Humane Society of the United States Howls about Wolves

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is howling about the new wolf management initiatives and recent delisting action.

Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the animal rights organization HSUS, blogged recently that: “Of course we saw some setbacks and tragedies in 2011, too, such as removing federal protections for wolves in the lower 48 states…” Among the leaders in that removal of the federal protection for numerous problem wolves was the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF).

While Idaho and Montana established wolf hunting seasons in 2011, thousands of miles to the east, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finally agreed —under pressure from many sides— to delist the Western Great Lakes region gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act.

Wolf populations have far exceeded recovery goals in that region. For example, Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources estimates that nearly 700 gray wolves were roaming the state in 2011(www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153–256417–,00.html).

The delisting did not come easy. It took the USSAF and other groups to threaten to sue the Service if Western Great Lakes region wolves were not delisted and returned to state management.

Joining the USSAF in this HSUS defeat are the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association, Dairyland Committee of Safari Club International Chapters of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Hunters Rights Coalition, Whitetails of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Firearms Owners, Rangers, Clubs, and Educators, Inc.

About:
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

Michigan Wolves Removed from Endangered Species List - Wolf Management Plan in Effect

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Management authority over wolves in Michigan has been officially returned to the Department of Natural Resources, putting the state’s Wolf Management Plan into effect, the DNR announced today.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to remove wolves in the western Great Lakes region from the federal endangered species list became official today. The Great Lakes region includes Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Wolves remain a protected, nongame species in Michigan, but state management will afford more options when dealing with wolves preying on livestock or dogs.

“Delisting is a victory for the state and for Michigan citizens who have been affected by this issue,” said DNR Director Rodney Stokes.

“The state’s healthy wolf population is a reminder that Michigan still has places where wild animals such as wolves can live and thrive. Fully implementing the state’s Wolf Management Plan will allow us to more effectively respond to problem wolves, while maintaining a self-sustaining wolf population and increasing social acceptance of the species as a whole.”

The DNR will continue to recommend nonlethal methods of control as the first option for residents. However, in cases where nonlethal methods are not working or are not feasible, state officials will now have greater flexibility to use lethal means to remove problem wolves when appropriate. In addition, Michigan residents will be able to legally protect their livestock and dogs if an animal is being attacked by a wolf.

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 took effect Jan. 27, 2012.

Livestock or dog owners who use lethal means to destroy a wolf must observe the following guidelines:

1. Report the lethal take of a wolf by calling the Report All Poaching (RAP) hotline at 800-292-7800 no later than 12 hours after the lethal take.
2. Retain possession of the wolf until a DNR official is available to take possession. A DNR official will respond to the scene within 12 hours of notification.
3. Do not move or disturb the dead wolf. The only exception to this rule is if a wolf has been killed in the act of preying upon livestock and leaving the wolf in place would impede normal farming practices. In that case the wolf may be moved to a secure location once photographs are taken of the wolf and the area where lethal means were used.

“Although lethal control methods are now legal in certain circumstances, wolves remain a protected species in Michigan and no hunting or trapping season is in place,” said DNR Law Enforcement Division Chief Gary Hagler. “The DNR will investigate and continue 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. Suspected poaching violations may be reported 24 hours a day, seven days a week to the DNR’s RAP hotline at 800-292-7800.

There are an estimated 687 wolves in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. For more information on Michigan’s wolf population, greater detail about the two laws governing wolf depredation, and to see the state’s Wolf Management Plan, visit www.michigan.gov/wolves.

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.

DNR will take over management of the gray wolf in Wisconsin outside of reservations. This photo is of a captive gray wolf at the MacKenzie Environmental Education Center. Wisconsin Wildlife Federation Photo

Wisconsin DNR

PARK FALLS, WI --(Ammoland.com)- Beginning Friday, Jan. 27, 2011, the gray wolf will no longer be considered a federally endangered species in Wisconsin and other parts of the western Great Lakes region.

In Wisconsin, the state Department of Natural Resources will manage the wolf population outside of tribal reservation lands. DNR officials said areas where wolves have attacked domestic animals will be addressed immediately.

“We’ve been fighting hard to gain this authority, and we are grateful to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for removing gray wolves in the upper Midwest from the lists of endangered and threatened species,” said DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp.

“We are ready and capable of managing Wisconsin’s wolf population at a healthy, sustainable level and we welcome the opportunity to begin addressing those areas where problem wolves are attacking domestic animals.”

Wisconsin regulations will treat the gray wolf as a protected wild animal, which means that authorization from the DNR is required before a person can attempt to “take” or kill a wolf. There are currently no plans for a hunting season on wolves. This would involve a change in state law and a public rule-making process.

Wisconsin’s 1999 wolf management plan and a 2007 addendum to the plan will be the basis of wolf management in the state. These documents outline the conservation strategy for Wisconsin’s wolf population, as well as, outlining the approach for controlling depredation situations. Copies of these documents can be found on the department website.

Landowners or people leasing land will have authority to shoot wolves only when in the act of attacking domestic animals on their land. They also will be able to get permits to shoot any wolf coming on their land if they have experienced wolf problems within the last two years.

Any wolf shot or trapped by a landowner or leaseholder must be reported to the DNR within 24 hours. The carcass must be turned over the DNR.

Conditions under which control permits will be issued include the following five situations:

• Landowners have had verified attacks on livestock or pets on their property within the last two years can request permits.
• Landowners with vulnerable pets or livestock, and whose property lies within one mile of a property with a depredation during the same year.
• Farmers with livestock in a DNR-designated “proactive control area.”
• Farmers who have had verified harassment of livestock.
• Any landowner in an area where a perceived human safety situation occurs.

Under the rule published by USFWS in late December, which takes effect Friday, gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment will no longer be considered either endangered or threatened by the federal government. The segment includes the states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota and portions of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota.

Along with permits to landowner, the services of U.S. Department of Agriculture-Wildlife Service trappers will again be available to trap and remove problem wolves in Wisconsin.

USDA-Wildlife Service, which operates in Wisconsin under a contract with the DNR, will be available to investigate reports of wolf depredations and when wolf depredations are verified would be authorized to capture problem wolves. Because suitable wolf habitat is saturated in Wisconsin, wolves captured at depredation sites will not be relocated but will be euthanized.

With the federal delisting of wolves, states will be required to continue monitoring of the state wolf populations for the next five years. The department currently uses a system of radio-tracking collared wolves, snow track surveys and collection of public wolf observations to track population trends.

The DNR will continue to recruit and train citizen volunteers to assist with wolf management, primarily through tracking surveys.

During the winter of 2010-2011, biologists estimated a population of about 800 wolves in Wisconsin. The results of this winter’s surveys will be available in the spring.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrian Wydeven, DNR mammalian ecologist, at 715-762-1363; Ed Culhane, DNR communications, at 715-781-1683, or Bob Manwell, DNR communications, at 608-264-9248

Gray wolf. Photo by John and Karen Hollingsworth/USFWS

California Department Of Fish And Game

California --(Ammoland.com)- The gray wolf that was wandering in southern Oregon has crossed the California border.

According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) this animal is a 2 ½ year old male formerly from a pack in northeast Oregon.

Since the animal has been collared with a Global Positioning System (GPS) device that periodically transmits its location, biologists have been able to document its travels since it was collared in February 2011. Based on the GPS data, he is now more than 300 miles from where his journey began.

His journey, in total, has been more than twice that far with many changes in direction. Several times he has reversed direction and returned to previous locations. Today, the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) learned that this wolf, designated OR7, crossed the state line into northern Siskiyou County yesterday. Tracking data puts his most recent location as a few miles south of the Oregon border. It is not possible to predict his next movements which could include a return to Oregon.

DFG continues to collaborate with ODFW and expects to receive daily location data. This information is transmitted daily when atmospheric conditions permit. DFG will be sharing only general location information as this wolf, while in California, is protected as endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act.

“Whether one is for it or against it, the entry of this lone wolf into California is an historic event and result of much work by the wildlife agencies in the West,” said DFG Director Charlton H. Bonham. “If the gray wolf does establish a population in California, there will be much more work to do here.”

Any wild gray wolf that returns to California is protected as endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

DFG has been following the recovery and migration of gray wolves in western states with the expectation that at some point they will likely reach California. The last confirmed wild gray wolf in California was killed in Lassen County in 1924. The available historic information on wolves in California suggests that while they were widely distributed, they were not abundant. DFG has been compiling historic records, life history information, reviewing studies on wolf populations in other western states, enhancing communication with other agencies and training biologists on field techniques specific to wolves. This effort is to ensure that DFG has all necessary information available when needed, it is not a wolf management plan and DFG does not intend to reintroduce wolves into California.

There are more than 1,600 wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains following a federal reintroduction effort which occurred in the mid-1990s. In 1999 a single wolf crossed into Oregon from Idaho, after nearly a 60-year absence in that state. There are now at least 24 wolves in Oregon in four reproducing packs. It has taken an additional 12 years for the first wolf to now reach the California border. This particular animal is exhibiting normal dispersal behavior for a young male and there is no way to predict whether he will stay in California, return to Oregon, or travel east into Nevada. Eventually, DFG expects that other wolves will reach California. Whether this will lead to the establishment of packs or simply transient individual animals is unknown.

Gray wolf recovery in other western states has been controversial, particularly regarding impacts on prey populations, livestock depredation and human safety. There have been instances where gray wolf predation has contributed to declines in deer and elk populations, however, in most cases, predation has had little effect. Some gray wolves have killed livestock – mostly cattle and sheep – while others rely entirely on wild prey. In other western states the impact of depredation on livestock has been small, less than predation by coyotes and mountain lions, although the effect on an individual livestock producer can be important, particularly when sheep are killed.

Concerns about human safety are largely based on folklore and are unsubstantiated in North America. In recent years there was one human mortality in Canada caused either by wolves or bears and one confirmed human mortality in Alaska by wolves. Based on experience from states where substantial wolf populations now exist, wolves pose little risk to humans. However, DFG recommends that people never approach a wolf, or otherwise tamper with or feed a wolf. More about how to avoid human-wildlife interactions can be found on DFG’s website at www.dfg.ca.gov/keepmewild/.

In the near future DFG expects to add information to its website (www.dfg.ca.gov) to provide extensive information on wolves to the public.

A pup from northeast Oregon’s Wenaha pack that was born in spring 2011. Image taken by remote camera on Dec. 11, 2011. Courtesy of ODFW. Photo courtesy of ODFW-

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

LA GRANDE, Ore --(Ammoland.com)- Photos captured on an ODFW remote camera in northeast Oregon show the Wenaha wolf pack had at least one pup this year.

