HUDSON, Wisc. - It's day one of Wisconsin's first ever wolf hunt.
"It will be a learning experience for us," said Kurt Thiede with the Wisconsin DNR. "We will get a better understanding for the capacity of our hunters and trappers to help manage the population."
More than 20,000 people applied for a permit, but only 1,160 were handed out. In its first season, the harvest quota is set at 116 wolves.
"We feel the work that's been done with our experts to establish zones and regulations will give us a closely monitored and managed hunt," says Thiede.
The state's first hunt in the modern-era has come with some push-back. An online campaign has rallied thousands of people with religious, political, or animal protection arguments. A statewide protest in several Wisconsin cities is scheduled for Monday night.
The state charged $100 for the permit and the season wraps up in February.
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