TODAY HEARD ARGUMENTS ON THE
STATE WOLF HUNT SET TO BEGIN
NEXT SATURDAY.
SIX CHIPPEWA TRIBES IN WISCONSIN
DSUED THE DNR AFTER HUNTERS BLEW
THROUGH THE QUOTA IN THE
FEBRUARY HUNT.
>> I THINK THEY TOOK TOO MANY OF
THEM AT ONE TIME DURING THAT
WINTER -- I GUESS THE
WINTER-SPRING HUNT HERE.
THEY TOOK 218 ANIMALS.
WE HAD CLAIMED HALF OF THEM AS
THE OJIBWA'S TRIBE'S, TO TRY TO
PRESERVE THEM BECAUSE THERE'S
OTHER THINGS IN OUR ECOSYSTEM
THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY
THAT WOLF HAVING TO DO WITH
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE IN OUR
AREA.
ESPECIALLY THE ONES WE HUNT AND
TAKE FOOD FROM.
>> A DANE COUNTY JUDGE A WEEK
AGO ISSUED A TEMPORARY
INJUNCTION STOPPING NEXT WEEK'S
HUNT SAYING IT CANNOT HAPPEN
UNTIL THE DNR ENACTS FORMAL
RULEMAKING FOR HUNTING WOLVES.
AS A RESULT, THE DNR ANNOUNCES
IT IS NOT ISSUING ANY LICENSES
FOR THE HUNT AS IT WORKS ON
RULES AND A WOLF MANAGEMENT
PLAN.
TONIGHT, LUKE HILGEMANN JOINS US
FROM HUNTER NATION.
IT WANTS THE DNR TO APPEAL THE
STATE COURT RULING.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.
>> IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THIS
YEAR'S FALL WOLF HUNT WHICH WAS
SUPPOSED TO BEGIN IN A LITTLE
MORE THAN A WEEK IS OFF.
WHAT'S YOUR REACTION TO THAT?
>> WELL, WE THINK THERE'S STILL
AN OUTWARD CHANCE IF THE EVERS
ADMINISTRATION AND DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE COMES BACK TO THE TABLE
AND CHALLENGES THIS RULING, THAT
HUNTERS' RIGHTS AND THE
CONSTITUTIONALLY-PROTECTED RIGHT
THAT WE ESTABLISHED IN OUR COURT
CASE IN FEBRUARY CAN STILL
HAPPEN.
WE HAVE NOVEMBER UNTIL THE
MONTHS OF FEBRUARY TO HUNT
WOLVES BY STATUTE.
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS ACTIVIST
RULING COMES OUT OF DANE COUNTY
IS A SETBACK FOR SURE, BUT
DEFINITELY NOT ONE THAT IF THE
GOVERNOR AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE CHALLENGE THIS RULING,
WE THINK THAT THEY CAN PREVAIL
AT THE LEVEL.
>> GIVEN THE DNR IS SAYING IT IS
PROMULGATING RULES AND NOT
ISSUING ANY LICENSES, IT WOULD
APPEAR THAT THE AGENCY IS NOT
GOING TO APPEAL THAT DANE COUNTY
JUDGE'S RULING.
>> AND WE THINK THAT'S A
TERRIBLE DECISION.
WE THINK THAT'S ONE THAT THE
EVERS ADMINISTRATION AND HIS
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
AND ATTORNEY GENERAL JOSH KAUL
ARE GOING TO BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE.
THERE IS AN ABSOLUTE NEED TO
APPEAL THIS ACTIVIST RULING AND
WE ARE PUSHING HARD.
WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT OUR
POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES TO
APPEAL THIS RULING AS WELL.
>> WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE HAVE
YOU GOTTEN FROM YOUR CALLS TO
THE EVERS ADMINISTRATION AND THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL TO GO AHEAD AND
APPEAL THIS?
>> TOO MUCH SILENCE,
UNFORTUNATELY, FREDERICA.
THOUSANDS, WE KNOW THAT
THOUSANDS OF HUNTERS HAVE PICKED
UP THE PHONE AND DEMANDED THAT
THIS RIDICULOUS RULING BE
CHALLENGED.
WE BELIEVE IT HAS NO BASIS IN
LAW AND HARDLY ANY BASIS IN
LOGIC.
THE WAY THAT HE GOT TO THIS
RULING JEOPARDIZES REGULATIONS
THAT HAVE BEEN HELD IN PLACE IN
WISCONSIN FOR GENERATIONS.
WE BELIEVE THAT HUNTERS HAVE A
STRONG CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO
HUNT THAT IS BEING IN FR INFRINY
THIS RULING.
>> HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO TRIBAL
NATION WHO OPPOSE HA HARVESTING
WOLVES AND THAT A MORE SELECTIVE
HUNT COULD BE CONSIDERED, LIKE
ISSUING PERMITS TO IMPACTED
FARMERS TO LET THEM KILL
NUISANCE ANIMALS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
>> WE RESPECT AND APPRECIATE THE
OPINIONS OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS
TRIBES IN WISCONSIN.
BUT WE ALSO RESPECT AND
APPRECIATE THE REALITY THAT
WOLVES AREN'T JUST SELECTED
KILLERS, RIGHT?
WE'VE HAD THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS,
PETS, LIVESTOCK THAT HAVE BEEN
KILLED BY WOLVES AS THEY EXPAND
THEIR TERRITORY IN WISCONSIN.
HUNTER NATION ISN'T AN
ORGANIZATION THAT WANTS ALL OF
THE WOLVES KILLED.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE WOLF IS AN
IMPORTANT PART OF OUR ECOSYSTEM,
PLAYS A RESPONSIBLE ROLE IF IT'S
MANAGED PROPERLY.
WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL YEARS AS WISCONSIN'S
WOLF HUNT HAS BEEN SHELVED SINCE
2014 IS THE WOLF HAS EXPA EXPAND
ITS TERRITORY AND MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS IN DEPREDATION PAYMENTS
HAVE BEEN A RESULT.
WE RESPECT THE TRIBE'S OPINION,
BUT WE BELIEVE PEOPLE THAT LIVE
IN THE WOLF TERRITORY HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY AND PRIVILEGE TO
ALSO FEEL SAFE AND PROTECTED
WHEN THEY GO OUTSIDE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE LEAVE IT THERE.
LUKE HILGEMANN, HUNTER NATION,