The photos were taken on forested land in western Wallowa County as part of ODFW monitoring efforts for the Wenaha pack. They are the first indication that the pack’s alpha pair reproduced in 2011.

The finding means that all four wolf packs in Oregon reproduced this year. The Imnaha, Wenaha and Snake River packs all had at least one pup. The new Walla Walla pack produced at least three pups.

While any reproduction is good news for wolf conservation, only one pack, the Walla Walla, will likely be determined to be a “breeding pair” for 2011, or a wolf pack that has produced at least two pups that survive through the end of the year. Breeding pairs are an important measure of wolf conservation for wildlife managers.

The Wenaha pack was determined to be a breeding pair in 2010. It is also believed to be the first pack to reproduce in Oregon since wolves were extirpated back in the 1940s, when a July 2008 howling survey found evidence of pups.

ODFW’s efforts to find additional pups for the Wenaha and other packs will continue so the department can get a complete year-end count of all pups born in 2011.

More information on wolves in Oregon.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation today cheered federal delisting of wolves in the Great Lakes states, as well as the State of Wisconsin’s rapid movement toward implementing its own science-based wolf management plan.

Both actions help pave the way toward predator populations that are in better balance with elk, deer and other species commonly preyed upon by wolves.

“Barring any legal holdups from animal rights activists, we should see science-based wolf management and control measures go into effect by February, and that’s great news for conservation overall in the Great Lakes region,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO.

On Dec. 21, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar 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 threatened and endangered species.

Upon the announcement, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker ordered the Department of Natural Resources to begin implementing the state’s wolf management plan. The agency will issue permits to landowners experiencing wolf-caused losses beginning Feb. 1.

There are more than 4,000 wolves in the three core recovery states in the western Great Lakes area, a total that far exceeds recovery goals. Minnesota’s population is estimated at 2,921 wolves, while an estimated 687 wolves live in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and another 782 in Wisconsin.

Each state has developed a science-based plan to manage wolves after federal protection is removed.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
RMEF is leading a conservation initiative that has protected or enhanced habitat on over 6 million acres–an area larger than Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain and Great Smoky Mountains national parks combined. RMEF also is a strong voice for hunters in access, wildlife management and conservation policy issues. RMEF members, partners and volunteers, working together as Team Elk, are making a difference all across elk country. Join us at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Montana and Idaho Adapting Wolf Harvest Strategies - Credit: Michael Cutmore,

Wildlife Management Institute

Gardners, PA --(Ammoland.com)- State wildlife agencies in Idaho and Montana are closely monitoring their respective wolf harvests and making adjustments midway through their second season managing wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains, reports the Wildlife Management Institute.

At a recent meeting, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) Commission extended the wolf-hunting season and made other adjustments to regulations to increase the effectiveness of hunting as a management tool.

In Idaho, the Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) is planning to use government trappers and aerial gunning to remove wolves in a remote wolf-harvest zone where public hunting and trapping have fallen short of the management objective.

The first modern wolf seasons in the northern Rocky Mountains occurred in 2009, following a ruling by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that removed wolves in Idaho and Montana from the list of threatened and endangered species. That year, Montana set a harvest quota of 75 wolves; Idaho’s quota was 220. Between August 2009 and March 2010, hunters killed a total of 72 wolves in Montana and 188 in Idaho. Neither state allowed wolf trapping during that first year.

A second season scheduled for the fall and winter of 2010-11 was blocked by a successful court challenge to the 2009 delisting rule. Congress reinstated the federal rule in April 2011, and precluded any further legal challenges to delisting in Montana and Idaho, setting the stage for the states to resume harvest. Idaho authorized both hunting and trapping for wolves, whereas Montana chose to continue hunting only.

Both states designed this year’s regulations to reduce overall wolf numbers, in response to concerns about the impact of wolves on livestock and big game in some areas. Montana adopted the same hunting season as 2009, September 1 to December 31, but increased the number of Wolf Management Units (WMU) from 3 to 14 to distribute harvest more effectively across the state. Because each WMU has its own quota, managers can achieve higher harvest in some areas, such as the upper Bitterroot drainage where elk numbers have declined substantially, and avoid overharvest in other areas with fewer wolves. Modeling predicts that a harvest equal to the quota of 220 would reduce the year-end minimum total wolf numbers approximately 25 percent, from 566 in 2010 to a predicted 425 in 2011.

The management objectives in Idaho are to reduce overall wolf numbers from a population in excess of 1,000 in 2011 to a level in balance with other big game species, to reduce attacks on livestock and domestic animals, and to keep wolves from encroaching on populated areas. Based on results of the 2009 season, Idaho set quotas for 5 of the 13 harvest zones to prevent localized overharvest, but set no upper limit for the statewide take.

Idaho’s 2011 wolf season began August 30, with 13 wolf harvest zones used to distribute hunting. The season will close in 2 zones on December 31. The season will extend until March 31, 2012 in 9 zones and until June 30 in the Selway and Lolo harvest zones. The late closure in the Selway and Lolo zones is intended to give spring bear hunters the opportunity to take wolves in those units, where elk numbers have declined substantially in recent years. Managers want to remove 60 wolves in the Lolo zone, because wolf predation is a major mortality factor for elk calves.

Idaho also authorized wolf trapping for the first time beginning November 15. Anyone planning to trap wolves must attend a special wolf trapper education workshop before purchasing a wolf-trapping license.

By the end of Montana’s general big game season on November 27, hunters reported taking only 100 wolves, with harvest quotas reached in only 1 of 18 WMUs. One additional WMU quota was met on December 5.

Given the low harvest rates, the MFWP Commission last month proposed extending the season to February 15 in the remaining 16 WMUs. MFWP Wildlife Management Section Chief, Quentin Kujala, reported that public comments on the proposed season extension were deeply polarized, as is typical with most wolf-management issues.

At its December 8 meeting, the MFWP Commission discussed the season extension and other regulation changes, including allowing the use of electronic calls, but could not implement some of those without amendments to state statutes. The Montana legislature next convenes in 2013. After taking additional public comment, and in the hope of enhancing harvest success, the Commission adopted the season extension and waived the requirement of 400 square inches of “hunter orange” above the waist.

At the same meeting, the MFWP Commission authorized the use of hunters to assist landowners and USDA Wildlife Services remove depredating wolves outside the normal hunting season dates. Although hunters will have to purchase a license and obey all hunting regulations, wolves taken as part of depredation-control efforts will not count against the hunting quota, because those limits take into consideration the likely number of wolves to be removed in control actions. Kraig Glazier, Wildlife Services’ District Supervisor in Helena, said that adding hunters to the toolbox gives his agency one more way to work with producers to protect livestock at a time when budgets are tight.

As of December 12, hunters in Idaho reported taking 155 wolves and trappers reported taking an additional 3. None of the zones with limited harvests had reached their quota, and only 6 wolves were reported taken in the Lolo zone. IDFG Regional Supervisor in Lewiston, Dave Cadwalladar, said the department is planning to use government trappers and aerial gunning in the Lolo zone to achieve the desired take. Although use of helicopters to remove wolves last spring was not cost-effective, due to lack of snow cover, Cadwallader believes success may be higher in mid-winter.

Some wolf-protection advocates claim that Montana’s season extension and Idaho’s plans to use government trappers and aerial gunning are evidence that the states cannot be trusted to manage wolves. In contrast, Montana Wildlife Federation acting Executive Director Ben Lamb described the WFWP Commission’s decisions as, “A great example of adaptive management.”

Managing wolves is a new endeavor for the Idaho and Montana wildlife agencies, but regulating harvest to achieve scientifically sound objectives is a long- and well-established practice. Quotas in all of Montana’s WMUs and some harvest zones in Idaho, combined with continued monitoring of the overall take will ensure that the total number of wolves killed does not jeopardize the population. Although both states want to reduce wolf numbers, neither wants to risk re-listing or loss of management authority.

About:
Wildlife Management Institute: Founded in 1911, WMI is a private, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization, dedicated to the conservation, enhancement and professional management of North America’s wildlife and other natural resources. Visit: www.wildlifemanagementinstitute.org

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, WI --(Ammoland.com)- With the announcement today that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is removing the gray wolf from Endangered Species Act protection , 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.

USFWS Announces Recovery of Gray Wolves in the Western Great Lakes

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- 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.

“Once again, the Endangered Species Act has proved to be an effective tool for bringing species back from the brink of extinction,” Secretary Salazar said. “Thanks to the work of our scientists, wildlife managers, and our state, tribal, and stakeholder partners, gray wolves in the western Great Lakes region are now fully recovered and healthy.”

The rule removing ESA protection for gray wolves in the western Great Lakes becomes effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.

“Gray wolves are thriving in the Great Lakes region, and their successful recovery is a testament to the hard work of the Service and our state and local partners,” said Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe. “We are confident state and tribal wildlife managers in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin will effectively manage healthy wolf populations now that federal protection is no longer needed.”

Wolves total more than 4,000 animals in the three core recovery states in the western Great Lakes area and have exceeded recovery goals. Minnesota’s population is estimated at 2,921 wolves, while an estimated 687 wolves live in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and another 782 in Wisconsin. Each state has developed a plan to manage wolves after federal protection is removed.

Wolf populations in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan will be monitored for at least five years to ensure the species continues to thrive. If it appears, at any time, that the gray wolf cannot sustain itself without the protections of the ESA, the Service can initiate the listing process, including emergency listing.

In the Service’s May 5, 2011, proposal to delist western Great Lakes wolves, the agency also proposed accepting recent taxonomic information that the gray wolf subspecies Canis lupus lycaon should be elevated to the full species Canis lycaon, and that the population of wolves in the Western Great Lakes is a mix of the two full species, Canis lupus and Canis lycaon. Based on substantial information received from scientists and others during the public comment period, the Service has re-evaluated that proposal, and the final rule considers all wolves in the Western Great Lakes DPS to be Canis lupus.

The Service also previously proposed delisting gray wolves in all or parts of 29 states in the eastern half of the United States. The Service continues to evaluate that portion of the May 5, 2011, proposal and will make a final separate determination at a later date.

Gray wolves were originally listed as subspecies or as regional populations of subspecies in the lower 48 states and Mexico under the ESA in 1973 and its predecessor statutes before that. In 1978, the Service reclassified the gray wolf as an endangered species across all of the lower 48 states and Mexico, except in Minnesota where the gray wolf was classified as threatened.

More information on the recovery of gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes can be found at www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/

The ESA provides a critical safety net for America’s native fish, wildlife and plants. The Service works to actively engage conservation partners and the public in the search for improved and innovative ways to conserve and recover imperiled species.

