The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has approved a February hunting and trapping season for the gray wolf, which was recently removed from the federal endangered species list.

The DNR will issue up to 4,000 permits with a recommended harvest quota of 200 wolves. Although it’s twice as many permits as suggested by staff, Natural Resources board member Greg Kazmierski said with the shortened season, having more hunters in the field will help hit the quota. “It’s not like there will be a wolf hunter behind every tree,” Kazmierski said. The board believes there will be one hunter per every 4 square miles — versus 10 deer hunters for every square mile.

The DNR estimates there were 1,195 wolves in Wisconsin as of April 2020. The state wolf management plan goal is to have 350 wolves living outside of tribal reservations.

The application period began at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, at gowild.wi.gov. The DNR will announce drawing results on Feb. 22. Winners can begin hunting and trapping once they purchase a license. The season ends on Feb. 28.

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