UPDATED Thursday, December 20, 2012 --- 10:44 a.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A judge has delayed issuing a ruling on whether wolf hunters can use dogs for the remainder of the season due to a fierce snowstorm that has smacked most of the state.

Dane County Judge Peter C. Anderson was scheduled to issue an oral ruling in the case on Thursday. He has pushed the hearing back to Jan. 4 after county officials decided to close the Madison courthouse for the day.

A group of humane societies filed a lawsuit earlier this year alleging the Department of Natural Resources failed to place any real restrictions on how hunters can train and use dogs to hunt wolves. Anderson has temporarily banned the use of dogs while he weighs the case.

Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.

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UPDATED Friday, August 31, 2012 --- 4:50 p.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A Dane County judge has blocked hunters from using dogs to go after wolves this fall.

Judge Peter C. Anderson issued a temporary injunction Friday as part of a lawsuit a group of humane societies have filed against the Department of Natural Resources. The group contends the DNR failed to impose restrictions on hunting dogs during this fall's wolf hunt, setting deadly dog-wolf clashes in the woods.

It's unclear what the ruling means for the hunt. Anderson says hunters can still go after wolves. DNR officials have warned the injunction could scuttle the hunt. They have said don't have enough time to change their regulations to reflect the dog ban before the hunt begins in mid-October.

DNR attorney Tim Andryk says the agency will have to review the judge's order.

Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.

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Posted Friday, August 31, 2012 --- 7:25 a.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A Dane County judge is expected to decide whether state wildlife officials must ban training for wolf hunting dogs.

A coalition of humane societies has accused the state Department of Natural Resources of failing to adopt restrictions on dogs in this fall's wolf hunt, creating the potential for deadly dog-wolf fights. The group wants Judge Peter C. Anderson to issue a temporary injunction barring the DNR from issuing wolf permits unless the agency notifies hunters they can't train dogs to hunt the animals.

DNR officials maintain such an order would effectively halt the wolf hunt because they don't have enough time to add dog restrictions to the permits before the hunt begins in October.

Anderson is expected to rule on the injunction Friday afternoon.

Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.