To learn more about the Endangered Species Program, visit http://www.fws.gov/endangered/.

About:
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

Michigan DNR Applauds Federal Decision to Remove Wolves from Endangered Species List

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources today applauded the US 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 US 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.

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.

Gray wolf. Photo by John and Karen Hollingsworth/USFWS

California Department Of Fish And Game

California --(Ammoland.com)- Recent news accounts have reported that a gray wolf has been wandering in southern Oregon.

According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) this animal is a 2 ½ year old male formerly from a pack in northeast Oregon.

Since the animal has been collared with a Global Positioning System (GPS) device that periodically transmits its location, biologists have been able to document its travels since early September. Based on the GPS data, he is now more than 300 miles from where his journey began. As of yet, there are no direct observations confirming his presence, or that of any other wolves, in California.

“It’s too early to say with any certainty whether wolves will again become a resident species in California,” Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Director Charlton H. Bonham said. “But it is definitely an historic predator surrounded by legend and lore.”

Any wild gray wolf that returns to California is protected as endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

DFG has been following the recovery and migration of gray wolves in western states with the expectation that at some point they will likely reach California. The last confirmed wild gray wolf in California was killed in Lassen County in 1924. The available historic information on wolves in California suggests that while they were widely distributed, they were not abundant. DFG has been compiling historic records, life history information, reviewing studies on wolf populations in other western states, enhancing communication with other agencies and training biologists on field techniques specific to wolves. This effort is to ensure that DFG has all necessary information available when needed, it is not a wolf management plan and DFG does not intend to reintroduce wolves into California.

There are more than 1,600 wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains following a federal reintroduction effort which occurred in the mid-1990s. In 1999 a single wolf crossed into Oregon from Idaho, after nearly a 60-year absence in that state. There are now at least 23 wolves in Oregon in four reproducing packs. It has taken an additional 12 years for the first wolf to now approach the California border. This particular animal is exhibiting normal dispersal behavior for a young male and there is no way to predict whether he will enter California, stay in Oregon, or travel east into Nevada. Eventually, DFG expects that wolves will reach California. Whether this will lead to the establishment of packs or simply transient individual animals is unknown.

Gray wolf recovery in other western states has been controversial, particularly regarding impacts on prey populations, livestock depredation and human safety. There have been instances where gray wolf predation has contributed to declines in deer and elk populations, however, in most cases, predation has had little effect. Some gray wolves have killed livestock – mostly cattle and sheep – while others rely entirely on wild prey. In other western states the impact of depredation on livestock has been very small, certainly less than predation by coyotes and mountain lions, although the effect on an individual livestock producer can be important, particularly when sheep are killed.

Concerns about human safety are largely based on folklore and unsubstantiated in North America. In recent years there was one human mortality in Canada caused either by wolves or bears and one confirmed human mortality in Alaska by wolves. Based on experience from states where substantial wolf populations now exist, wolves pose little risk to humans.

In the near future DFG expects to add information to its website (www.dfg.ca.gov) to provide extensive information on wolves to the public.

Another Cow Killed By The Imnaha OR Wolf Pack

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

LA GRANDE, Ore --(Ammoland.com)- ODFW confirmed that another cow was killed by wolves from the Imnaha pack over the weekend.

The yearling heifer was found dead on private land in Wallowa County.

This brings the total number of confirmed livestock losses by Imnaha pack wolves to 19 since spring 2010.

It is the fifth confirmed livestock loss to wolves since an Oct. 5, 2011 court-ordered stay ended ODFW plans to kill two wolves from the Imnaha pack in an attempt to stop further livestock losses.

While the pack is continuing a pattern of chronic livestock depredation begun in spring 2010, ODFW wolf coordinator Russ Morgan characterizes the recent kills as a “significant” change in the pack’s behavior. Previously the pack killed mostly smaller calves, but now it has shifted to larger-sized yearling and adult cows. The timing is also new, as depredation by this pack has not been previously confirmed during the period October through December.

“The latest incident reaffirms that the pack is in a pattern of chronic depredation, which we expect to continue,” said Morgan. “While we believe the appropriate response is lethal removal of these problem wolves under the chronic depredation rule, that option is off the table due to litigation.”

The wolves targeted the ranch twice over two days. The cattle involved had recently been gathered and placed into a holding pasture near the main ranch house, as they were scheduled to be hauled on Monday. On Sunday morning, the landowner discovered that the cattle had been run through the fence and the yearling heifer was found dead a half mile away. The cattle were returned to the pasture, only to be scattered again by Monday morning. GPS radio-collar data shows that the alpha male of the Imnaha wolf pack was present at the site of the depredation and was also in the area when the cows were scattered the next day. Other wolves from the pack were likely with the alpha male, but their VHF radio-collars don’t allow such close location tracking.

The alpha male wolf was in remote country about five miles from the pasture the evening before the Sunday morning attack, yet by 2 a.m. he was only about 300 yards from the main ranch house, on the way to the pasture with cattle.

This rancher had taken a variety of non-lethal measures on different areas of his large ranch over the past two years. He had installed barrier fences with fladry (flagged fencing that can deter wolves) on parts of his ranch and has used a radio-activated guard device that makes noise when a radio-collared wolf approaches. The rancher had also increased monitoring of his livestock and has used a radio receiver to detect when a collared wolf was nearby.

“This is a good example of a situation where the landowner had done everything right,” said Morgan. “I don’t think there are other measures that could have been reasonably taken in this case, so it is a very frustrating situation for livestock producers and wildlife managers.”

ODFW continues to work with area landowners on non-lethal ways to avoid wolf-livestock problems. For example, ODFW sends twice-daily text messages about wolves’ locations to area livestock producers. A range rider funded by ODFW and Defenders of Wildlife has monitored the wolves’ location in relation to livestock.

Besides non-lethal measures, ODFW has also provided some ranchers with permits to kill a wolf they catch “in the act of biting, wounding or killing” livestock or with permits that allow them to haze wolves. The chance to use these permits is rare because wolves typically avoid people and usually attack livestock at night. None of these permits issued by ODFW has ever been used, again because it is very rare for a person to actually be present when a wolf is “in the act” of attacking livestock.

This landowner and others that have lost livestock animals to wolves are likely to be compensated for their losses. Earlier this year, the Oregon State Legislature and Governor Kitzhaber directed the Oregon Department of Agriculture to create a wolf compensation program. The program is expected to be in effect in early 2012. Ranchers that lost livestock since early September 2011 (when a compensation program funded by Defenders of Wildlife ended) will be eligible for retroactive compensation.

Summaries of the wolf investigations and confirmations can be found on ODFW’s livestock loss investigations page.

More information on wolves in Oregon.

Deadly Wolf Attack Confirmed by Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Juneau -AK --(Ammoland.com)- Today, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) released a report presenting findings related to the March 8, 2010, wolf attack that killed 32-year-old Candice Berner near the village of Chignik Lake on the Alaska Peninsula.

The report summarizes agency response and subsequent investigation.

“All lines of evidence are consistent with the conclusion that two or more wolves killed Ms. Berner. The tragic encounter occurred as she jogged down the road less than two miles from the village,” said Lem Butler, principal investigator for ADF&G, and one of four authors of the report.

ADF&G’s investigation included on-scene evaluation of wolf tracks, interviews of those first to arrive at the scene, collection of wolves from the nearby area, and analyses of DNA and of other forensic evidence. Wolf DNA was recovered from the victim and her clothing. DNA test results provided by the U.S. Geological Survey lab in Anchorage indicated that two to four wolves were most likely involved, excluded other animals, and connected one of the wolves killed by the department to the incident.

The broader investigation indicated Ms. Berner was on the road, likely jogging away from town, while the wolves traveled toward town by moving along the road and openings in the brush. It could not be determined if this was a surprise encounter for both Ms. Brenner and the wolves, but evidence clearly shows a predatory response from the wolves.

ADF&G personnel and Alaska State Troopers shot two wolves and contracted trappers later killed six more within 15 miles of the village. The wolves were taken for public safety and for evaluation of biological factors that may have been associated with the attack.

ADF&G veterinarian Dr. Kimberlee Beckmen performed necropsies and collected samples for disease testing and DNA analyses on each of the eight wolves taken. One wolf was clearly implicated in the attack through DNA evidence. It was in apparent good health with very large fat reserves. All but two wolves were in good to excellent condition. There was no DNA evidence linking the two wolves in poor condition to the attack. Investigators found no evidence in any of the wolves of contributing factors to the attack such as rabies, disease, defense of food, or habituation to human food.

“We hope that the report’s findings help bring closure to Ms. Berner’s family, to the community of Chignik Lake and others affected by this sad incident.” said Butler.

He also pointed out that wolf attacks on humans are rare and people should not be unnecessarily fearful. People should always maintain a safe distance and healthy respect when encountering wolves or other wild animals. Bear and moose encounters pose more risk to travelers in Alaska than wolves, but all wild animals can be unpredictable.

Bob Berner, Candice Berner’s father, said he hopes that people will learn from his daughter’s death through an increased awareness of the potential danger and by taking steps to increase safety.

“People should be mindful of the potential harm that wolves and other wild animals are capable of inflicting,” he said.

The report, “Findings Related to the March 2010 Fatal Wolf Attack Near Chignik Lake, Alaska” is available at: www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/home/news/pdfs/wolfattackfatality.pdf (PDF 967 kB) . Additional information on safety in wolf country is available at: www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=livewith.wolves. .

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is on record supporting a proposal to extend wolf-hunting seasons in Montana through the end of 2011, and beyond if necessary, until the harvest quota is met.

In a Nov. 28, 2011, letter to the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department, RMEF President and CEO David Allen wrote, “RMEF believes that it is very important that hunters be allowed as much time as possible during these winter months to harvest the statewide quota of 220 wolves.”

Allen reminded the agency that elk and other big game herds in certain areas are being significantly impacted by burgeoning wolf populations, along with black bears, grizzlies and mountain lions. RMEF encouraged state officials to actively manage and control predators in these areas.

RMEF also suggested reviewing “means of take” regulations to maximize opportunities for hunters to meet harvest quotas.

“It is very unlikely that sport hunting will provide adequate control of wolf populations going forward. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the public should prepare for more aggressive wolf control methods, perhaps as early as summer 2012,” added Allen.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
RMEF is leading a conservation initiative that has protected or enhanced habitat on over 6 million acres–an area larger than Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain and Great Smoky Mountains national parks combined. RMEF also is a strong voice for hunters in access, wildlife management and conservation policy issues. RMEF members, partners and volunteers, working together as Team Elk, are making a difference all across elk country. Join us at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has learned that an Oregon court has agreed to consider in its final ruling the RMEF motion outlining the need for science-based, state regulated wolf management.

