Great Lakes wolves delisted

[Ben Lamb]

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/News/release.cfm?rid=490

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced that gray wolf populations in the Great Lakes region have recovered and no longer require the protection of the Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is publishing a final rule in the Federal Register removing wolves in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, and in portions of adjoining states, from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants.

Like dominoes, you need one to start the chain reaction. Simpson/'Tester was that domino. While other groups bitched and moaned about the strategy inherent w/in S/T, and others couldn't see it, yet knew that S/T was the best deal they would get, others knew that S/T would prove that hunters and reasonable people in the US were tired of being held hostage by extremists, and that we'd do what we needed to get this money trail derailed.

S/T passes, GL wolves are delisted. A good year for sportsmen and sportswomen.

 

[Big Fin]

That is great news, Ben. We all know the lawsuits are coming, but the hunters in those three states need to get organized and fast. You need to bring political pressure to bear on your delegations, so when the BS lawsuits start, your delegations can look at the Simpson-Tester Language and use that as the path to follow.

The wolf nuts have lost every battle so far on the wolf ride that delisted in MT and ID. It ticks them off to no end. But, so far they have not found a chink in the armor to defeat it.

And where are the blow hards from Sportsmen for Welfare and Big Game For us? They claimed the MT and ID method sunk MN, MI, and WI. Guess not.

Coming from those political ametuers, I only expected the opposite outcome. If SFW/BGF proclaim something, my money is on just the opposite.

The guys in MN, WI, MI now have a crack in the door. In fact, the door has been opened and now you have to keep it from being shut. You need to get hunters and trappers on your state committees that implement and monitor your wolf plans. With your more urban populations, expect the pro-wolf crowd to try stack those committees with emotional sympathizers.

This is indeed a great year for hunters. Lots of work still ahead, and no doubt will be a few set backs in the courts. But, this is a great step forward.

Christmas is coming to my family and friends in Big Falls, MN.

 

[Ben Lamb]

That is great news, Ben. We all know the lawsuits are coming, but the hunters in those three states need to get organized and fast. You need to bring political pressure to bear on your delegations, so when the BS lawsuits start, your delegations can look at the Simpson-Tester Language and use that as the path to follow.

I'm hopeful that the same tactics we used in the West won't be necessary for the GL states. Ultimately, the ESA works. When it's held hostage by extremists on both sides is when we went to Congress and had the ear of Senator Tester and Congressman Mike Simpson. Because MT and ID played by the rules, and didn't "go rogue," S/T worked.

For the GL states - your advice is spot on. Have people at every committee hearing and commission meeting. Don't be outlandish, but use the facts that are available to demonstrate that managed wolf populations won't lead to their demise, and in fact will benefit all wildlife and people in the long run.

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

GOOD LUCK with getting a GL season and beating two or three more lawsuits sure to come!

 

[BuzzH]

The first big step was taken...off the list.

Now it truly is up to the hunters in that state to keep the ball rolling.

Good luck to them.

I'm sunk in Wyoming...we went way past "rogue".

 

[Big Fin]

I'm sunk in Wyoming...we went way past "rogue".

That is a bummer, Buzz. After I shoot my MT wolf, I then want one from ID, then AK, and had hoped to get one in WY someday. If WY is sunk, I might have better odds back in my motherland of Minnesota when they eventually get their seasons.

As bad as the Vikings suck this year, the wolves are lucky that the seasons were not open for the last few months. Lots of squareheads with nothing to do and lots of frustrations to take out on wolves. And given how slack the deer hunting reports were, maybe guys would have shifted to more wolf hunting.

Hopefully they have a wolf hunting season next year, as both the deer and the Vikings seem to be traveling the same path - long and bumpy, with not much relief in sight for many years.

 

[StrutNut]

According to WCCO, Minnesota may have a Wolf season as early as next fall. I will definitely be getting a tag!

 

[Gunflint]

MN wolf hunt maybe this fall!!??

Great article from todays Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Here is the link - http://www.startribune.com/local/135999573.html

Some of the comments are interesting.

