He said the new plan as currently drafted is too ambiguous. Tim Fiocchi, a lobbyist for the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, urged the committee to amend the bill to set the goal at 350 wolves. The hearing was a parade of hunting advocates like Withrow, all calling for a hard limit. The bill doesn't set a goal, instead leaving it up to the DNR to determine it. Chanz Green have introduced a bill in March that would force the DNR to set a numeric population goal. Barbie Dreamhouse truck brings exclusive merch to Laredo for 1 day.Retired Cigarroa and Martin coaches cheer teams on during rivalry.Map: The 20 solar eclipse direct path across the Texas sky.Boy, 14, told to stay away from girl at gunpoint.Cuellar: Laredo resident stranded in Israel leaves on flight.Out & About: Check out our Qué Pasá photo galleries.Teen becomes 3rd arrest in murder, armed fugitive still at large.The DNR's board is set to vote on the plan in October. If the number of animals grows to 1,200 or more, the population should be reduced. If the population stands at between 1,000 and 1,199 wolves, the population would be considered stable or could be reduced. If the population stands at 800 to 999 wolves, the population could grow or be considered stable. If the number of wolves falls below 799, wildlife officials should look to grow the statewide population, according to the plan. The new plan recommends a statewide population of about 1,000 animals. The DNR has been working to update its management plan in case wolves are delisted and hunting resumes in the state. Gray wolves are currently listed on the federal endangered species list, making hunting illegal. Wisconsin law mandates that the DNR hold an annual wolf hunt. Hunters and farmers have pointed to the 350 number as justification for setting high kill quotas. The latest DNR estimates, though, put the population at around 1,000 animals. The DNR adopted a management plan in 1999 that calls for limiting the population to 350 animals. Animal rights advocates insist the population is too fragile to support hunting. Farmers across northern Wisconsin complain annually about wolf attacks on their livestock as the species has regained a foothold in the state. Wolf population levels have been one of the most contentious outdoor issues Wisconsin has faced in the last 30 years. It should be that special thing that exists in northern Wisconsin. “Most people do not care if there are wolves in Wisconsin … but you shouldn’t see one every day. It doesn’t say where it ends or where it begins,” Luke Withrow, vice president of the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association. “It’s a pretty reasonable plan, but it has left the door wide open. Hunting advocates lined up in support of the bill, complaining that the lack of a goal leaves both wolves and people unprotected. His remarks came during a hearing on a Republican bill that would force the DNR to set a firm numeric goal in the new plan. "The plan recommends adjusting management actions in response to observed real-world conditions," Johnson said. Randy Johnson, the Department of Natural Resources' large carnivore specialist, told the state Senate's sporting heritage committee that a lack of a hard limit gives the agency more flexibility to manage the species, allows local packs to fluctuate and gives the population a better chance at maintaining wolf abundance for years to come. (AP) - Wisconsin wildlife officials defended their decision not to set a hard cap on the state's wolf population in their new management plan in front of a Republican-controlled legislative committee Thursday, saying a firm limit doesn't reflect the complexities of wolf management. Fish and Wildlife Service via AP, File) Gary Kramer/AP 21, 2023, saying a firm limit doesn't reflect the complexities of wolf management. Wisconsin wildlife officials defended their decision not to set a hard cap on the state's wolf population in their new management plan in front of a Republican-controlled legislative committee Thursday, Sept. Fish and Wildlife Service shows a gray wolf, April 18, 2008. Comments FILE - This photo provided by the U.S.
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