The court is reviewing the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s authority to manage and control wolves as part of a state-approved plan.

Oregon wildlife officials recently announced the agency would use lethal means to stop two wolves known to habitually kill livestock in Wallowa County. Animal rights and wolf activist groups sued the state, claiming that any loss of wolves could cause “irreparable harm” to wolf recovery in Oregon.

That argument was rejected in a previous lawsuit heard in a Montana federal court. But an Oregon court granted a temporary stay to stop the search for the two wolves until the legal merits of the case can be considered.

“The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has always believed strongly that the management of all our wildlife be based on science, said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “Oregon is just one example of our commitment to support proven wildlife management procedures. By allowing wildlife agencies to create state-approved plans we know the entire balance of these complicated ecosystems can be maintained to the benefit of all.”

RMEF attorneys also continue to respond to legal wrangling by animal rights and wolf activist groups seeking to foil management plans in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and the Great Lakes states. On Nov. 8, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena, Calif., will hear arguments from RMEF and others as it considers a lawsuit alleging that Congress acted outside the Constitution when it delisted wolves in parts of the West.

In some areas, such as the northern Yellowstone in Montana and the Clearwater National Forest in Idaho, elk calf survival rates are now too low to sustain herds for the future.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
RMEF is leading a conservation initiative that has protected or enhanced habitat on over 6 million acres—an area larger than Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain and Great Smoky Mountains national parks combined. RMEF also is a strong voice for hunters in access, wildlife management and conservation policy issues. RMEF members, partners and volunteers, working together as Team Elk, are making a difference all across elk country. Join us at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals today heard arguments from both sides of a lawsuit alleging that Congress acted unconstitutionally when it removed wolves from the endangered species list and cleared the way for wolf hunting seasons now underway in Idaho and Montana.

An attorney representing the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and other conservation groups presented oral arguments supporting the Congressional action, wolf delisting and science-based, state-regulated management and control of wolf populations.

The court is expected to issue its ruling soon.

“We’re hopeful for a quick and favorable ruling, especially since a lower court already ruled against the plaintiffs–a coalition of animal rights and environmental activist groups,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO.

“Our opponents don’t seem to care that in some areas, elk calf survival rates are now too low to sustain herds for the future. We support a more balanced approach to conservation.”

Today’s hearing was held in a Pasadena, Calif., courtroom. RMEF and Safari Club International led two different groups granted intervenor status in the case. An attorney representing their collective position was given seven minutes to present arguments.

Key facts of the case include:

• Wolves were relocated from Canada to Idaho, Montana and Wyoming in 1994 as a “nonessential, experimental population” under the Endangered Species Act.
• The wolf population in each state passed stated recovery goals some 10 years ago.
• Current wolf populations across the three states are known to exceed 1,700 animals, and in many areas are out of balance with biological and cultural tolerances.
• Conservation has succeeded in America because of science-based, state-regulated management and control of wild species, including predators. All evidence suggests this system also would work well for wolves.
• Litigious animal rights and environmental activist groups have managed to keep wolves under full federal protections for much of the past decade.
• RMEF was among the first groups to call on Congress for a legislative remedy.
• In April 2011, Congress passed a measure that delisted wolves in parts of the West.
• Congress did not, as plaintiffs claim, violate “separation of powers” when it partially delisted wolves. In today’s hearing, attorneys presented ample legal precedents supporting the Congressional action. RMEF joined the other conservation groups in asking the appellate court to uphold the favorable ruling issued in August by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy in Missoula, Mont.

Allen said, “If they lose this decision, plaintiffs could take their case to the U.S. Supreme Court. But I’m hoping that a Congressional act, two courtroom defeats and an American public that is clearly tired of all this legal wrangling will encourage our opponents to give up–and cede responsible wolf management and control to conservation professionals in each state. But we’ll have to wait and see.”

RMEF continues to fight wolf lawsuits and support delisting legislation at both federal and state levels.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
RMEF is leading a conservation initiative that has protected or enhanced habitat on over 6 million acres–an area larger than Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain and Great Smoky Mountains national parks combined. RMEF also is a strong voice for hunters in access, wildlife management and conservation policy issues. RMEF members, partners and volunteers, working together as Team Elk, are making a difference all across elk country. Join us at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is seeking to defend the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s authority to manage and control wolves as part of a state-approved plan.

Oregon wildlife officials recently announced the agency would use lethal means to stop two wolves known to habitually kill livestock in Wallowa County.

Animal rights and wolf activist groups sued the state, claiming that any loss of wolves could cause “irreparable harm” to wolf recovery in Oregon. That argument was rejected in a previous lawsuit heard in a Montana federal court.

But an Oregon court granted a temporary stay to stop the search for the two wolves until the legal merits of the case can be considered.

RMEF has filed a motion to enter an amicus curiae brief opposing the plaintiff groups.

If the motion is granted, RMEF documents outlining the need for science-based, state-regulated wolf management will be considered as part of the court’s final ruling.

“Our organization has over 15,000 members in Oregon, including hunters, ranchers and other conservationists. Together we endorse the efforts of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to manage and control wolves alongside other wild species as part of an approved plan,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “We support the agency’s work to balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of citizens.”

RMEF attorneys also continue to respond to legal wrangling by animal rights and wolf activist groups seeking to foil management plans in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and the Great Lakes states. On Nov. 8, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena, Calif., will hear arguments from RMEF and others as it considers a lawsuit alleging that Congress’ acted outside the Constitution when it delisted wolves in parts of the West.

In some areas, such as the northern Yellowstone in Montana and the Clearwater National Forest in Idaho, elk calf survival rates are now too low to sustain herds for the future.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
RMEF is leading a conservation initiative that has protected or enhanced habitat on over 6 million acres–an area larger than Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain and Great Smoky Mountains national parks combined. RMEF also is a strong voice for hunters in access, wildlife management and conservation policy issues. RMEF members, partners and volunteers, working together as Team Elk, are making a difference all across elk country. Join us at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ – -(Ammoland.com)- Mexican authorities released five Mexican wolves in the San Luis Mountains in Sonora, Mexico, on Oct. 12, 2011, approximately 80 miles south of Douglas, Ariz.

Mexico’s desire to release wolves in Sonora as part of its recovery effort has been known for the past two years, although the exact timetable for release was unknown.

“Mexico is a sovereign nation with its own wildlife conservation and recovery goals. The vast majority of historic habitat for the Mexican wolf is actually in Mexico, and long-term full recovery of the sub-species is incumbent on successful recovery there, as well as our recovery efforts in the U.S.,” said Larry Voyles, director of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Game and Fish will continue to work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine how the wolves will be monitored and managed if animals cross the international border.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department has been actively involved in the multi-agency effort to reintroduce Mexican wolves to portions of their historic range in the east-central portion of Arizona (and adjacent New Mexico) for many years. In 1998, 11 captive-reared Mexican wolves were released into the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area (BRWRA) in eastern Arizona.

The current population in Arizona-New Mexico was assessed to be approximately 50 animals during 2011 monitoring. The Mexican wolf is considered endangered in the United States and Mexico.

Game and Fish continues to express concern over the lack of progress in aspects of wolf conservation.

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service initiated efforts earlier this year to update the 1982 recovery plan for the Mexican wolf throughout its historic range in the American Southwest and Mexico,” said Voyles. “The Service also recently released a draft management plan for wolves that might travel to Arizona or New Mexico as a result of the recent release in Sonora or future releases in Mexico. It will likely take years to finalize either plan because of federal environmental compliance processes that could easily be further drawn out by appeals and even litigation.”

Voyles added that wolf management is an emotional issue with potential effects on the human environment, as well as the natural environment. Everyone engaged in wolf management has a responsibility towards open and transparent coordination and information sharing with Arizona stakeholders, as mandated under provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Voyles said Game and Fish will make every effort to work with the Fish and Wildlife Service, neighboring states, counties, and Mexico, to the extent that transparency allows, to manage and conserve wolves in Arizona.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Director’s Office, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Director’s Office as listed above.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Attorneys representing the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and other conservation groups on Nov. 8 will go before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena, Calif., to argue against “many weak points” in a lawsuit seeking to end state management of gray wolves and return the species to full federal protection.

The suit claims Congress acted unconstitutionally when it removed wolves from the endangered species list and cleared the way for hunting seasons now underway in Idaho and Montana.

A lower court in August ruled against the plaintiffs –a coalition of animal rights and environmental extremist groups– who quickly appealed that decision.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently granted a motion to intervene (which had been denied by the lower court) filed on behalf of RMEF and other conservation groups, ensuring that their position will be considered as part of the subsequent ruling.

In the meantime, says RMEF President and CEO David Allen, attorneys will file a court brief with data showing that elk calf survival rates in some areas are now too low to sustain herds for the future, along with other biological justification for managing wolf populations. State-regulated hunting will help bring wolf numbers and predation back into balance with other species and resources.

He said, “Wolf populations passed recovery goals under the Endangered Species Act some 10 years ago, but animal rights groups discovered that lawsuits are profitable and also stymie responsible wildlife management.

They couldn’t care less that wolf numbers in many areas are now far out of balance with biological and social tolerances.”

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.9 million acres–a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA, Washington --(Ammoland.com)- The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will discuss the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) recommended Wolf Conservation and Management Plan during a special meeting Oct. 6 in Olympia.

The special meeting will be followed by a two-day meeting Oct 7-8, when the commission will receive briefings on issues including the status of north coast steelhead stocks and population goals for deer, elk and other ungulates.

The special meeting, the second of three scheduled on the recommended Wolf Conservation and Management Plan and final Environmental Impact Statement, will begin Oct. 6 at 9 a.m. in Room 172 on the first floor of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E. The commission will meet at the same location Oct. 7-8, beginning at 8:30 a.m. both days.

The commission, which sets policy for WDFW, will accept public comments at designated times during both meetings. Agendas for those meetings are available on the commission’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings.html .

During the special meeting Oct. 6, the commission will resume its discussion on the recommended Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, focusing on wolves’ interaction with livestock and ungulates.

The recommended plan, designed to guide state management as wolves re-establish a sustainable breeding population in the state, was developed after a scientific peer review and extensive public review that drew nearly 65,000 responses.

The plan, posted online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/ , includes recovery objectives that would allow the state to eventually remove wolves from protection lists. The commission has scheduled the third of three special meetings on WDFW’s recommended plan Nov. 3 in Olympia.

