Wolves delisted in the Western Great Lakes Region

[TallPaul]

This is good news, hopefully running hounds will get less worry some, in the years to come.

Dec. 21, 2011
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources today applauded the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service's decision to remove wolves in the western Great Lakes
region from the federal endangered species list. The decision returns
management of the species to the state level.
The federal delisting rule removing wolves from the endangered species list
will be published in the Federal Register Wednesday, Dec. 28, and will take
effect Friday, Jan. 27, 30 days after its publication.
Returning wolves to state management will allow the DNR to more effectively
manage the species under Michigan's highly regarded Wolf Management Plan,
which was created through a roundtable process involving interested parties
representing viewpoints from all sides of the wolf issue.
"This is great news for the state's wolf population and for Michigan
citizens who have been affected by this issue," said DNR Director Rodney
Stokes. "Treating wolves as an endangered species, when the population has
exceeded federal recovery goals in Michigan for more than a decade, has
negatively impacted public opinion in areas of Michigan where wolves are
established on the landscape. I firmly believe that the more flexible
management options allowed under the state's Wolf Management Plan will help
increase social acceptance of the species while maintaining a healthy,
sustainable wolf population."
Once wolves are removed from the endangered species list, the DNR will
continue to recommend nonlethal methods of control first, including flashing
lights, flagging and noisemakers. In addition, the DNR administers a grant
program that provides some funding to livestock owners with depredation
issues for improved fencing and guard animals such as llamas, donkeys and
Great Pyrenees dogs.
However, in cases where nonlethal methods are not working or feasible, DNR
officials will now have the ability to kill problem wolves when appropriate.
Under federal Endangered Species Act protection, wolves are protected from
lethal control measures except in defense of human safety.
Livestock and dog owners in Michigan will also be able to legally protect
their private property from wolf depredation once wolves are removed from
the endangered species list.
The Michigan Legislature passed laws in 2008 to allow livestock or dog
owners, or their designated agents, to remove, capture, or, if deemed
necessary, use lethal means to destroy a wolf that is "in the act of preying
upon" (attempting to kill or injure) the owner's livestock or dog(s). These
state laws will go into effect on Friday, Jan. 27, 30 days after the Final
Rule is published in the Federal Register.
After the wolf is taken off the federal endangered species list, the animal
will remain a protected species in Michigan. There is no public hunting or
trapping of wolves allowed in Michigan. The DNR and the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service will investigate and continue vigorous prosecution of any
wolf poaching cases. Illegally killing a wolf is punishable by up to 90 days
in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both, and the cost of prosecution. Reports about
poaching can be made to the DNR's Report All Poaching (RAP) Hotline, 24
hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-292-7800.
For more information on Michigan's wolf population and to see the state's
Wolf Management Plan, go to www.michigan.gov/wolves
<http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-15 ... --,00.html>
.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the
conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's
natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more
information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

[rabbitrookie]

It's about federal gov did something about a huge problem. But until they start allowing a hunting season on wolves the problem will not go away. Wolves are prolific breeders, like rabbits! And they are at the top of foodchain. There are areas were the wolves have completely wiped out elk herds. The problem is all the animals have lived without wolves for generations. They are adapted to life without a super predator like a grey wolf. And it is showing in the drastic decline in elk numbers. And other wildlife too. Grey wolves are killing machines and must be hunted to control the wolf population. But even a hunting season may not be enough. I believe it was Mich had a special hunt in which they issued and sold 30,000 wolf tags. And I believe 118 wolves were taken. A wolf is a hard animal to find let alone get close enough to kill one. I believe the only way to control wolf numbers is to locate packs and put tracking collars on a couple wolves in every pack. Then the state can monitor pack location and movement. They can issue warnings to farmers and ranchers when a pack has moved into the area. Also the can use tracking collars to find the packs and get accurate population count, and to reduce pack size when numbers get to high. This has to be done on a state level. They have taken a step in the right direction, but one step isn't enough. They need to start running in the right direction before irreversible damage is done to ecosystem in several northern and western states.

[barryc]

It's about time

[klrconcrete]

I read up on this yesterday and it does sound like we are headed the right direction with it, it also sounds like they have left a very "easy out". By this I mean that there are going to be very stringent population guidelines set so that if the population starts to drop below what are considered "safe" levels thay can automatically relist at anytime. My take on this is that the first year that there is not an increase in numbers they will go back under federal protection indefinitely. I really cant see this being a long term thing.

[mybeagles]

Kurt,

I see this as an opportunity for you to harvest a few in your neck of the woods. Maybe Im reading between the lines, but that's how I see it.......

Mybeagles

[Buckeye Blues]

I read up on this yesterday and it does sound like we are headed the right direction with it, it also sounds like they have left a very "easy out". By this I mean that there are going to be very stringent population guidelines set so that if the population starts to drop below what are considered "safe" levels thay can automatically relist at anytime. My take on this is that the first year that there is not an increase in numbers they will go back under federal protection indefinitely. I really cant see this being a long term thing.

I was reading up on it to, but that wasn't my take on it. What I read was as long as the population stays above the Feds. minimum number they will not be relisted. They are not interested in seeing the population continue to increase. That's why they delisted and turned it over to the States. The Feds want the livestock and pet owners off their asses.

I think that after the 1st year or 2, once they are out from under close scrutiny of the activists microscope, Michigan and the other Great Lake States will allow limited hunts to keep the population under control.

Just be glad they arent as prolific and adaptable as coyotes. We'd really have a problem then.

[sgc]

Kurt,
I think they're here to stay. I just hope they become more cautious & that there are fewer of them.
Hope all is well.