Wood County, Wisconsin, wants fewer wolves

August 21, 2013 By WRN Contributor
 

Wood County supervisors want the state to make Wisconsin’s wolf pack smaller. The County Board passed a resolution asking the Department of Natural Resources to limit the number of wolves to 350. “ We’re getting some of these animals into some fairly populated areas, causing some problems not only with livestock, but with domestic pets ” said County Board Chairman Lance Pliml.

The board took the action Tuesday. The 2013 Wisconsin wolf count indicates there are a minimum of 809 to 834 wolves in the state. The DNR has set the quota at 275 wolves for the season that begins October 15th.

The Wood County Board has also let the State of Wisconsin know they don’t agree with a recently passed law. Pliml said supervisors sent a resolution to the state Legislature opposing recent actions to control county governments, such as the new law limiting the Milwaukee County Board’s authority with contracts, land sales, and labor negotiations while expanding the County Executive’s power.

“We prefer local government self-rule,” he said. “If the people in Milwaukee don’t like what they have, they should change it, probably not the state.” The Legislature passed Assembly bill 85 and Senate Bill 95, concerning self-rule. Pliml said no county really wants the state telling them how to conduct its business.

WSA
source