The commission is expected to take action on the plan in December.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that it will be reopening the public comment period for its proposal to remove recovered wolf populations in the Western Great Lakes region as a listed species under Endangered Species Act.

Through the new comment period, the Service will be specifically looking for input addressing whether or not there are two separate species of wolves in the region. Previously, along with announcing that it thought wolves should be delisted the Service also announced that it may recognize a second species of wolves in the Western Great Lakes region.

This scientific one-wolf, two-wolf issue could be a major roadblock for delisting the wolves. An incorrect finding by the Service that two species of wolves exist in the Western Great Lakes region would give animal rights organizations ammunition to try and block returning wolves to state management.

During the initial comment period, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation submitted extensive comments supported by wildlife and wolf genetics expert Dr. Lisette Waits. Those comments highlighted that genetic studies have shown there are not two separate wolf species in the Western Great Lakes region and the Service should not recognize a second species of wolves there.

“We are hopeful that this new comment period will give the Service additional information and time to reevaluate its previous two-wolf stance in the region,” said Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation vice president for government affairs. “Prevailing scientific facts show that only one wolf population exists within the region. Continuing to go against these facts would place an unsupported obstacle in the way of delisting the Western Great Lakes region wolves.”

Click here to read more about the two-wolf controversy.

About:
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

Wolf Facts and What It Means To You

Archery Trade Association

New Ulm, Minn. --(Ammoland.com)- It has been almost four months since my last “Wolf Facts”, so I think it is a time for an update.

As it stands today, gray wolves are no longer listed under the Endangered Species Act in MT, ID and small portions of WA, OR and UT. In Wyoming, there have been considerable negotiations and progress made between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and Wyoming officials towards a proposal to delist.

In the Great Lakes states (MI, MN and WI), the Service is still working through a standard delisting process.

While all of this sounds pretty good, there are considerable challenges ahead that could derail any and all of these actions. In the following paragraphs, I’ll try to summarize the facts as best I can.

If you need background to any of what you read here, I urge you to visit the Archery Trade Association’s Web site by clicking here.

NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN WOLVES

MONTANA & IDAHO
Let me start by saying emphatically that gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains are “recovered”.

The science is absolutely clear on this point. I base my position on discussions with wolf specialists who work for the three principle states (MT, ID and WY) and with the Service’s wolf specialist that has overseen the wolf reintroduction in the Northern Rockies since it began. These scientists all agree that wolves are recovered. I emphasize this point because you will hear from a lot of fronts that Congress in some way substituted their political motivations for “science” and that wolves and the Endangered Species Act would suffer as a result of this “political intervention.”

This is simply not true. In fact, when it relates to wolves, the science behind their management has been severely compromised for over a decade by overzealous wolf advocates and judges who felt the need to “advocate” from the bench. Congress simply eliminated the avenues of misuse of the Endangered Species Act and allowed wolf decisions to follow the science – as it should be.

As you can read in my earlier “Wolf Facts” updates, Representative Simpson (R-ID) and Senator Tester (D-MT) introduced legislation that was attached to Federal Budget legislation and signed by the President on April 15. Consequently, the previously approved Wolf Management Plans for MT and ID were deemed acceptable, wolves were rightfully determined to be “recovered” in those states, the protections of the Endangered Species Act were removed and wolf management was turned over to the state wildlife agency. The legislation also precluded any further judicial review of the decision.

This action took place in June and the two states have moved ahead with the task of wolf management. Both of these states have taken a scientifically based approach to managing their wolf populations. Like with their other wildlife species, management included setting sustainable population goals, scientifically based population monitoring and appropriate population controls that may include hunting as well as other population reduction actions where needed. Based on what I have seen to date, their actions substantiate what we have all known for years – the state wildlife agencies will approach wolf management in the same professional manner that they manage all other state managed wildlife species.

While all of these latest occurrences leave the impression that we are over the hump in MT and ID, there remains some gamesmanship going on within the legal arena. Wolf advocate groups immediately filed a legal challenge to the Congressional action. They argued that Congress interfered with the Constitutionally protected “separation of powers” when they legislatively precluded legal challenges to their action. They filed their challenge in Judge Malloy’s court – where they were sure to get a “friendly” reception. In July, Judge Malloy ruled against their challenge but he included language in his ruling that removed all doubt as to his biases on this issue. It was obvious that he wanted to uphold their challenge but simply could not find a legal loophole in the Congressional language where he could “cloak” his biases.

Kudos to the Congressional staff who wrote the language!

The wolf advocate groups have filed an appeal and vow to continue this challenge to the Supreme Court if necessary. I hope that we will hear from the Appeals Court still this year. I’ll keep you posted.

WYOMING
Things are progressing slower in WY than in MT and ID, primarily because WY lacked a “Fish and Wildlife Service Approved Wolf Management Plan” that was already in place in MT and ID. You can read my thoughts on this issue in my previous “Wolf Facts”.

Since my last “Wolf Facts”, there has been a lot of progress towards the development of an acceptable wolf management plan and earlier this month (August 4), Wyoming released a revised wolf management plan that has the tentative approval of the Governor of Wyoming, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of the Interior. You can view this plan at the Wyoming Game and Fish Web site by clicking here.

I believe that this revised wolf management plan is a reasonable compromise. As you have read previously, I felt the original WY plan was scientifically sound and should have been approved by the Service. In fact, the Service initially approved the plan and then retracted their approval simply to appease an earlier ruling by Judge Malloy and with no scientific basis. That said, this new plan adds a small “seasonal expansion” of the WY “Trophy Game” area that will make it easier for wolves to migrate from ID to WY during winter months (when livestock depredation is not an issue). It also requires WY to maintain at least 10 breeding pairs of wolves outside of Yellowstone National Park – where the previous plan required 7 or 8 breeding pairs outside of the park. In my opinion, these are minor concessions for WY to make to win the approval of their plan and gain control of wolf management in their state.

All of this said, we all know that the next chapter in this wolf saga will be a final decision by the Service that will be immediately challenged by the wolf advocates. We also know where that will lead us.

The solution for WY is to mimic what was successful in MT and ID. Once an acceptable WY Wolf Management Plan is approved, the WY Congressional Delegation needs to step in with legislation that memorializes that plan in law and eliminates judicial interference.

WESTERN GREAT LAKES WOLVES
Things continue to be very unsettled in the western Great Lakes states of Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin. The Service and the state wildlife agencies have agreed on and approved wolf management plans for each of the states and the Service has moved ahead with a delisting proposal that appears to be headed for final approval. However, the legal posturing is already in the works and I suspect any final decision to delist in this region will be promptly met with a legal challenge.

Unfortunately I can’t be too optimistic here. There are two reasons for my lack of optimism. First is simply the track record of the Service being able to withstand legal challenges when it comes to the Endangered Species Act. The way the Act is written the “judge shopping” that goes on makes it virtually impossible to sustain a favorable ruling for a species as visible as wolves – regardless of the science.

My second reason for a lack of optimism is a little more concerning. At the time the Service announced their proposal to delist, they also announced the initiation of a comprehensive review of the genetics of gray wolves. Specifically, they are now suggesting the presence of another subspecies of gray wolf – the eastern gray wolf. (Read Doubling Up on Wolf Headaches )

If the Service decides that there is a significant difference between the gray wolf and the eastern gray wolf, then this new subspecies will likely qualify for a listing action. The problem is that in Wisconsin, the ranges of these two supposedly independent species overlap and it is impossible outside of a genetics lab to tell them apart which then makes management very impractical if the species are to be treated differently. Therefore, the delisting of the Western Great Lakes Population of the gray wolf will be in jeopardy in these overlap areas because of their similarity of appearance.

I’m somewhat suspicious of this new effort and am looking forward to seeing more of the science behind the decision. When I studied statistics in college, I found that you could use statistics to justify virtually any decision. What I found during my career with the Service and working on endangered species was that the science of genetics was just as “squirrely”. While the science can be so precise that you can distinguish between individual animals, the assumptions made to decide whether there is enough genetic difference between two groups of individuals to allow them to be treated as separate species or subspecies is nothing more than a collection of opinions.

My suspicious mind tells me that wolf advocates - maybe with the help of individuals within the Service - are setting the stage for a successful legal challenge for the delisting of the Western Great Lakes gray wolf population. Perhaps the practical reality of how to manage wolves in the field will prevail and we’ll be dealing with one combination of gray wolves in the Great Lakes which would be a relief to Minnesota where wolves have been recovered for two decades.

Once again, my solution is to follow the lead provided by MT and ID. Now that the Service and the state wildlife agencies are in agreement on the science, it is time for the Congressional delegations to step in and eliminate the potential for wolf advocates and judges who advocate from the bench to mess with the science.

THE ATA POSITION
The position of the ATA remains unchanged. We continue to recognize that there is a strong scientific basis for delisting the wolf in all six states (MT, ID, WY, MI, MN and WI). All six of these states have fully recovered gray wolf populations. They also have wolf management plans that satisfy the requirements of the Endangered Species Act and each state’s management plan has been approved by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

The ATA will continue to stay engaged in this process and look for solutions to bring full delisting to all six states where sound science has found that the gray wolf has been effectively recovered.

As always, I look forward to a continued dialog and comments from readers on this topic.

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, WI --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources firmly supports the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in delisting the wolf in the upper Great Lakes states.

Wisconsin has exceeded its delisting goal eight times over and must have flexibility to manage problem wolves if any support for wolves by the public is to continue.

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. Wisconsin has approximately 800 wolves; this is the most wolves ever counted in the state. Wolf numbers far exceed the federal delisting recovery goal of 100 wolves for both Wisconsin and Michigan, and are causing real problems.

It is time for management of wolves in Wisconsin to be turned over to us. The same is true for Minnesota and Michigan. For this to happen, the wolf must first be removed (delisted) from endangered or threatened status under the Endangered Species Act.

We support the USFWS in its current attempt to delist, but we also strongly disagree with its conclusion that a newly discovered and separate species of wolf exists in the Western Great Lakes. Wisconsin’s wolves are the same species that was listed in 1978, and are most closely associated with the gray wolf. Recent genetic analyses refute the existence of Eastern wolves as a separate species. Wisconsin’s wolves are of mixed genetics, but they are physically indistinguishable, readily interbreed, and occupy the same range.

Wolves in Wisconsin act and behave as a single population and must be managed as a single population. Accordingly, our message to the USFWS is clear and strong: Don’t muddy the waters with this indefensible two-population concept. We need a solid, defensible, delisting proposal, and we need it now.

Minnesota, Michigan, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Defenders of Wildlife, Timber Wolf Alliance, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, prominent scientists actively working with wolf genetics, and other organizations and government agencies support Wisconsin’s position: Wisconsin has a gray wolf population that has successfully recovered.