Complete article below

The gray wolf in Minnesota could go from protected to hunted -- perhaps as soon as next fall -- after it is removed from the endangered species list in January.

If the delisting proceeds as announced Wednesday, it will be the third time that the federal government has removed the wolf's protected status. This time, most experts think it will stick.

After 30 years of protection, the wolf now is more than capable of standing on its own four feet, said state officials and environmental groups.

The iconic predator, long a poster child of wildlife conservationists, has recovered to a stable population of 4,000 in the Upper Midwest. About two-thirds of them are in Minnesota's north woods, by far the largest population of any state. Minnesota officials said there are enough to allow them to be hunted, which could occur as early as next fall.

"Gray wolves in the western Great Lakes region are now fully recovered and healthy," said Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., pushed the Department of the Interior to delist the wolf before others in Congress took matters into their own hands by initiating legislation that would have forced the Great Lakes gray wolf off the endangered species list.

Similar legislation earlier this year effectively delisted the Rocky Mountain gray wolf. Congress took action after the earlier attempts to delist the wolf were thwarted by years of drawn-out litigation. But many environmentalists said that delist- ing by congressional fiat undermined a highly successful federal law credited with saving the wolf and many other endangered animals.

"We did this the right way," Klobuchar said Wednesday.

Environmentalists satisfied

Even environmental groups that had fought the wolf's previous removal from the endangered species list said that they were satisfied with this decision, in part because it did not include Eastern states. That detail leaves open the possibility that wolves might be protected if they become established there in the future.

"It's clear that wolf recovery in the Great Lakes has been a tremendous success," said Noah Greenwald, endangered species coordinator for the Center for Biological Diversity, which fought delisting for years. "But more could be done to secure its future."

Hunting the wily wolf

Starting early next year, the state Department of Natural Resources will take over management of the wolf in Minnesota. That likely will include a hunting season, perhaps next fall, said DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr.

It's too soon to know how many wolves it will allow to be shot or trapped by hunters, or how many licenses will be issued, state officials said. But wolf experts said that hunting is not likely to affect their overall numbers.

The wily wolf is difficult to find, difficult to shoot and difficult to trap.

"It's tough," said Dave Mech, a wolf researcher with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He has studied wolves for decades, and even after years of practice he has trouble capturing his research subjects. He and a crew of five spent most of the summer trying to capture wolves in northern Minnesota, and by the time the season ended they had caught just 18, he said.

Western states are starting statewide efforts to reduce wolf populations through hunting, but so far they're not working very well, Mech said.

Montana, with about 550 gray wolves, sold nearly 20,000 wolf-hunting licenses this fall at $19 each for residents and $350 for nonresidents. Only half the quota of 220 wolves was killed during a five-week season, and the state has now extended the season through February.

Controlling problem wolves

A larger problem for Minnesota will be managing wolves that kill livestock and pets. In recent years, the number of those wolves killed by federal wildlife experts has risen to about 200. Conflicts are up largely because disease and hard winters have reduced the number of deer, wolves' most important prey, said DNR wolf expert Dan Stark.

Federal funding for the federal wolf-control program, with expert employees trained to investigate predation of livestock and to kill problem wolves, likely will end. The state plans to certify trappers and pay them $150 per pelt for problem wolves. But that won't be as good as the experienced wildlife experts the state has relied on for years, Stark said.

As a result, he said, he expects the number of conflicts to increase. That could lead to pressure to reduce wolf numbers. But the state's plan also allows farmers and others to shoot or trap wolves that are a threat to property. While most do not have the experience or patience necessary to kill or trap a wolf, the right to do so is critical for acceptance of the wolf on the landscape, experts said.

"It empowers people to know they can respond rather than waiting for someone else," Stark said.

Josephine Marcotty • 612-673-7394

 

[stillkickin]

"Lots of squareheads with nothing to do and lots of frustrations to take out on wolves. And given how slack the deer hunting reports were, maybe guys would have shifted to more wolf hunting"

Randy, you are welcome to use my screen name in your posts! I came within minutes of a big one yesterday and had to hustle my bird dog out of that area. Kind of wondering if a bird dog bell might be the call I will use when we get our season!

 

[Rat Fink]

It will be a long time before Michiganders are hunting wolves. Their has been very little discussion in the DNR about wolf management and uniting hunters there is about as likely as the Lions winning the Super Bowl. I wouldn't expect any wolf management in Michigan anytime soon. The trolls have a major disconnect with real life in the U.P.

 

[Big Fin]

Wonder where this guy was trying to catch these wolves. South of the Cities, or what?

"It's tough," said Dave Mech, a wolf researcher with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He has studied wolves for decades, and even after years of practice he has trouble capturing his research subjects. He and a crew of five spent most of the summer trying to capture wolves in northern Minnesota, and by the time the season ended they had caught just 18, he said.

I can promise you, if they turn a few of us loose on Pine Island and Koochiching State Forests, we will have his 18 wolves in a few weeks. In Oct/Nov 1982, I caught four of them on the Deer River Line (2), Hicks' Ridge, and Porter's Ridge.

My uncle trapped a lot more than I did, and I have no idea how many he caught, but it was a lot. We were catching them by accident in coyote and fox traps.

For him and a crew of five to only catch 18 in a year, is puzzling.

Good luck guys. Hope I can come back and shoot one of those wolves some day.

 

[StrutNut]

I saw one just an hour north of the cities this fall. I understand a trail cam was placed on a deer/car kill near Sandstone and had 7 different wolves on it the first night. I have seen them SW of Moose Lake for over 15 years which is why I sold my lease to the hunting cabin as there were no more deer there. Just a few bears, one cougar (spotted while bear hunting) and a few grouse. Too bad as that was a great spot and a spot I hope to chase wolves in it next fall. I would estimate there are more wolves south of Cambridge on 35 then we think. The wolf I saw was near the casino in Hinkley and heading south.

 

[StrutNut]

I forgot to mention that back in 1987 they trapped and killed 27 wolves in a 10 square mile radius SW of Moose Lake. Out hunting land was part of that. They pulled the traps at 27 and they new of 2 more that were left. A local sheep farmer was getting his herd wiped out. His farm was just NW and touched the tip of our property.

 

[mn taxidermist]

Randy I resemble your remark about us squareheads. Seriously you are right on the issue of these biologists having trouble catching wolves.They have been protected so long they have lost a lot of their fear of humans.It wouid not be to tough to catch them in exactly the places you mentioned.You are right this a great Christmas present for us. Now we just need our Mn Dnr to come up with a reasonable plan for a hunting and trapping season next fall.

 

[schmalts]

MADISON -- With the announcement today that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is removing the gray wolf from Endangered Species Act protection (exit DNR), Wisconsin’s long fought battle to manage growing wolf populations within its borders is nearly over. Gov. Scott Walker has charged the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources with being ready to begin implementing Wisconsin’s Wolf Management plan by Feb. 1, 2012.

“We are eager and ready to take on the challenges of wolf management,” said DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp. “We appreciate Governor Walker’s attention to this issue.”

More information about the gray wolf in Wisconsin and a copy of the Wisconsin Wolf Management Plan are available on the DNR website.

Stepp also thanked the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (exit DNR) for their responsiveness to the concerns that she raised, especially with regard to their finding that the population of wolves in the Western Great Lakes is a single species. In addition, she praised the work of Wisconsin’s Congressional Delegation and that of Michigan and Minnesota in raising the importance of addressing this issue now at the national level.

“I want to acknowledge the citizens of Wisconsin for their patience as we worked on the delisting,” said Stepp. “They were persistent in bringing their concerns to my attention. It is because of that persistence that we were able to achieve the delisting.”

Today’s action is only the first step in the process. Once wolves are delisted, the DNR will be able to do depredation controls, via trapping and permits to landowners in depredation areas.

“While the department is committed to long-term conservation of wolves in Wisconsin, it is critical that we be allowed to manage wildlife populations within our borders,” said Stepp

 

[Topgun 30-06]

The UP is so disconnected from us down here in the LP that it might as well be another state, LOL!!!

 

[stillkickin]

That is for sure!