Wolf hunting bill goes too far, scientists tell lawmakers

Some of the state?s top wolf scientists cautioned Wednesday that an Assembly bill establishing a wolf hunting season goes too far and does not offer enough protections against killing too many of the state?s 800 to 1,000 wolves and returning the animal to the federal endangered species list….Tim Van Deelen, a UW-Madison wildlife ecologist who helped author the wolf management plan, said the population goal of 350 was set 20 years ago and dramatically underestimated the capacity of the Wisconsin landscape to support wolves. Also, he said, there is little research on the impact of hunting on a recovering wolf population.