The public grows weary of the delays and government inaction. They need to know that their state DNR is pushing hard to get this done. The ball is in the USFWS’s court, again. It needs to make the right decisions and to publish an effective delisting rule that will withstand challenges from those opposed to the delisting of wolves.

I will not stop pushing on this issue until we have delisting of wolves and relief for Wisconsin residents who are seriously struggling with our unchecked and unmanaged growing wolf population. That’s a promise.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrian Wydeven – (715) 762-1363

A presentation on the status of the gray wolf in Wisconsin by DNR wolf specialist Adrian Wydeven to the State Natural Resources Board at their August meeting. [VIDEO Length 18:54]

Grey Wolves Or Eastern Wolves Which is Which?

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Just as it looked like the growing, recovered population of Western Great Lakes (WGL) gray wolves was going to be taken off the federally endangered species list and returned to state management, a new roadblock threatens long delayed delisting.

This time the hurdle is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) latest proposed Endangered Species Act (ESA) delisting rule inexplicably finding that there are now two separate wolf species roaming Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Director of Federal Affairs Bill Horn, who is a former Assistant Secretary of the Interior in charge of the FWS and ESA, joined Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources’ Secretary Cathy Stepp at a press conference last week to challenge the FWS’s two species proposal.

The FWS has issued proposed regulations (for a third time) to remove the WGL population of gray wolves from the endangered species list. Since the WGL wolf numbers exceed recovery goals by 600 to 1,000 percent, delisting is fully warranted.

But the proposed delisting rule includes a nasty surprise: it says there are two separate wolf species in the WGL region – gray wolves (Canis lupus) and eastern wolves (Canis lycaon). The FWS does not know how many of each roam the region, but still believes gray wolves are recovered.

“This ‘two species’ finding is a trick deal which undermines needed WGL wolf delisting,” stated Bill Horn, USSA Director of Federal Affairs. “Since the FWS acknowledges it does not know how many of the nearly identical eastern wolves (C. lycaon) are present in the WGL region, the agency cannot scientifically demonstrate that gray wolf (C. lupis) numbers do in fact meet recovery goals. Animal rights opponents of wolf delisting (and state management) will jump all over this fatal flaw in their next round of federal court filings.”

In fact, the best scientific data demonstrates – and almost all wildlife professionals agree – that the WGL wolves are a single discrete population that is more than recovered. In contrast, one FWS staff biologist has advanced the suspect two species theory that undermines delisting. This is counter to other information about the WGL wolves.

A recent affidavit filed by the US Sportsmen’s Alliance included conclusions by Dr. Lissette Waits, one of the nation’s wildlife and wolf genetics experts. This information emphatically concluded that there are not two separate wolf species in the Western Great Lakes region. Dr. Waits holds a PhD in Genetics from the University of Utah and is a tenured associate professor of Fish and Wildlife Resources at the University of Idaho. She has worked on the intersection between genetics and wildlife management, is a member of the FWS red wolf recovery team, has led a red wolf contract research project for FWS, and has studied gray wolves and wolf/coyote hybridization as well.

Wisconsin DNR also agrees that there is only one species present and that the wolves are fully recovered. Its wolf population surveys show more than 1,000 animals in a single population that continues to grow and expand. Growing numbers of unmanaged wolves cause biological problems (excessive predation) and social troubles as well; wolves are well known for preying on domestic animals, including dogs, horses, and cattle. State wildlife officials are barred from managing wolves until the animals are taken off the federal list of endangered species by the FWS.

“For years, science has shown that these wolves have far exceeded recovery goals,” said Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance vice president of government affairs. “Additionally, we hope that the Service will look at the prevailing scientific facts that show only one wolf population exists within the Western Great Lakes region, and it will avoid letting the antis use this unsupported claim as another roadblock to rightfully returning wolves to state management.”

Why the FWS has taken this two species proposal step, contrary to the best scientific evidence, remains unknown. USSA is concerned Obama Administration politics are to blame. “This trick deal allows the Administration to tell the Western Great Lakes states and hunters that it favors delisting, while winking and nodding to its activist pals that delisting is set up to fail,” said Horn.

Wolves are well documented for causing damage to private property and for reducing deer herds. Packs of WGL gray wolves have attacked hunting dogs, livestock and pets across the region where the large canines roam. Wisconsin DNR chief legal counsel Tim Andryk reports that the plentiful wolves in that state have cost his department more than $1 million in restitution fees to reimburse owners for killed livestock, hunting dogs, and killed and consumed pets. Nearly a dozen dogs –most of them hunting dogs–have been killed by wolves this year in Wisconsin—and hunting seasons open there soon, and more dogs will be harm’s way.

Joining the USSA in its position on one-wolf, one-problem exists are: Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association, Dairyland Committee of Safari Club International Chapters of Wisconsin, Whitetails of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Firearms Owners, Rangers, Clubs, and Educators, Inc.

About:
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Yesterday, August 3, 2011, will go down as one of the better days in a decade-long battle for science-based wolf management.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation leaders are encouraged by progress on two fronts.

A federal judge upheld Congress’ recent delisting of wolves in Idaho, Montana and other parts of the West. And the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced an agreement on wolf management plans in Wyoming.

Both developments help clear the way for state management hunts needed to control burgeoning wolf populations. In some areas, elk calf survival rates are now too low to sustain herds for the future.

“We’re encouraged by these positive steps toward managing wolves as part of overall conservation objectives,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “This is forward movement in our fight to make sure that all states, from the Pacific Northwest to the Great Lakes, have the authority to manage fully recovered species like wolves.”

“Real on-the-ground science is the big winner in all of this, as there is no doubt that wolves are recovered and should be managed like all other wildlife. To date, no one has shown science to dispute this fact,” he added.

Allen thanked sportsmen and conservationists for their patience through the endless lawsuits that have kept America’s historically successful system of wildlife management stymied in courts.

But he also cautioned, “Until the wolf problem is fixed permanently, we’re likely to see appeals, more legal antics and frivolous lawsuits by extremist groups who literally make their living by suing the federal government–and creating crises where there are none, for the purpose of raising funds.”

Allen said RMEF will remain diligent as plaintiffs consider taking their case to higher courts. RMEF also will continue to urge lawmakers for nationwide delisting measures, and advocate for updating and modernizing delisting language within the Endangered Species Act.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.9 million acres–a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) Director Dan Ashe today announced that the Service has reached an agreement with the State of Wyoming that will result in revisions to the state’s management plan for the gray wolf.

The points of agreement, first announced in principle in early July, promote the management of a stable, sustainable population of wolves and pave the way for the Service to return wolf management to Wyoming.

“The recovery of the gray wolf serves as a great example of how the Endangered Species Act can work to keep imperiled animals from sliding into extinction. The agreement we’ve reached with Wyoming recognizes the success of this iconic species and will ensure the long-term conservation of gray wolves,” said Secretary Salazar.

“I look forward to working with Wyoming to implement this responsible management approach guided by science.”

Under the points of agreement, the State of Wyoming will develop and implement a wolf management plan to maintain a healthy wolf population at or above the Service’s recovery goals, provide for genetic connectivity with other wolf subpopulations in the Northern Rockies, and otherwise ensure that gray wolves in Wyoming are managed so that they will not need to be returned to the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.

“This important agreement enables us to recognize the successful recovery of the gray wolf across the Northern Rocky Mountains. This success is a testament to years of hard work by the states, tribes, landowners and our other conservation partners, all of whom have enabled us to get where we are today,” said Director Ashe.

“Responsible management by the state wildlife professionals of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department — which includes regulated, limited trophy game hunts in certain areas similar to those conducted for other game species like elk and mountain lions — will ensure the long-term conservation of this population of wolves.”

Once Wyoming incorporates the revisions into the wolf management plan, the Service will move forward with a proposed rule to delist the gray wolf in Wyoming. That proposed delisting rule will be subject to public and peer review as part of a formal rulemaking process, and a final determination to delist wolves in Wyoming and return management of the species to the State will be dependent upon corresponding changes also being made to Wyoming state statutes and regulations. Until a final determination to delist gray wolves is published, wolves in Wyoming will remain fully protected under the Endangered Species Act.

The Northern Rocky Mountain wolf population is biologically recovered, with more than 1,650 wolves and over 110 breeding pairs. It has exceeded recovery goals for 11 consecutive years, fully occupies nearly all suitable habitat, and has high levels of genetic diversity and gene flow within the region’s meta-population structure. Under state management, the Service expects the Northern Rocky Mountain wolf population will be maintained above recovery levels and no longer faces a risk of extinction.

The Endangered Species Act provides a critical safety net for America’s native fish, wildlife and plants. This landmark conservation law has prevented the extinction of hundreds of imperiled species across the nation and promoted the recovery of many others.

America’s fish, wildlife and plant resources belong to all of us, and ensuring the health of imperiled species is a shared responsibility. The Service is working to actively engage conservation partners and the public in the search for improved and innovative ways to conserve and recover imperiled species.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit: www.fws.gov.

Congressional Sportsmen

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- A coalition of sportsmen’s groups working toward delisting of recovered gray wolf populations from the Endangered Species Act (ESA), sent a letter to Rep. Mike Simpson, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Interior and Environment, and committee member Rep. Cynthia Lummis last week, supporting their efforts in advancing Sec. 119 of the 2012 Interior-Environment Appropriations bill, approved yesterday by the House Appropriations Committee, to address the issue of recovered wolf populations in Wyoming and the Great Lakes region.

In the letter (HERE), the coalition, which includes the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), National Rifle Association (NRA), Safari Club International (SCI), Boone and Crockett Club, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), Wild Sheep Foundation, American Sheep Industry Association, Public Lands Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and Pope and Young Club, states, “We will continue to support any legislative efforts which take us closer to complete delisting of recovered populations, including delisting entire states that include or border core populations in order to allow the state(s) to more easily carry out their professional wildlife management responsibilities.”

“Like the provision dealing with delisted wolves in Montana and Idaho that our coalition supported and was passed into law this spring, this is another step in returning management of this species back to state wildlife managers where it belongs,” said CSF President Jeff Crane.

“Removing recovered wolf populations from Wyoming and the Great Lakes Region will reduce risks to both people and wildlife in these areas and return balance to these ecosystems, further advancing our goal to delist all recovered gray wolf populations ,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist.

Sec. 119 of the 2012 Interior-Environment Appropriations bill would remove gray wolves delisted under ESA in Wyoming or in any of the states within the range of the Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment from judicial review if the state has entered into an agreement with the Secretary of the Interior to authorize state management.

