MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin hunters exceeded harvest quotas in the February wolf hunt — which ended after less than three days on Wednesday. 

As of 3 p.m. Wednesday the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reported that hunters and trappers had killed 178 wolves across the state, surpassing the quota of 119. The harvest accounts for nearly 15% of the state's population of 1,195.

The original quota was 200 wolves, but 81 had been claimed by tribal groups — which oppose the killing of wolves largely for spiritual reasons. 

A judge ordered the DNR to hold a hunt in mid-February after the Natural Resource Board voted not to hold one this winter and wait for the fall to open up the state's first wolf hunt since 2014. Wolves were taken off the federal protected species list in January. 

The hunt started Monday and was scheduled to run through Sunday, but was cut short as hunters reached harvest limits. Half of the six hunting zones in the state closed at 10 a.m. Wednesday and the rest closed at 3 p.m.

The DNR plans to open registration for the Fall 2021 wolf hunt starting at the beginning of March.