Thank you for taking the time to read this week's e-update. I always strive to include information you find interesting and informative as it relates to my work in Madison and the 60th Assembly District.
My most important goal remains serving you, my constituents. Helping you find solutions to difficult problems when it seems like the state is unresponsive is the single greatest reward for my staff and me. I take constituents' input seriously and continually work hard on your behalf.
I always have your thoughts and concerns in mind when deciding whether or not to support legislation. Furthermore, I appreciate when you take time out of your schedules to contact me.
Have a great week,
This week's survey
Did you know that Wisconsin is the only state that statutorily mandates a wolf hunting season--so long as the species is not under federal protection--and one of just five states that allow wolves to be hunted?
State statutes afford the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources with the authority to establish limits for the number of licenses it issues and the number of wolves that can be harvested. In 2021, the quota was 119 wolves.
Last year, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Board set the harvest quota at 119 wolves. In just four days, 218 wolves were killed by Wisconsin hunters, forcing an early end to the wolf hunting season. Wisconsin Public Radio noted that "State licensed hunters split the quota with Wisconsin's Ojibwe tribes, who can claim up to half the quota. Tribes have declined to harvest the animal because they view the wolf as a brother" (Kaeding, 2021, p.2).
Wisconsin's wolf population has increased exponentially in the past forty years, growing from 25 in 1980 to 1,136 prior to the 2021 harvest.
According to the Wisconsin State Journal, "Wisconsin held three wolf hunting seasons after 2011 Wisconsin Act 169 was signed into law. During those seasons, 528 wolves were killed. Wolves were returned to the federal Endangered Species List in 2014, and the hunt took a pause...The gray wolf was once again removed from the federal list in January of this year, and the DNR planned to hold a hunting season in November. But a court ruling forced a hunt immediately, before the first window of the year closed in February" (Opoien, 2021, p.3).
Why has the wolf harvest issue returned to the forefront and generated innumerable headlines in recent months?
The simple answer: last month, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Board voted 5-2 to approve a wolf harvest quota of 300 wolves, "despite the recommendations of its own wildlife officials, who advised the board to set a quota of fewer than half that number for the fall hunt. The agency recommended a conservative quota due to uncertainty over the population's response to the February wolf hunt" (Kaeding, 2021, p.2). Immediately following this decision, groups on both sides of the wolf harvest issue filed lawsuits.
According to Kaeding (2021), a lawsuit filed in Dane County Circut Court by several environmental groups, "Seeks to overturn state law that requires wolf hunting season when the animal is not listed as a federal endangered species. The groups also want a judge to reverse the 300-wolf quota set by the Natural Resources Board for the upcoming November hunt, and they want to prevent the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources from issuing licenses for the fall wolf season" (p. 2).
Paul Collins, state director of the Animal Wellness Action, said of the pending lawsuit filed by his organization and other wildlife conservation organizations, "Wisconsin's Natural Resources Board treats its role as a promoter of hunting opportunities for trophy hunters, hunters, and trappers, rather than as the steward of a rare species that improves the health of our state's ecosystem and reduces the impacts of prey species, such as deer on forest over-browsing, and event traffic accidents" (Quoted in Kaeding, 2021, p.2).
Hunting advocate organizations have argued the increased quota is warranted due to an increase in the state's gray wolf population. Luke Hilgemann, CEO of Hunter Nation, said, "It was, again, something that was done as a management tool and continuation of the wolf plan that we have, that exists here in Wisconsin, that says again, we want to have this species as part of our ecosystem. But it needs to be managed just like all other predator populations here in the state." Hilgemann emphasized that hunters have been responsible managers of this population. (See Vigdor, 2021).
Hunting advocacy groups, according to the Associated Press, "sued over fears that President Joe Biden's administration may place the animal back on the endangered species list before November and lose a chance to harvest wolf. The Biden administration recently signaled that it would uphold the Trump administration's decision to delist the wolf despite calls to restore protections for the animal" (Kaeding, 2021, p. 4).
This week, six bands of Ojibwe sued the Natural Resources Board, claiming board members violated two treaties signed in the mid-19th century with the United States Government. Counsel for the Ojibwe stated, "The Natural Resources Board purposefully and knowingly discriminated against Ojibwe Tribes by acting to nullify their share of the wolf hunt quota, among other things." The Ojibwe lawsuit can be found here.
According to the Wisconsin State Journal, 2011 Wisconsin Senate Bill 411 (2011 Wisconsin Act 169), "Requires the DNR to administer a program through which people may be paid for death or injuries caused by wolves to livestock, pets, and hunting dogs (other than those being used to hunt wolves). The program is funded by the fees paid for wolf harvesting licenses...It is also legal to shoot and kill wolves in the act of killing, wounding, or orbiting a domestic animal on private land" (Opoien, 2021, p.2).
Since 2011, Wisconsin has paid nearly $200,000 annually to compensate for deaths and injuries to pets and livestock caused by wolves. The total amount paid in claims paid by the state since 1985, exceeds $3 million.
The controversy surrounding the state's wolf harvest is unlikely to be resolved prior to November's hunting season, as groups on both sides have filed lawsuits. As more information becomes available, I will keep you abreast.
Thank you for answering my most recent survey regarding a full forensic-cyber audit of the 2020 election. In total, 170 responded to this week's survey question, with fifty percent in favor of a full cyber-forensic audit and forty-four percent opposed.
Six percent of respondents voted "other." Responses included:
"Quit wasting our tax dollars."
"No, it is a waste of our tax money."
"I believe a thorough investigation is necessary to determine if there are problems with the election process and develop a plan to prevent these issues in the future."
"The election was conducted fairly and upheld by the courts."
Blue Books
This week, copies of the 2021-2022 Wisconsin Blue Book were delivered to legislative offices. If you are interested in receiving a copy of this popular almanac of state government, please click the following link. My staff and I will make it a priority to ensure your copy arrives in a timely fashion.
Events
The following events will be held this week in the 60th Assembly District. If you have any upcoming events you would like included in my e-update, please contact my office.
One of the best ways to date with what is happening in Madison is to sign up for the legislature's notification tracking system. This service affords you with the opportunity to track legislative activities in Madison. Upon creation of a free account, you can sign up to receive notification about specific bills of committees as well as legislative activity pertaining to a subject (i.e., health care, education, etc.).
If you have any comments regarding the subject of this E-Update, please feel free to contact me.
Rep. Rob Brooks State Capitol, Room 216 North P.O. Box 8952 Madison, WI 53708 Toll-Free (888) 534-0060 or (608) 267-2369 Rep.Rob.Brooks@legis.wi.gov| Read Online |
