Wisconsin Senate passes Republican bill to force setting a wolf hunt goal

From AP:

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Senate passed a Republican-backed bill Tuesday that would force state wildlife managers to set a firm numeric goal for the state’s wolf population.

The proposal, which next heads to the Assembly, comes after the Department of Natural Resources did not set a hard cap on the state’s wolf population in its new management plan, but said the population should be around 1,000.

The state has operated since 1999 under a wolf management plan that limits the statewide population at 350 animals. The new plan calls for the DNR to work with advisory committees to monitor local populations and decide whether to reduce them, maintain them or allow them to grow.