The fifth of six state wolf hunting zones, Zone 6, is scheduled to close Thursday, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
The wolf hunt, which opened for a second season Oct. 15, has been controversial since its inauguration last year. State citizens dealing with wolf attacks on cattle have largely come out for the hunt while scientists have expressed concern the hunt may not be effective in its current form.
The number of wolves that can be hunted in Zone 6 is set at 30. The DNR announced the closure after hunters killed 29 wolves in the zone. The closing of Zone 6 will mark the fifth of six hunting zones to have reached capacity.
Zone 3, which is currently 17 wolves into its 71-wolf quota, will be the only zone to remain open after Thursday.
After hunters reach the quota in Zone 3, wolf hunting will be finished for the 2013-’14 season.
The DNR plans to announce the closure on its website, through news releases and the wolf call-in number. It is unclear as to how quickly the last zone will reach its quota, but the DNR said in a statement it will keep hunters up to date.
The DNR encourages hunters to use the resources to stay current on the zone quota.