Ugh

Looks like it’s specific to WI, MI, and MN:

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2014/12/19/great-lakes-wolves-ordered-returned-endangered-list/20655023/

Folks who are going to comment on this might do well to read the court’s decision first, whatever your perspective:

HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES v. JEWELL

Want to know how to tell when a federal judge is pissed? Here’s a clue:

“The D.C. Circuit has noted that, at times, a court ‘must lean forward from the bench to let an agency know, in no uncertain terms, that enough is enough.’ Pub. Citizen Health Res. Grp. v. Brock, 823 F.2d 626, 627 (D.C. Cir. 1987). This case is one of those times. The FWS’s Final Rule challenged in this action is no more valid than the agency’s three prior attempts to remove federal protections for a population of gray wolves, which are otherwise members of an endangered species. The challenged Final Rule is predicated on both an untenable reading of the ESA and otherwise flawed findings. For the reasons more fully detailed below, the plaintiffs’ motion is granted and the defendants and defendant-intervenor’s motions are denied.”

When the wolves were delisted there was a headlong rush to kill them. In Minnesota they listed them as small game and instituted an emergency order so they did not need to follow any of the public input rules. The only population information they have are computer models. They ran the season in conjunction with the firearms deer season to maximise the kill. Limited permits were issued but because they listed the wolf as small game the maximum fine for illegal take is 500.00. Many did not pass up an opportunity to gut shot a wolf. In 3 years I have not seen any reports of of anyone ticketed for the illegal killing of wolves because the DNR leadership wanted it that way. If you called for a CO on a wolf issue it was 3-5 to day before anyone came. Unfortunately this has become a black eye for all hunters reputation.

Out of curiosity, are there harvest stats that have been collected by Fish & Game agencies in these states, since a season was opened for wolves?

Smithhammer wrote: Out of curiosity, are there harvest stats that have been collected by Fish & Game agencies in these states, since a season was opened for wolves?

The figures for Minnesta are here at the “Mortalities” tab at the bottom (not sure how current the 2014 numbers are): Minnesota DNR Wolf Management

I’ll leave it to the Badgers and Wolverines present among us to provide their respective numbers. (Yeah, I’m a Gopher. That has become less of a badge of honor over the years.)

eidsvolling wrote:

…I’ll leave it to the Badgers and Wolverines present among us to provide their respective numbers. (Yeah, I’m a Gopher. That has become less of a badge of honor over the years.)

Thanks, e. 😉

Wisconsin has reached its quota for each of the past three seasons, the overwhelming majority of which was from trapping.

Total licensed kills according to the WDNR:

2012, 117

2013, 257

2014, 154

Badgers, Wolverines, Gophers… say what? dwc

That jives with what I’ve seen in western states that have a wolf season as well – trapping far and away accounts for the majority of wolves taken. I think that very few people successfully hunt wolves, and of those, most are the random ‘lucky’ encounter when a hunter just happens to see one out in the open, and has a tag in his/her pocket. Without bait, and without the ability to run them down with motorized vehicles, wolves are an extremely difficult animal to spot and stalk.

dwcphoto wrote: Badgers, Wolverines, Gophers… say what? dwc

College football. Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan.

J.– I’ve always felt that your posts set out to brighten every room you walk out of. But this, above, is just brilliantly clever and funny! Seriously, thanks for the much-needed chuckles. 😆

David Petersen wrote: J.– I’ve always felt that your posts set out to brighten every room you walk out of. But this, above, is just brilliantly clever and funny! Seriously, thanks for the much-needed chuckles. 😆

Mr. Petersen, you need to come east of the mountains occasionally. 😉

Big Ten Conference Nicknames

Minnesota may have a larger number killed by hunters because the season runs the same time as the firearms deer season. I do know it gives cover for those that despise wolves to illegal pot shots.

In WI they start the season on 10/15 and run it until either 02/28 or until the quota is filled. This year they hit their quota around 12/05 and closed the season at that time. Firearms deer season starts statewide the Saturday before Thanksgiving until the Sunday after, so I imagine the majority of wolves killed by hunters (as opposed to trappers, who kill the largest percentage) happen during those nine days.

I know a friend of mine has property in the western part of the state, and every season at least one person in our hunting group has a bow range encounter with a wolf. Although, I don’t think anyone’s had one that close yet this year. The neighbor to his north still sees them quite frequently along the edges of one of his farm fields, so they’re apparently still living in the area.