Dear Friend of Wildlife,

We told you it was bs and now it’s official. The Wisconsin DNR’s so-called “improved” wolf hunting rules went into effect on November 1, 2025, under NR 10.105. They claim it’s about better management and protections, but it’s all smoke and mirrors: grudging, fake changes riddled with loopholes that let cruelty and hypocrisy run wild. These aren’t rules to protect wolves – they’re a blueprint for monetizing their deaths, courtesy of a tiny, violent minority of hound hunters and lobbyists who pull the strings.

As advocates at the Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance, we’ve been fighting this nightmare for years. Wolves are still federally protected for now, so no hunt is happening yet – but if they’re delisted, these rules kick in, turning Wisconsin’s forests into kill zones. And trust us, the outrageous details will make your blood boil. Here’s why this is a scam designed for entitlement, technology, and profit – not balance or science:

No Mercy for Pups: Full Kill Status for Babies Under One

–Once the season opens the first Saturday in November, there’s zero age protection. Pups are fair game, even as the “no disturbance” rule around dens pretends to offer mercy. But come November, when thermals light up the night? It’s meaningless theater. We’re talking about slaughtering the young while claiming “management.” If this happened to cows or dogs, it’d be called a purge – but for wolves? Just another day in Wisconsin.

Tech for Hunters, Blindfold for Wolves: GPS Collars Allowed on Dogs, Banned on Wildlife

– Hounds get high-tech tracking with GPS, shock collars, and more, while wolves can’t be collared or telemetered. It’s a rigged game: hunters recover their packs with ease, but wolves are left defenseless against long-range rifles and night vision. Perfect for urban creeps wanting a “safari” feel – half-hour after sunset to before sunrise, with artificial lights, thermals, and night vision allowed. No vehicle shining, sure – but everything else? Green-lit for high-tech extermination.

Electronic Calls “Prohibited” – But Loopholes Let Anyone Cheat

– Rules say no electronic calls, but a Bluetooth speaker blasting pup yelps? Totally doable, and the DNR doesn’t test or enforce. It’s vague wording that lets trappers skirt bans, turning “prohibited” into a joke while wolves suffer.

Fake “Training” That’s a Death Sentence for Hounds – And Taxpayers Foot the Bill

– There’s no real legal wolf hound training – just “scent familiarization” on public land from July to August, leash-only, no pursuit. Yet in 2021, 78 hounds died from exactly that setup during bear season, up from 42 in 2020. Mostly in northern counties like Bayfield and Sawyer, sparking revenge hunts. Bears kill way fewer hounds (10-15 yearly average, with a high of 28 in 2013 dipping to 6 the next) – no big compensation fund for those, hunters just eat the loss. But for wolves? Depredation payouts have shelled out millions since 1985, including at least five verified cases where hunters admitted illegal harassment, ran packs during protected times, got dogs killed, and still cashed in up to $2,500 each. No fines, no clawbacks – just a slap on the wrist to keep the hounder lobby happy. Compensation doubled in 2023? Five thousand per hound now, even for old, arthritic dogs with worn teeth – hunters brag online about phasing out “junk packs” for cash and buying fresh pups. DNR calls it “tragic,” not fraud.

The Same Dogs Fuel the Cycle of Cruelty

– Those packs slaughtered in summer “training” are the exact ones unleashed on bears (when wolves are protected) and then wolves in legal seasons. No separation – it’s one blood sport pipeline. Hunters demand more wolf kills to “protect” their dogs… that they threw into wolf country for fun. And the irony? DNR’s own guidance warns: Don’t feed raw deer carcasses or venison scraps to dogs in wolf territory – it draws wolves to camps, habituates them, spikes attacks, and justifies more kills. Hunters do it anyway, fueling the conflict they complain about. As the DNR admits, “Depredations on hounds are a serious concern for Wisconsin’s hunting community” – as if they didn’t create the problem.

Mandated Hunts Every Year – No Matter What

Act 169 locks the DNR in: Must run a hunt annually, minimum 30 wolves, no zero quota option. They can’t override without legislative guts they lack. Season ends February 28 or at a statewide quota of 260 wolves – unevenly allocated (80 in Zone A, 60 in B, etc.). But quotas are inverted: High kills in northern public lands (Zones A/B: 70-80% national forest, minimal depredations – just 12 in A, 9 in B) for “sport,” while ag-heavy southern zones (D/E/F: 12-15% farmland, 40+ livestock cases) get starved tags. Zones with zero depredations (like parts of Iron and Price) stay open for hound practice and selfies. It’s not conflict resolution – it’s trophy hunting with a spreadsheet. Wisconsin’s wolf population? Around 1,226 last winter – killing 260 is one in five. If we did that to livestock? Outrage. But wolves get thermal scopes and eight-hour pose time.

-Reporting “Tightened” – But Overshoot is Inevitable** – Shortened from 24 to eight hours for kill registration: Performative BS that doesn’t stop overcrowding (2,000 applicants for 80 tags in Zone A – 25:1 ratio). Zone-specific tags? Non-transferable, but unenforced – no barriers, wolves cross lines, hunters follow with hound GPS.

guide Industry Runs Wild, No Oversight** – No wolf-specific permits, no hound caps – just a liability policy. Outfitters flood zones, spike body counts, no checks.

– **The Worst? Bleeding Wolf Selfies as “Managed Harvest”** – Every gory post on X (like those at 4:39 PM or 4:43 PM) captions it “getting along with nature,” while DNR hotlines update quotas hourly for the next pack to punch in. It’s not science – it’s subscription hunting.

This isn’t biology – it’s bloodsport, a tax on wolves, a gift to grudge-holding hounders. Science optional; profit and vengeance mandatory. The DNR regulates outrage, not wolves. And if you’re not angry, check your pulse.


We’re fighting back at the Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance – petitioning for state protections, exposing corruption, and pushing for real reform. But we can’t do it without you. Your donation today fuels legal battles, public campaigns, and on-the-ground monitoring to save these keystone species and our ecosystems.

Donate now: $35 covers a day of advocacy;$ 100 funds expert testimony; $500 supports a full legal challenge. Every dollar counts – click here to give securely

www.wiwolvesandwildlife.org/donate

Together, we can end this entitlement and protect wolves for generations. Spread the word, call your reps, and join us in the fight.

Stay fierce,
Melissa Smith
Executive Director 
Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance