Wolf hunting in Wis. closes for season

Trotting wolf
A wolf trots across a grain stubble field near Embarrass, Minn. Neighboring Wisconsin has now closed its first official wolf hunting season.
Steve Foss for MPR

Wisconsin closed the last of its six wolf hunting zones on Sunday evening after reaching its target quota.

The hunt had been scheduled to continue through the end of February. But in a statement, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says officials will analyze hunter and trapper success rates to help draft permanent rules for the long-term management of the state's wolf population.

Wisconsin officials have said they want to reduce the state's wolf population from around 850 to 350.

Minnesota's late season for wolf hunting and trapping, meanwhile, remains open in the northwest corner of the state. The east central and northeast zones have already closed.

So far in Minnesota, hunters and trappers have killed 326 wolves. The target harvest is 400, out of an estimated statewide population of around 3,000.

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