To: Administrator Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forests, U.S. Forest Service
Prohibit Bear Hounding in Wisconsin's National Forests
Wisconsin's public lands should be safe for visitors and the wildlife that lives there. Bear "hounding" (the use of packs of dogs to run pursue wildlife) renders these wild places inhospitable for people and deadly to wild animals. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) should immediately prohibit the running of hounds in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forests.
Why is this important?
The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest covers more than 1.5 million acres of Wisconsin's pristine, iconic Northwoods. Every year, bear hounders converge on these and other woodland areas, turning their packs of dogs loose to pursue and terrorize native wildlife.
These packs of pursuing off-leash dogs threaten the life of wolf pups and adult wolves and virtually every land animal in their path. These public lands are rendered inhospitable for weeks every year during bear hounding season.
Please ask the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest to prohibit "hounding" on these National Forest Service lands.