Image: Nancy Warren
Michiganders: If you oppose trophy hunting of gray wolves, contact Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, (preferably by phone, Monday – Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm at 517-335-7858). Gray wolves recently were removed from federal Endangered Species Act protection, with management left to the states. We want our views taken into account.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is selecting members of the Wolf Management Advisory Council, which will have significant impact on the future of Michigan’s wolves. Feb. 4, 2021 is the deadline to apply. The council’s composition is set by law, and requires at least “One member representing an animal advocacy organization”, but the law establishes only general guidelines. The DNR has wide discretion in selecting members.
Past councils have disproportionately represented consumptive users and proponents of a trophy hunt. We want this council to be truly representative of Michiganders.
That is why we are calling upon Michiganders to contact Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and let her know that the Council must represent the majority of state residents who oppose hunting and trapping wolves.
Some additional facts to support your position that wolves should not be hunted:
- A hunting season would ignore state voters who by convincing margins (55/45% and 64/36% respectively) in 2014 overturned two laws passed by the legislature to designate wolves as game species and allowing an open season; rather than listen to the will of the voters, the legislature instead passed a third law authorizing the hunt, and made it referendum-proof and thus immune from a democatic vote
- It would ignore public comment which overwhelmingly opposed the wolf hunt when the state was considering a hunt several years ago
- Sound science, from top wolf scientists, argues against a trophy hunt
- An acknowledgment by state officials that “science alone does not establish wildlife management goals. Those goals are often determined within a social context where stakeholder values and priorities must be addressed.” (2015 Michigan Wolf Management Plan, June 11, 2015 (page 5, section 2.5)
- In October 2020, the Natural Resouces Commission Chair said that “Public input is a key part” of regulations regarding wolves
- Both agency officials and some in the legislature have a disturbing record of using deceptive information (including false claims of wolves endangering children at a daycare facility and overstating livestock predation) to justify the need to hunt wolves
- The United Tribes of Michigan oppose a seasonal hunt of their “brother” wolf
- Wolves do not need to be “managed”
- Their population has remained stable for the past 10 years; they are not over-running the landscape
- They are not decimating deer or wolf populations
- Incidents of wolf predation on livestock and hunting dogs is extremely low
- If wolves are hunted there is evidence poaching would increase
- The issue is not one of hunting; rather it is one of broad public policy, the meaning of elections, the integrity of agencies, the consideration of science