Establishment of the Wisconsin Chapter of The Wildlife Society did not come easy.  Letters among early leaders indicated that many challenging conservation issues, such as deer herd control, clearcutting, wildlife diseases, and environmental contamination were aloft and there was a need for a “unified front on controversial wildlife matters.”  An organizational committee, including Roger Amundson, Jim Hale, Richard Johnson, Bruce Markert, Herman Olson, Dan Trainer, and Charley White met on February 26, 1972 and initiated the process of establishing a State Chapter of TWS.  

The first meeting was held at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) on April 29, 1972, with 59 individuals in attendance, representing the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), UWSP, UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, UW-River Falls, Marquette University, US Forest Service, and some private citizens. All attendees participated in a review and discussion of a proposed set of bylaws for a new State Chapter. The revised bylaws were forwarded to and approved by the The Wildlife Society on May 30, 1972. 

The Wisconsin Chapter of The Wildlife Society was born.