominant males from a cougar population, there are a lot more young cougars," Robinson explained. "They don't have fixed home ranges, and they're not good hunters."

Robinson stressed cougars play a crucial role in stabilizing ecosystems. He added even if the bill is vetoed, the number of cougars being killed needs to come down as it currently sits at two and a half times the recommended amount.


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