“This is a states’ rights issue now and it is time for the states to manage wolves as other wildlife,” said David Allen, President and CEO of RMEF. “Science clearly shows that gray wolves have recovered”.

“We are appreciative of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus members who have worked tirelessly to ensure that management of wolves is returned to the states,” said SCI President Kevin Anderson. “We’ve already seen that the delisted area is too small to contain the large and growing wolf population, so we welcome this further progress.”

About:
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2009. Throughout this time, CSF has maintained a singleness of purpose that has guided the organization to become the most respected and trusted hunting and fishing organization in the political arena. Visit: www.sportsmenslink.org

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF) and a group of state sportsmen’s organizations have submitted comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for returning recovered wolf populations in the Western Great Lakes region to state management.

Western Great Lakes wolves are currently on the Endangered Species List (ESA). This is the latest in the long-running saga of the USSAF’s support of scientific wildlife management.

In April, the Service announced a proposal to remove Western Great Lakes region wolves from ESA protection. This move would allow wolves in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin to be controlled by state wildlife managers.

USSAF’s comments to the Service highlight two major reasons for delisting this population.

First, the comments point out that wolves in the region have far exceeded recovery goals. Second, USSAF’s comments address a critical scientific issue created by the Service when it also announced that it may recognize a second species of wolves in the Western Great Lakes region. An incorrect finding that two species of wolves exist in the region would open the delisting to a challenge by the anti-hunting lobby seeking to prevent the return of wolves in the region to state management.

USSAF’s comments are supported by the affidavit of wildlife and wolf genetics expert Dr. Lisette Waits. Dr. Waits’ comments highlight wolf genetic studies and other scientific facts showing there are not two separate wolf species in the Western Great Lakes region and thus, the Service should not recognize a second species.

Joining USSAF in its comments are the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association, Dairyland Committee of Safari Club International Chapters of Wisconsin, Whitetails of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Firearms Owners, Rangers, Clubs, and Educators, Inc.

“For years, science has shown that these wolves have far exceeded recovery goals,” said Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance vice president of government affairs. “Additionally, we hope that the Service will look at the prevailing scientific facts that show only one wolf population exists within the Western Great Lakes region and it will avoid letting the antis use this unsupported claim as another roadblock to rightfully returning wolves to state management.”

Previous efforts to delist recovered wolf populations have been reversed as a result of lawsuits filed by animal rights groups. In those cases, the reversals dealt with technical issues and did not question or overturn findings that wolves have met recovery goals.

Click here to view a complete copy of USSAF’s comments.

About:
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

Fourth Washington State Wolf Pack Confirmed

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA, Washington --(Ammoland.com)- Washington’s fourth documented wolf pack has been confirmed through DNA tests on an animal equipped with a radio collar last month in Kittitas County.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) biologists caught, collared and released an adult female wolf that was lactating, indicating she was nursing pups. The biologists took tissue and hair samples, and submitted them for DNA testing to determine whether the animal was a wild wolf or a wolf-dog hybrid.

Results of the DNA testing conducted at the University of California-Davis confirmed the animal is a wild gray wolf.

WDFW biologists are monitoring the wolf’s location and activity through the radio telemetry tracking collar. They are referring to the new wolf pack as the Teanaway Pack.

“The discovery of another resident wolf pack clearly indicates that wolves are returning to Washington state naturally,” said WDFW Director Phil Anderson. “Their return highlights the need to continue efforts to finalize a state wolf conservation and management plan that will establish state recovery objectives and describe options for addressing wolf-livestock and wolf-ungulate management issues.”

The gray wolf (Canis lupus) is protected throughout Washington as a state endangered species. In the western two-thirds of Washington, the species is also federally protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The Lookout Pack, confirmed in Okanogan and Chelan counties in 2008, was Washington’s first documented resident pack since a breeding population of wolves was extirpated from the state in the 1930s. A second pack, known as the Diamond Pack, was documented in 2009 in central Pend Oreille County.

A pup from a third pack, known as the Salmo Pack, was radio-collared in 2010 in northeast Pend Oreille County, where pack territory ranges into British Columbia. Wolves from the Cutoff Peak Pack, with a den site in Idaho, range into Pend Oreille County in northeast Washington.

Before the Teanaway Pack was confirmed, WDFW estimated a total of about 25 resident wolves in the state.

WDFW has been working since 2007 with a 17-member citizen group to develop a wolf conservation and management plan in anticipation of wolves re-entering Washington from other states or Canada. A draft plan, which underwent extensive public review and scientific peer review, will be presented to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission in August.

For more information on the draft plan, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/ .

Harriet Allen, WDFW’s threatened and endangered species program manager, said the search for the Teanaway pack was prompted by reports of wolves in the area from citizens and state and federal agency personnel. Remote, motion-triggered cameras were deployed by multiple agencies and private groups. Images of wolf-like animals were captured on cameras placed in the area by Conservation Northwest, a private, non-profit organization. The group’s Citizen Wildlife Monitoring Program also provided the first images of the Lookout Pack pups three years ago.

“We appreciate the efforts of Conservation Northwest and our partner agencies, the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to help us document wolves as they return naturally to Washington,” Allen said. “Documenting packs and learning about territory use, productivity and survival will help us understand how wolves are using Washington habitat. That will help us protect them and ultimately determine when we reach recovery goals.”

Wolf sightings or activity should be reported through the joint federal-state toll-free wolf reporting hotline at 1(888) 584-9038. Joint federal-state Wolf Response Guidelines, including agency staff contacts, are available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/contacts.html .

It is illegal to harm or harass a federal- or state-protected endangered species.

Safari Club Internationa

Washington, D.C. –-(Ammoland.com)- Safari Club International (SCI) moved forward today in its fight to represent hunters in the constitutional challenge to wolf delisting legislation.

The motion filed today by SCI, together with the National Rifle Association (NRA), asks Judge Donald Molloy of the U.S. District Court for Montana to reconsider his decision to exclude SCI and NRA from the latest lawsuit over the status of the wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains.

After Congress passed a law directing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reissue the 2009 rule delisting the wolves of Montana, Idaho and portions of Oregon, Utah and Washington, two groups of plaintiffs brought suit, challenging the constitutionality of the new legislation. Judge Molloy denied intervention to the suit to all applicants, including the states of Idaho and Montana as well as non-governmental groups such as SCI and NRA. The judge decided that the federal government would adequately represent the interests of all.

Today, SCI and NRA asked the court to reconsider its intervention ruling. SCI and NRA presented the court with evidence that the government could not sufficiently represent their interests, in the form of unique and essential arguments that were absent from the government’s own briefing. SCI and NRA intend to use these arguments in defense of the constitutionality of the wolf delisting law.

“SCI is committed to representing our members and the hunting community generally in this latest challenge to wolf delisting,” said SCI President Kevin Anderson. “With our long and consistent history in wolf litigation and our knowledge of federal and environmental law, we deserve a seat at the table to help defend Congress’ efforts to end the prolonged and unnecessary battle to recognize wolf recovery and return the species to state management.”

Contact: Nelson Freeman, Media@safariclub.org

Safari Club International – First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.safariclub.org or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.

About the Hunters’ Defense Fund:
Safari Club International Hunters’ Defense Fund supports the important advocacy, conservation and legal work keeping hunters afield and promoting hunting worldwide. Donations to the Hunters’ Defense Fund have a direct impact on our freedom to hunt, wildlife conservation policy and important legislative, regulatory and legal issues. DONATE NOW: www.safariclub.org/hunterdefense

Becoming an SCI Member:
Joining Safari Club International is the best way to be an advocate for continuing our hunting heritage and supporting worldwide sustainable use conservation, wildlife education and humanitarian services. JOIN NOW: www.safariclub.org/Join.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy will decide whether Congress acted within Constitutional bounds when it delisted wolves in parts of the West.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has filed notice of its intent to appeal any decision that adversely affects states’ rights to manage fully recovered wolf populations.

Molloy is expected to hear arguments soon from animal rights groups and environmental extremists who sued to challenge the legality of Congress’ recent action.

An unfavorable ruling could stop wolf management hunts planned for fall in Idaho and Montana–even though elk calf survival rates in some areas are already too low to sustain herds for the future.

“We are protecting our right to appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals any decision that results in another setback for conservation and science-based wildlife management,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO.

“Our notice of intent to appeal includes a motion to stay any unfavorable outcome pending our appeal process.”

As he did with other conservation groups, Molloy recently denied an RMEF motion to intervene in the lawsuit. At least two groups filed a second motion asking the judge to reconsider. RMEF opted for a different response.

“We’re hoping for the best but preparing for the worst,” explained Allen. “A decision could go either way because the laws being challenged leave too much to interpretation. This built-in gray area is the inherent problem with federal rulemaking on wildlife that is not endangered or threatened. All the science shows that wolves are recovered. But as long as the federal government is involved, there will be more lawsuits and, potentially, more unfavorable rulings. The new motion we filed prepares us for that scenario.”

“We will continue to fight until all states, from the Rockies to the Great Lakes, have true state management authority unfettered with federal oversight,” he added.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.7 million acres, a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announce a public information meeting about the Service’s recent proposal to remove Endangered Species Act protection for the gray wolf in the western Great Lakes region, including Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The meeting will take place on June 16, 2011, from 6 pm to 9 pm at Northern Michigan University’s University Center, Michigan Room, 540 West Kaye Avenue, in Marquette, Michigan.

Members of the public will have the opportunity to view a presentation, receive information and ask questions about the Service’s proposal.

The proposal, published May 5, 2011, in the Federal Register, identifies the Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of wolves, which includes a core area of Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin, as well as parts of adjacent states that are within the range of wolves dispersing from the core recovery area. The proposal would remove ESA protection and return wolf management to appropriate state and tribal authorities.

The proposal also recognizes the presence of two species of wolves in the western Great Lakes area: the gray wolf (Canis lupus), the wolf species currently listed under the ESA, and the eastern wolf (Canis lycaon), with a historical range that includes portions of eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. Recent wolf genetic studies indicate that what was formerly thought to be a subspecies of gray wolf (Canis lupus lycaon) is actually a distinct species (Canis lycaon). To establish the status of this newly recognized species, the Service is initiating a review of C. lycaon throughout its range in the United States and Canada.

The Service is seeking information from governmental agencies, Native American tribes, scientific community, industry and any other interested parties on threats, population trends, and other data that could affect the long-term survival of the Western Great Lakes DPS of the gray wolf. The Service is also seeking information on the status of the eastern wolf (Canis lycaon) throughout its range in the United States and Canada.

