The ruling last week by the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list could mean a Wisconsin wolf hunt this winter. State officials say it’s too early to know that yet.
The federal change means the state will manage the wolf population for the first time in seven years.
Department of Natural Resources Fish, Wildlife and Parks Division Administrator Keith Warnke says his department has done it before, has been ready for several years, and is looking forward to doing the job.
The delisting doesn’t take effect until January.
State law has the wolf hunt beginning the first Saturday in November when the wolves aren’t on the endangered list.
The D-N-R estimates there are 1,034 wolves in Wisconsin now.
