MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin wildlife officials have signed off on a contentious new wolf management plan that doesn’t include a specific population goal. The Department of Natural Resources’ policy board voted 7-0 Wednesday to approve the proposal. The DNR adopted a management plan in 1999 that calls for capping the state’s wolf population at 350. The DNR’s latest estimates put the population at around 1,000 wolves. Hunters and farmers have pointed to the 350 number as justification for higher kill quotas during wolf season. The new plan recommends allowing the population to grow or decline at certain numerical thresholds.
