The Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will once again offer their annual opportunity for the public to provide input on a variety of natural resource-related questions with in-person meetings in each county on April 13, 2026, at 6 p.m. and the annual online survey starting at 6 pm April 13 and running until noon on April 15, 2026. .

    DNR/ WCC Spring Hearing   

     The Wisconsin Conservation Congress is the only statutory body in the state where the public elects delegates to advise the Natural Resources Board and the DNR on responsibly managing Wisconsin's natural resources for present and future generations. The WCC will hold elections for their delegates at each of the in-person hearings. Two of the five WCC seats will be up for election in each county. For those who would like to become more involved for wildlife in Wisconsin -- did you realize that ANYONE can run for election as a Wisconsin Conservation Congress Delegate? (Learn more about the WCC and how to become involved in resource management decisions on the Wisconsin Conservation Congress webpage.)

    WCC Delegate Election Process   

    WCC Spring Hearing Locations    

     This is also the annual opportunity for EVERYONE in Wisconsin to weigh in and voice opinions on WI wildlife and outdoor issues by responding to natural resource-related questions and proposed rule changes. In addition, the public will have the opportunity to weigh in on new conservation issues of statewide significance that were brought to the attention of the Conservation Congress through the citizen resolution process prior to Feb. 24. This year’s online questionnaire will kick off at 6 pm on Monday, April 14, and will close at 6 pm on Wednesday, April 16. We'll have a link available for you as soon as we get one. Meanwhile, you can preview the WCC Spring Questionaire here. (Please note that the Citizen Resolutions have not yet been added.)

     One question of particular interest is #38, on pages 15 - 16 of the Questionnaire preview:

"Target specific wolf predation control (670225) Currently, Great Lakes wolves are protected as an endangered species. That status limits wolf conflict control primarily to the implementation of non-lethal methods such as specially designed fences, deterrents, abandoning specific pastures, and isolating pets and livestock which may be preyed upon by wolves. These non-lethal deterrents can be costly, lose their effectiveness over time, and the other methods limits land use without removing the problem. In very rare cases, while wolves are on the endangered species list, wolves with a confirmed record of human health and safety threats have been lethally removed by the state. Dogs have been used for centuries to protect livestock and human health and safety. Outside of Wisconsin, conflicts between humans and large predators (primarily mountain lions and bears) have been effectively resolved by targeting and harrying animals with hounds. These programs pair handlers who own specially trained dogs with local DNR or USFWS representatives to track the animal that is causing the depredations, or which have human health and safety concerns. The use of these trained hounds can be a more effective non-lethal deterrent than stationary methods and also allows for tracking and targeting the specific animal instead of a broad search for any of the species in the area. The supervising agency is then able to deal with the animal as they deem appropriate.

"While wolves are federally protected, this is not a method that can be used in WI at this time. However, the rule making process can take years and the goal of this resolution is to have this proven effective tool available for local DNR to use when the wolves are delisted without having to wait for the democratic process. This would provide relief to landowners and help to retrain wolves that certain perceived “prey” is not worth the hassle

"38. Do you favor the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources establishing rules to allow handlers with trained hounds to be engaged by permitted agencies to track or harry offending wolves in Wisconsin?"

    WCC Spring Hearing Questionnaire Preview   

     What is the citizen resolution process? Every year, the public has the opportunity to bring new conservation issues of statewide significance to the attention of the Conservation Congress through the citizen resolution process. Resolutions must meet the following criteria:

1. The concern must be of statewide impact.

2. The concern must be practical, achievable and reasonable.

3. The concern must be within the mission and vision of the WCC.

4. The resolution must have a concise title and specifically define the concern.

5. Current state statutes and laws must be considered, with reasonable cause for change being presented.

6. The resolution must clearly suggest a solution to the concern and a description of further action desired.

7. Resolutions must be 2000 characters or less, exclusive of the title and author contact information.

8. The author's name, mailing address, county, email address, telephone and number are required with the resolution.

9. An individual may introduce no more than two resolutions per year.

10. The author of the resolution or designee must be available to present their reviewed and approved resolution at their local county Spring Hearings.

     Those interested in submitting a resolution are encouraged to reach out to the resolution review committee (scroll down to the bottom of the page) or their WCC County Chair for guidance in drafting a resolution.

     At the close of the submission process, the resolutions will be reviewed by a committee of WCC delegates to ensure they meet the criteria for inclusion and will be prepared for the online input.

    WCC Resolution Process      2026 Citizen Resolution Submittal Form:   

    Resolution Submittal FAQ      Resolution Review Committee   

    Contacts for Resolution Writing Assistance   

When we have them, we will post links to the 2026 Spring Hearing Citizen Resolution Results.

     The Wisconsin Conservation Congress is the only statutory body in the state where the public elects delegates to advise the Natural Resources Board and the DNR on responsibly managing Wisconsin's natural resources for present and future generations. Learn more about the WCC and how to become involved in resource management decisions on the Wisconsin Conservation Congress webpage.

    DNR/ WCC Spring Hearing   

    WI Conservation Congress page