Wisconsin Wolf Massacre: 216 Wolves Ended Up Dead Due to Hound Slaughter

Conservationists urge Wisconsin to deduct the overkill from the quota for the forthcoming hunt after one-third of the state's wolves were murdered in the last season.

Hunters in Wisconsin are permitted to employ hound dogs to kill wolves. Activists are now recording the hunts to raise awareness in the middle of a politically sensitive situation.

In some regions of the state, hound hunting for black bears and coyote is a favorite hobby. However, the houndsman who emerged from the hemlocks onto an icy road at dusk had a different type of prize.

The end effect was terrific. Hunters were already nearing the limit after only two and a half days. Before the hunt could be stopped, 216 wolves had been killed, exceeding the quota by 83 percent.

The unprecedented media coverage and public outcry that followed called into question not only the state's ability to control its wolf population but also the practice of hounding, a traditional method of hunting celebrated by an isolated subculture in the northern Great Lakes region that has recently become hi-tech - and far more deadly.

Only 117 wolves were killed by trappers and rifle hunters during the 2012 season when hounding was prohibited entirely. Unfortunately, Houndsmen murdered that many in a little more than a day this time.

One unnamed department of natural resources employee described the search as a "f***king horror" in the aftermath, which made international news.

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