9 minute read
COVER FEATURE
Wolf battle
A controversial wolf hunting decision led to a lawsuit as a local board member refuses to vacate his seat
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Frederick Prehn, a Wausau dentist,
is causing pain for Democrats and those who oppose a big wolf hunt.
Th e controversy surrounding the disputed member of the Natural Resources Board has led to a lawsuit from Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul. Kaul’s lawsuit seeks to force Prehn from the board that controls policy of the Department of Natural Resources.
Th is comes after the Wausau dentist declined calls to step down more than three months after his six-year appointment ended.
Prehn, the board chair, has cited precedence that allows board members to continue serving until their replacement has been confi rmed by the state Senate.
But Kaul argued in the Dane County lawsuit that state law on DNR board appointments doesn’t include such a holdover period.
Th e suit notes other statutes specifi cally say appointees may continue serving after their term and until a successor is elected or confi rmed. But the Department of Justice argued in the suit that state law specifi c to the DNR board doesn’t include similar language.
“Dr. Prehn’s term is over. His attempt to remain on the Natural Resources Board
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indefi nitely, in defi ance of the will of the voters, is fundamentally undemocratic,” Kaul said in announcing the suit.
Former GOP Gov. Scott Walker appointed Prehn to the board, and his six-year term expired May 1. But the GOP-run state Senate has yet to take action on Gov. Tony Evers’ appointment of Sandra Nass, an Ashland teacher, to replace Prehn. While he continues to serve, the board remains controlled 4-3 by Walker appointees.
Several environmental groups had urged Kaul to take legal action to force Prehn from the board. Kaul’s suit seeks an order taking Prehn from the board or a declaratory judgment that Evers may remove him.
Th e Natural Resources Board earlier approved a state wolf hunt quota of 300 wolves for the November hunt this year — more than twice what agency staff had recommended.
Gray wolves were delisted from the Endangered Species Act on Jan. 4, 2021, and the DNR originally planned to wait until fall 2021 for the fi rst hunt since 2014. But it went forward with a February hunt after a Jeff erson County judge ordered the agency to hold one before month’s end.
For the February hunt, there was a quota of 119 kills for state-licensed hunters with tribes able to harvest 81. Th e number of state-licensed kills came in at 281 as hunters quickly blew past the quota, and the hunt was cut short.
Agency staff recommended a quota of 130 wolves for this fall. DNR’s Fish Wildlife and Parks Division Administrator Keith Warnke said the department arrived at that number because it would allow hunters to harvest wolves without changing the population.
Warnke also said his division has received about 27,000 wolf kill permit requests so far for the November hunt.
DNR Secretary Preston Cole slammed
Prehn for his vote in favor of the new quota.
Prehn countered the vote would have been the same regardless of his decision to remain in his current role and slammed Cole for what he said was an out-of-order comment.
“I think it would have passed without me being present, Mr. Secretary,” Prehn said. “And I think you’re out of line for commenting and editorializing,” he added before being interrupted by Cole.
“I am out of order?” Cole said before Prehn could fi nish.
Cole said he stands behind the 130 quota recommendation from the DNR because that’s the number science backs.
Some board members advocated for quotas as high as 504 wolves. Th ey argued tribal hunters would accept roughly 40 percent of the kills allotted in Wisconsin, but wouldn’t actually harvest them. Given that, they said a quota of 504 would mean only about 300 wolves would be killed.
For more, visit WisPolitics.com
Th e Capitol Report is written by editorial staff at WisPolitics.com, a nonpartisan, Madison-based news service that specializes in coverage of government and politics, and is distributed for publication by members of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association.
