Judge Says No Night Hunt for Wis. Tribes

A federal judge has blocked Wisconsin's Chippewa tribes from hunting deer at night for at least the next two weeks.

State Department of Natural Resources attorney Quinn Williams tells The Associated Press in an exclusive interview  U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb made the decision during a telephone status conference with state and tribal attorneys Wednesday.

He says Crabb ruled the state can enforce its ban on hunting deer after dark on tribal members until she holds a hearing on the issue on Dec. 12.

The commission that oversees the Chippewa's off-reservation rights last week authorized tribal hunters to kill deer at night beginning this past Monday. The move set off a legal battle with the DNR, which has long banned night deer hunting out of safety concerns.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
 

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