The Wolf is Our Brother

Of course there are always people who fear wolves and want them all gone, and there are people who believe wolves are God's creatures who should be left to their own devices. One extreme cites examples of vicious and aberrant wolf behavior and livestock predation, the other cites examples of wolf social activity and hunting that increases the viability of the hunted.

Michigan, meanwhile, through decades of protection of wolves as an endangered species, is now facing a legislative trend that not only removed wolves from the endangered list in Michigan and then declared them a game animal without so much as a stopover in vulnerable or threatened territory, even though the wolf numbers are not that great. Hunting could shortly result in endangering the wolves again, without any move to assure they can maintain a sufficient population.

Here is an article about a movement to assure wolf protection, with a petition and opportunities to attend hearings:

Michigan DNR to Host 4 Public Meetings on Wolf Hunting

Ballot Petitions Continue

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Native Challenges.

LANSING, MICHIGAN – The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will host a series of public meetings in March to provide information to the public and answer questions regarding wolf management and the possibility of a future wolf hunting season.

http://www.nativenewsnetwork.com/ima.../wolf-gray.gif

The meetings will take place in the following locations from 6:00 to 8:00 pm:

• Tuesday, March 12, Gogebic Community College, David Lindquist Student Center, E4946 Jackson Road, Ironwood
• Wednesday, March 13, Northern Michigan University, Michigan Room, 2101 University Center, Marquette
• Tuesday, March 19, Wisconsin Street Hall, 610 S. Wisconsin, Gaylord
• Thursday, March 21, Lansing Center, Room 201, 333 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing

The meetings will include a presentation by DNR Wildlife Division staff on wolf management techniques, including the potential use of public harvest as a management tool as prescribed in the state's Wolf Management Plan, which was developed through consensus by a roundtable of stakeholders representing a wide variety of interests related to wolf management.

Following the presentation, DNR staff will hold a question-and-answer session with members of the public. Meeting attendees will also be asked to participate in a survey regarding the possibility of the use of wolf hunting as a management tool in Michigan.

“The public input we receive through this survey will provide valuable information as the Wildlife Division develops its recommendation on wolf hunting for consideration by the Natural Resources Commission,”

said DNR bear and furbearer specialist Adam Bump.

“We encourage anyone interested in learning more about wolf management and a possible wolf hunting season to attend these meetings to have their questions answered and participate in the survey.”

In January 2012, wolves in Michigan were removed from the federal list of endangered species. In December 2012, wolves were declared a game species when Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed Public Act 520 of 2012.

Upon the reclassification of wolves as a game species, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission, which holds the exclusive authority to set hunting regulations for game species in the state, directed the DNR's Wildlife Division to undertake a multi-pronged approach to developing a recommendation on whether a wolf management hunt should take place and what the parameters should be. The process currently under way includes:

• Completing a wolf population survey
• Compiling a thorough review of documented wolf conflicts, including depredation of livestock and pets
• Meeting with the Wolf Management Advisory Council to discuss a possible wolf harvest aimed at resolving conflicts
• Providing public input opportunities at meetings and through written comments
• Conducting government to government consultation with tribal governments

The DNR's recommendation on a wolf management season will be presented to the Natural Resources Commission for consideration no later than June 2013. Whether a wolf season will be established and what the season would entail is at the sole discretion of the Natural Resources Commission.
Petition Gathering Underway at 3 Indian Casinos

Meanwhile, Keep Michigan Wolves Protected is seeking to collect more than 225,000 signatures of Michigan voters to place a referendum on the ballot. If we are successful, a proposal will appear on the Michigan statewide ballot in 2014 that would allow voters to choose whether or not to enact the legislature's wolf hunting law.
Three American Indian casinos that have granted permission to allow signature gatherers in them are:

• Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Odawa Casino Resort
• Sault Ste. Marie Band of Chippewa Indians, Kewadin Casino Sault Ste. Marie
• Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Lac Vieux Desert Resort Casino.

posted March 6, 2013 7:40 am est

http://www.nativenewsnetwork.com/michigan-dnr-to-host-4-public-meetings-on-wolf-hunting.html

They legalized it in Wisconsin this year and 115 were taken. I guess the population is growing, but in all the years I've spent in the woods I've only come face to face with one wolf.

DNR Wolf Management Report, 2009:

On May 4, 2009, the final rule to delist gray wolves [[Canis lupus) in the Western Great Lakes distinct population segment was published. However on July 1,
2009, the US Fish and Wildlife Service [[USFWS) withdrew the delisting rule because they had failed to provide notice and a comment period in the rule
making process. This returned wolves to Federal endangered status and management authority returned to the Federal government During winter 2008-2009, we estimated a minimum of 577 wolves in the Upper Peninsula [[UP), an increase of 11% from the previous year. ....

Nine of the 57 collared wolves died, including eight from illegal killing. In 2009, wolves were involved in 12 livestock depredation events resulting in the loss of 14 animals on eight farms. The number of depredation events was similar to the previous five years. A total of $4,696.50 was paid to producers for livestock killed by wolves. There were two verified depredations on domestic pets. We recorded 74 nuisance wolf complaints; 42% of complainants perceived wolves as a threat to personal or family safety. In 2008, the State Legislature passed two laws that allow citizens to kill wolves in the act of attacking their livestock or dogs. These laws were in effect during the two months of state management authority in 2009; citizens did not kill any wolves under these authorities.

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7...2027--,00.html

Michigan lawmakers consider opening door for a wolf hunting season

Gray wolves in the Great Lakes region came off the endangered species list this past January. There are about 700 wolves in Michigan now. A decade ago, there were just under 300. ...

The DNR says, so far this year, 25 wolves have been killed under permits or because they were in the act of attacking livestock or a pet.

Nancy Warren says her group’s concerned that the combination of these permitted wolf kills along with a hunting season could hurt the wolf population. [[National Wolfwatcher Coalition)
“Wolves are very territorial. Wolves are pack animals, so if you take out the alpha male or alpha female you could cause the entire pack to disband. Depending on how the hunt is structured it could affect the population growth.”


NPR, Michigan Radio:The Environment Report

9:00 AM
TUE NOVEMBER 6, 2012

by Rebecca Williams

http://www.michiganradio.org/post/mi...hunting-season

http://www.cheboygannews.com/article...9669/1001/NEWS
More good information on the process of establishing an actual hunting season:

There are only 12000 polar bears in the world, yet they are still allowed to be hunted

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rb336

There are only 12000 polar bears in the world, yet they are still allowed to be hunted

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Actually, most credible estimates are 22,000-25,000.