Judge orders gray wolf hunting season to open this month

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The Dept. of Natural Resources was ordered Thursday to open the gray wolf hunting season this month as opposed waiting until November.

The ruling was a victory for the Kansas-based hunting group, Hunter Nation, Inc., who filed its lawsuit just over a week ago.

The Jefferson Co. judge, having denied an initial request for a temporary injunction that would have opened the season, indicated the ruling was expedited because the plaintiffs were “entitled” to a decision.

The Trump Administration has removed wolves from the federal endangered species list last month, however the DNR board refused to allow hunting for February because the state’s Chippewa tribes had not been consulted, as per their treaty.

Wisconsin’s wolf hunting season typically runs from November through February.

DNR spokeswoman Sarah Hoye had no immediate comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.