Wisconsin DNR Releases Revised Wolf Management Plan After Overwhelming Public Input

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has released a revised draft of their 2023 Wolf Management Plan, reflecting the state's commitment to maintaining a sustainable and ecologically functional wolf population while addressing concerns and conflicts related to wolves. This new plan is a response to the current state of the wolf population and attempts to reflect the diverse perspectives of Wisconsin's residents.

The DNR started developing the updated draft plan in early 2021 to align wolf management strategies with the changing status of wolf populations and public desires. Recognizing the biologically recovered status of wolves in the state, the revised plan aims to shift attention from wolf recovery to long-term stewardship and sustainable management.

One of the central goals of the revised draft plan is to ensure a healthy and sustainable wolf population that upholds the ecological, cultural, and recreational benefits of wolves, while being responsive to addressing and preventing wolf-related conflicts. The plan also emphasizes the importance of recognizing the diverse values and perspectives of all residents in Wisconsin.

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Extensive public input was collected and considered to develop a comprehensive and inclusive plan. The DNR collaborated with a 29-member Wolf Management Plan Committee that represented stakeholders, tribal, and external agency representatives. Additionally, they consulted with Wisconsin's Tribal Nations and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC), reviewed scientific literature, and studied public attitudes toward wolves.

The public review and comment period that followed the release of the first draft plan in November 2022 received overwhelming participation, with over 3,500 comments submitted. All the comments were thoroughly reviewed and considered in the process of revising the 2023 Wolf Management Plan for Wisconsin.

The revised draft plan retains several elements that received positive feedback from the public. Commitments to maintaining a healthy wolf population, being responsive to those negatively impacted by interactions with wolves, and relying on scientific research and data to guide management decisions in the future. The emphasis on ongoing wolf population monitoring and collaboration with various stakeholders, agencies, and the public is also maintained in this way.

Recommendations intended to improve wolf harvest season implementation, such as a shortened harvest registration time and zone-specific licenses, have been maintained in response to public input. The revised draft plan also outlines a clearer process for developing and allocating future wolf harvest quotas across the states management zones.

One of the areas that the public highlighted for improvement was the clarity on projected wolf population sizes. The revised plan, while maintaining an adaptive management framework, provides greater clarity on a projected population range based on the current management objectives. This projection aims to address concerns surrounding uncertainty about future wolf population sizes.

"Today, wolf packs are established in about half of all
Wisconsin counties, primarily in the forested northern and central parts of the state. Statewide winter population estimates suggest approximately 1,000 wolves have occupied the state in recent years. The Wisconsin wolf population is part of a larger and well-connected wolf population that extends east into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and west into Minnesota. Today, these states collectively support a Northern Great Lakes regional wolf population of over 4,000 wolves, with thousands more connected to the north across the Canadian border. In the last decade, population growth and range expansion have generally slowed and stabilized in all three states, suggesting wolves have fully recolonized most available habitat in the region."

-2023 Wisconsin Wolf Management Plan, Summary Section

The revised draft plan addresses transparency and misconceptions voiced by the public. It features a clearer goal statement and an improved executive summary, which provides a concise description of the plan's vision and actions. Specific metrics have been developed to gauge the success of management actions, further enhancing transparency and accountability.

The DNR encourages the public to read the executive summary for an overview before exploring the entire plan. The full revised 2023 Wolf Management Plan is available on the DNR's Wolf Management Plan webpage.

“The public’s interest and passion towards wolves and wolf management showed in the comments the DNR received. This plan comes from years of dedicated effort and careful consideration, is flexible, actionable, and, most importantly, outlines a path toward responsible and sustainable wolf management. I am thankful to everyone who contributed, reviewed the plan or submitted a comment.”

-Adam N. Payne, Wisconsin DNR Secretary

The plan is set to be presented to the Natural Resource Board (NRB) during their meeting on October 25th, 2023.