Here’s an easy assignment for Wisconsin lawmakers who oppose wasteful spending and who favor personal responsibility: Stop paying tens of thousands of dollars a year to irresponsible bear hunters whose hounds are killed by wolves.

Wisconsin is the only state in the nation that compensates hunters when wolves kill their animals. A hunter gets up to $2,500 per dog – even when a hunter violates state rules or releases hounds in areas the state Department of Natural Resources has mapped as dangerous because of wolf activity. In 2016 Wisconsin paid out $99,400 for 41 dogs

Now Professional Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) is calling on the federal government to launch a criminal investigation. More.

BACKGROUND

What is bear hounding?

Hounding involves hunters and guides using packs of radio-collared hounds to pursue bears until the exhausted, frightened animals seek refuge in a tree, where they are shot, or turn to fight the hounds. Hounding results in injuries or death to both bears and dogs and leaves bear cubs vulnerable to mauling, orphaning and death.

Why does Wisconsin even allow bear hounding? Most states don’t.