Skip to content
Bills from the 2011–12 session

Assembly Bill 502

Hunting and trapping of wolves, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, and making an appropriation

Topics: Animal, Dogs, Game, Game: Hunting, Livestock and meat, Natural Resources, Department of: Hunting and fishing

Stopped before the full Assembly voted

The recommended passing it, but the full Assembly never voted on it. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 27, 2012

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, stopped here

    Stopped here. The full Assembly never voted on it.

  4. Senate vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2012: “Failed to pass pursuant to ⁠”

Read the bill

Following saves it on this device. New actions show on your Following page. You can also get updates in a feed reader.

What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill requires the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to issue wolf harvesting licenses if the wolf is removed from the U.S. and Wisconsin lists of endangered and threatened species. Under the bill, both state residents and nonresidents may be issued a license. The license authorizes both the hunting and trapping of wolves. The bill requires that there be a single annual season for wolf hunting and trapping from October 15 through the end of February. Under the bill, DNR may limit the number of licenses issued and the number of wolves to be harvested. The bill requires DNR to divide the state into up to four wolf harvesting zones. A wolf harvesting license authorizes the license holder to hunt or trap or both only in the zone that is specified on the license.

Under the bill, if the number of persons applying for a wolf harvesting license exceeds the number of licenses that will be issued, DNR shall issue the licenses based on a cumulative preference system. The system shall establish preference categories for those applicants who applied for, but who were not issued, a wolf harvesting license in previous seasons, with higher preference given to those applicants with more preference points. Under the preference system, a person may elect to apply for a preference point instead of a license in a given year. Each person receiving a license will receive one tag. The bill also allows the transfer of licenses and preference points under certain circumstances.

Read the full summary

The bill specifies the types of firearms that may be used for wolf hunting and also allows the use of bows and arrows and crossbows for wolf hunting. A crossbow may be used by any person holding a wolf harvesting license. For hunting wolves, the bill allows the use of dogs for part of the season and allows the baiting of wolves with bait other than animal byproducts except for liquid scents. Hunting wolves at night is also authorized for part of the season. Under the bill, the types of traps that may be used for trapping wolves must include cable restraints. A cable restraint is a type of trap using a noose made of cables.

The bill requires DNR to administer a program under which payments may be made to persons for death or injury caused by wolves to livestock, to hunting dogs other than those being used in the hunting of wolves, and to pets. Under current law, DNR has promulgated rules establishing such a program. Under the bill, the moneys collected as fees for wolf harvesting licenses are to be used to make payments under this program. If, after making these payments, there are any moneys remaining, DNR may use the moneys for wolf management and control activities conducted by DNR.

Who's behind it

16 lawmakers are its ⁠. 15 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.

7 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 23 names

Authors (16)

Signed on in support (7)

What it would cost

State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

How lawmakers voted

There was one vote on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Natural Resources vote on an amendment

Passed, 14 to 0 · Feb 27, 2012

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Natural Resources, Ayes 14, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 23, 2012

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Feb 27, 2012

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  3. Feb 27, 2012

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 13 to 1.

  4. Feb 21, 2012

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  5. Feb 1, 2012 to Feb 3, 2012

    2 more representatives signed on in support.

  6. Feb 1, 2012

    The committee held a public hearing.

  7. Jan 27, 2012 to Jan 30, 2012

    2 more representatives signed on in support.

  8. Jan 27, 2012

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources.

  9. Jan 27, 2012

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 27, 2012 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Suder, Rivard, Krug, Severson, Williams, Tiffany, Steineke, Endsley, LeMahieu, Bies, Pridemore, Ballweg, Tauchen, Murtha, Nygren and Vruwink;Cosponsored by Senators Moulton, Lasee and Holperin

  2. Jan 27, 2012 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Natural Resources

  3. Jan 27, 2012 · Assembly

    Representative Jacque added as a coauthor

  4. Jan 30, 2012 · Assembly

    Representative Spanbauer added as a coauthor

  5. Feb 1, 2012 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  6. Feb 1, 2012 · Assembly

    Representative A. Ott added as a coauthor

  7. Feb 3, 2012 · Assembly

    LRB correction

  8. Feb 3, 2012 · Assembly

    Representative Kleefisch added as a coauthor

  9. Feb 20, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 offered by Representative Suder

  10. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  11. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 2 offered by Representative Danou

  12. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 3 offered by Representative Danou

  13. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 4 offered by Representative Danou

  14. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 5 offered by Representative Molepske Jr

  15. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 6 offered by Representative Danou

  16. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 7 offered by Representative Danou

  17. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 8 offered by Representative Danou

  18. Feb 22, 2012 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  19. Feb 22, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 9 offered by committee on Natural Resources

  20. Feb 27, 2012 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Natural Resources, Ayes 14, Noes 0

  21. Feb 27, 2012 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 7 adoption recommended by committee on Natural Resources, Ayes 12, Noes 2

  22. Feb 27, 2012 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Natural Resources, Ayes 13, Noes 1

  23. Feb 27, 2012 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  24. Mar 2, 2012 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 3-6-2012 by committee on Rules

  25. Mar 6, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 10 offered by Representatives Clark, Danou, Molepske Jr, Mason and Milroy

  26. Mar 6, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 11 offered by Representatives Clark, Molepske Jr, Hulsey and Danou

  27. Mar 6, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 12 offered by Representatives Clark, Molepske Jr, Hulsey and Danou

  28. Mar 6, 2012 · Assembly

    Made a special order of business at 11:18 A.M. on 3-13-2012 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 22

  29. Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 to Assembly amendment 1 offered by Representative Molepske Jr

  30. Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 13 offered by Representatives Molepske Jr, Mason, Milroy and Clark

  31. Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Laid on the table

  32. Mar 23, 2012 · Assembly

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Terms on this page

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

More in the glossary

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

More in the glossary

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1

More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate

More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary