Michigan Considers Opening Wolf Hunts After Restoration Succeeds by Matty Haddock
Before humans settled, wolves were prolific in North America. They fed on wild populations of moose, elk, deer, buffalo, and other large ungulates. They kept these populations in check, allowing other animal populations to grow, such as the aspen trees that elk eat. The war on wolves began when the Massachusetts Bay colony passed the first-ever wolf bounty in 1630, and it intensified as more farmers faced livestock attacks. The 1800s and 1900s saw an enormous population decline. By the 1970s, wolf populations were critically low, so the United States passed the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to outlaw the hunting of species listed in the law, including wolves. Ever since it passed in 1973, wolves have made an astounding comeback.
With populations inclining, wolves have flipped between being listed and delisted from the ESA. Back in 2021, the Trump administration delisted them from the ESA. A federal court relisted them in February. When removed from the list, the decision of whether wolf hunting is legal is up to the states. Wolf hunting is illegal in Michigan law.
Since the wolves have made it to their ideal population of around 700, there’s a chance of federal delisting from the ESA, leaving Michigan to decide if they want to keep wolf hunting illegal. Citizens are lobbying the DNR to open hunting opportunities if delisting occurs. They seek a state management plan with a population limit and recreational hunting.
Those opposing the proposal state there’s no necessity for wolf hunting because if federal protections lift, it’s still legal in Michigan to kill wolves attacking livestock or dogs. The law bans deliberate hunting, not self-protection. Therefore, bringing back hunting is excessive, opposers state. They also note how wolves are sacred in indigenous culture, so excessive hunting negatively affects local tribes.
Proponents of reinstating hunting permission argue that hunters, ranchers, and farmers are well-versed in balanced ecosystems and know how to hunt sustainably. They state that hunting is ethical when regulated.
With wolves back in Michigan, it’s interesting to see how people will acclimate.
With populations inclining, wolves have flipped between being listed and delisted from the ESA. Back in 2021, the Trump administration delisted them from the ESA. A federal court relisted them in February. When removed from the list, the decision of whether wolf hunting is legal is up to the states. Wolf hunting is illegal in Michigan law.
Since the wolves have made it to their ideal population of around 700, there’s a chance of federal delisting from the ESA, leaving Michigan to decide if they want to keep wolf hunting illegal. Citizens are lobbying the DNR to open hunting opportunities if delisting occurs. They seek a state management plan with a population limit and recreational hunting.
Those opposing the proposal state there’s no necessity for wolf hunting because if federal protections lift, it’s still legal in Michigan to kill wolves attacking livestock or dogs. The law bans deliberate hunting, not self-protection. Therefore, bringing back hunting is excessive, opposers state. They also note how wolves are sacred in indigenous culture, so excessive hunting negatively affects local tribes.
Proponents of reinstating hunting permission argue that hunters, ranchers, and farmers are well-versed in balanced ecosystems and know how to hunt sustainably. They state that hunting is ethical when regulated.
With wolves back in Michigan, it’s interesting to see how people will acclimate.