Coaliti on of animal rights groups fi le lawsuit against wolf hunt
A coaliti on of animal rights groups have fi led a lawsuit against the state’s resource board aiming to halt the proposed wolf hunt this winter. Animal Wellness Acti on, the Center for a Humane Economy, Friends of the Wisconsin Wolf and Wildlife, and Project Coyote fi led a lawsuit in Dane County Circuit Court Tuesday against the Natural Resources Board asking for a halt to the wolf hunt proposed to start in November. The lawsuit alleges that the NRB, which includes member Fred Prehn who is serving past his term of offi ce, approved a wolf hunt that ignores the state Department of Natural Resources staff ’s scienti fi cbased recommendati ons for how many wolves should be culled and set arbitrary kill numbers above and beyond last year’s wolf hunt, which saw more animals killed than the quotas called for. In a virtual press conference Tuesday, Berkeley-based Greenfi re Law Firm lawyer Jessica Blome said the statute allowing for the wolf hunt was unconsti tuti onal because it violates public trust doctrines and responsibiliti es laid out in the state legislature. “It strips the agenices responsible for protecti ng and administering to wildlife and ensuring sustainability,” Blome says. The proposed hunt would set a quota of 300 wolves, more than the 218 wolves killed last year (83% more than the quota set. The DNR proposed a quota of only 130 for this season’s hunt. Additi onally, the group says, Wisconsin is the only state allowing the use of hounds. Minnesota and Michigan do not have a wolf hunt, despite having acti ve packs. Group members say that is especially cruel and leaves too many additi onal wolves dead. Hunti ng with hounds can be devastati ng, says Pat Clark, president of the Lewiston Outi ng Club in southern Wisconsin. Clark said when a pack of wolves moved into the bog where he hunts, deer populati ons transformed from a mix of 90% does and 10% bucks transformed from a mix of 90% does and 10% bucks to nearly a 50-50 mix. Rare plant species, no longer to nearly a 50-50 mix. Rare plant species, no longer overgrazed by a burgeoning deer populati on, suddenly overgrazed by a burgeoning deer populati on, suddenly were in abundance to the amazement of DNR biolowere in abundance to the amazement of DNR biologists, Clark says. Those wolves moved to another gists, Clark says. Those wolves moved to another county when water levels in the bog rose, and were all county when water levels in the bog rose, and were all slaughtered by hunters using hounds, Clark says. slaughtered by hunters using hounds, Clark says. Biologist Dr. Michelle Lute of Project Coyote said packs Biologist Dr. Michelle Lute of Project Coyote said packs of wolves limit overpopulati on of deer, help stop the of wolves limit overpopulati on of deer, help stop the spread of Chronic Wasti ng Disease, and help natural spread of Chronic Wasti ng Disease, and help natural fauna fl ourish. They also lead to a dramati c decrease fauna fl ourish. They also lead to a dramati c decrease in deer-car crashes, which leads to lower insurance in deer-car crashes, which leads to lower insurance claims. The lawsuit seeks to overturn the 2011 law that The lawsuit seeks to overturn the 2011 law that allowed for wolf hunts in the fi rst place. “The Natural allowed for wolf hunts in the fi rst place. “The Natural Resources Board should know its role– to oversee Resources Board should know its role– to oversee and rati fy the decisions of the professional staff at the and rati fy the decisions of the professional staff at the Wisconsin DNR,” says Paul Collins, Animal Wellness Wisconsin DNR,” says Paul Collins, Animal Wellness Acti on Wisconsin State Director. “Instead, the Acti on Wisconsin State Director. “Instead, the Board has hij acked wolf management. The Board has hij acked wolf management. The courts cannot allow this arbitrary and courts cannot allow this arbitrary and capricious decision-making to drive capricious decision-making to drive wildlife management decisions in wildlife management decisions in Wisconsin.”
Advocates of the hunt say the Advocates of the hunt say the season is necessary to prevent season is necessary to prevent further wolf att acks on livestock or further wolf att acks on livestock or pets. The state has paid nearly $2.9 pets. The state has paid nearly $2.9 million in damages to farmers and others million in damages to farmers and others who experienced losses due to wolves. who experienced losses due to wolves. There were 58 confi rmed or probable wolf There were 58 confi rmed or probable wolf depredati on events so far this year. Last year there depredati on events so far this year. Last year there were 86 events last year and 74 in 2019, according to were 86 events last year and 74 in 2019, according to the DNR’s reports. As it stands, the wolf hunti ng season would start Nov. As it stands, the wolf hunti ng season would start Nov. 6 and conti nue through to Feb. 28. 6 and conti nue through to Feb. 28. Editor B.C. Kowalski contributed this report
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