Written comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. [FWS-R3-ES-2011-0029].
• U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. [FWS-R3-ES-2011-0029]; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203.

Following the close of the public comment period on July 5, 2011, the Service will analyze information received and develop a final rule. The final rule, which will include information gained from the status review of Canis lycaon, is expected by the end of 2011.

For more information on wolves in the western Great Lakes, visit www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

Big Game Forever

Missoula, Montana --(Ammoland.com)- Big Game Forever (BGF) announced it has filed a motion in federal court to defend the recent Congressional Action to remove wolves from the Endangered Species List.

The joint motion filed by attorneys for Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Mule Deer Foundation, Wild Sheep Foundation, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife (SFW), Montana SFW, Idaho SFW, Arizona SFW and Big Game Forever is in response to challenges to the constitutionality of the recent congressional action to allow for wolf management in Idaho and Montana.

With recovery of wolf populations, procedural impediments have been consistently applied in an attempt to prevent state management of wolves.

“It is time for state wildlife agencies to be able to manage wolves, along with other species, in balance and with responsibility,” explains Roger Blackner of Idaho SFW. “Montanans strongly feel that a return to common sense conservation is the best way to protect the future of all wildlife species,” indicates Bill Merrill of Montana SFW.

“Unmanaged wolves behave differently from managed wolves,” suggests Byron Bateman of Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife. Bateman continues, “recent attacks on horses, dogs and other livestock on people’s property show how important it is to begin to address the unnecessary damage to wildlife and livestock resources by unmanaged wolf populations.”

Ongoing anti-management litigation must be ended to return wolf numbers to agreed upon levels to avoid irreversible damage to big game herds.

The two most recent lawsuits filed by several anti-delisting organizations challenge the constitutionality of recent congressional delisting decisions.

“Overruling the clear intent of Congress places the courts in an untenable position that can only be remedied by more comprehensive Congressional action,” explains Ryan Benson from Big Game Forever. Benson continues, “repeated lawsuits to indefinitely prevent needed management of a recovered species creates unintended consequences that ultimately are not good for species that remain endangered.”

While Congress continues to explore additional delisting actions, Big Game Forever will continue to work with the other partner groups to support the right of states to take the primary role in managing and protecting increasingly problematic wolf populations in the states of the West and Midwest.

About Big Game Forever:
The founders of Big Game Forever include leading wildlife conservation groups and Sportsmen from across North America. American Sportsmen invest $1.5 billion annually for habitat, wildlife conservation and sensitive species. That is nearly 10 times the amount invested by the non-sportsmen taxpayer. We are the original conservationists. Sadly, anti-sportsmen special interest groups want to argue that sportsmen are the enemy of conservation. Visit: www.biggameforever.org

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Animal rights groups are challenging in federal court the constitutionality of Congress’ recent delisting of wolves in parts of the West.

Judge Donald Molloy in Missoula, Mont., will consider the challenge, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has filed a motion to intervene in support of the delisting.

If the motion is granted, Judge Molloy will consider RMEF positions in his decision.

“We are resolute in our argument that individual states, not the federal government, are best qualified to manage recovered species,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO.

“This latest in a long line of frivolous lawsuits over wolves could delay science-based wolf management again in 2011 and cause further conservation problems into the future. Elk, deer and moose herds in some areas are in serious trouble right now.”

He added, “We were concerned when the delisting bill went through Congress that wolf management would be left open to further legal challenges. Now those fears are reality. It is critical that we defend the legislation or the future of wildlife management could implode in more legal maneuvering and litigation. This is not what the ESA (Endangered Species Act) was designed to do, but it’s what the ESA has been reduced to today.”

Research shows elk calf survival rates in some areas of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming are now too low to sustain herds for the future. At the same time, Allen added, wolf populations across the northern Rockies are likely higher than commonly reported estimates.

“Animal rights groups and some media are still using the 2008 wolf population estimate of 1,700 for the northern Rockies as if no population growth is occurring. But wolves reproduce by as much as 25 percent each year. Simple math shows it’s possible there could be more than 3,000 wolves in the northern Rockies by the end of 2011–almost double the number we usually see in the news,” he said.

Controlling wolf populations via state-regulated hunting would help, but animal rights and environmental extremist groups continue to use lawsuits to delay or stop the hunts.

“RMEF will vigorously defend the delisting because it’s time to let states manage wolves as they do with all other wildlife. There is no real science that disputes the fact that gray wolves are recovered and there is no compelling reason why states cannot manage wolf populations,” said Allen.

He added, “There are recovered wolf populations in the Great Lakes states that have yet to be delisted as well. This debate is bigger than just the Rocky Mountains.”

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.9 million acres–a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources will host a Michigan Wolf Forum on Friday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ramada Inn, located at 412 W. Washington St. in Marquette.

The Michigan Wolf Forum represents many diverse stakeholders with various points of view of wolf management in Michigan. The participants will be asked to identify the strengths and weaknesses in implementation of the state’s Wolf Management Plan. Participants will also discuss new opportunities or issues with wolf management in Michigan, including the current move by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to delist the wolf as a federally endangered species in the Western Great Lakes states.

“The Forum is a way for stakeholders to give us feedback on the Michigan Wolf Management Plan’s implementation and helps improve communication with our stakeholders,” said DNR Wildlife Chief Russ Mason. “We are opening the Forum up to the public to allow their participation in the process.”

At 10:30 a.m. DNR Endangered Species Coordinator Christopher Hoving will update the Forum on the federal delisting process for wolves in the Western Great Lakes states. At 11:30, there will be a review of the Michigan Wolf Management Plan, followed by a discussion of the plan by participants.

For more information on wolves in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/wolves.

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.

Safari Club Internationa

Washington, DC –-(Ammoland.com)- Safari Club International (SCI) filed a joint motion with the National Rifle Association (NRA) asking the federal court in Montana for leave to participate in the latest in the long line of legal challenges to wolf delisting.

Several animal rights groups filed two new court cases on May 5th challenging the constitutionality of the recently passed law that directed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to delist the wolves of Montana, Idaho and portions of Oregon, Utah and Washington State.

“Safari Club International has been a consistent force in the courts to defend the removal of wolves from the endangered species list,” said SCI President Kevin Anderson. “Congress has also recently stepped forward to stop the endless litigation pursued by animal right organizations and now they are attempting to circumvent the will of Congress. SCI will continue to defend the delisting of recovered wolf populations throughout the U.S. until the management is returned to state wildlife agencies.”

The two new cases claim that the federal law violates the separation of powers clause of the Constitution. Both cases were assigned to Judge Donald Molloy, the same judge who, in 2010, ruled that the delisting of the Northern Rocky Mountain wolves violated the Endangered Species Act.

SCI moved to intervene in the latest cases, explaining to the court how SCI members plan to participate in the upcoming wolf harvests in Montana and Idaho, how they hunt and enjoy elk, deer and moose in those states and how wolves are decimating wild game populations as well as the hunting economy. Many SCI members submitted their sworn declarations to assist SCI in demonstrating our interest in the outcome of this lawsuit.

About the Hunters’ Defense Fund:
Safari Club International Hunters’ Defense Fund supports the important advocacy, conservation and legal work keeping hunters afield and promoting hunting worldwide. Donations to the Hunters’ Defense Fund have a direct impact on our freedom to hunt, wildlife conservation policy and important legislative, regulatory and legal issues. DONATE NOW: http://www.hunterdefensefund.org/

Becoming an SCI Member:
Joining Safari Club International is the best way to be an advocate for continuing our hunting heritage and supporting worldwide sustainable use conservation, wildlife education and humanitarian services. JOIN NOW: www.safariclub.org/Join.

Safari Club International — First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page http://www.safariclub.org/ or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.

Wolves in Michigan One Step Closer to State Management

Wildlife Management Institute

Gardners, PA --(Ammoland.com)- In an unprecedented and increasingly controversial move, the United States judicial branch has begun a new chapter in the on-going saga of species protection, reports the Wildlife Management Institute.

Late last month, Congress passed a rider attached to the hotly debated 2011 fiscal appropriations bill that effectively reinstated the 2009 wolf delisting rule for the Northern Rocky Mountain Gray Wolf Distinct Population Segment (NR DPS). That marked the first time any species, plant or animal, has been removed from the endangered species list by legislative action.

The bipartisan compromise to include the rider came just hours before a more conservative settlement to delist wolves in Montana and Idaho only was rejected by U.S. District Court Judge Donald Malloy.

On May 5, the Department of the Interior (DOI) officially removed the gray wolf from the endangered species list throughout much the NR DPS. Wolf management now will fall under state authority in Montana, Idaho and portions of Utah, Washington and Oregon. Wyoming, although in the NR DPS, will remain under federal management authority until the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the Wyoming Fish and Game Department can “develop a wolf management plan that would allow wolves in Wyoming to be removed from the list in the future.”

According to documents released by the FWS, state and federal biologists will “monitor wolf populations in the Northern Rocky Mountain DPS and gather population data for at least five years under a post-delisting monitoring plan previously approved by the Service.”

“Like other iconic species such as the whooping crane, the brown pelican and the bald eagle, the recovery of the gray wolf is another success story of the Endangered Species Act,” said DOI Secretary Ken Salazar in a press release issued earlier this month. “The gray wolf’s biological recovery reflects years of work by scientists, wildlife managers, and our state, tribal and stakeholder partners to bring wolf populations back to healthy levels.”

Not surprisingly, environmental groups have responded to the delisting with a suite of lawsuits. The Alliance for the Wild Rockies, WildEarth Guardians, and Friends of the Clearwaters filed a complaint in the Federal District Court of Montana, arguing violation of the separations of powers doctrine, since Congress’ action repealed a previous federal ruling without amending existing law. The Center for Biological Diversity filed a similar lawsuit citing the same separations of powers violation.

In the meantime, Montana and Idaho are fully preparing to open hunting seasons for wolves this coming fall. On May 12, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission proposed to create 14 wolf management units within the state and approved an overall harvest quota of 220 animals. The proposal is similar to the one used to develop the state’s planned wolf season in 2009. According to agency biologists, the proposed season and license structure would reduce the current wolf population of 566 wolves by 25 percent.

Wasting no time, Idaho began selling permits for its future wolf season the same day the FWS announced the delisting. Reportedly, Idaho, which supports just over 700 wolves, plans to sell the same number of licenses as Montana.

In conjunction with the NR DPS delisting, the FWS also announced its intention to delist “biologically recovered gray wolf populations in the Western Great Lakes.” This attempt to delist gray wolves in Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin currently is open for public comment until July 5. With nearly 3,000 wolves in Minnesota alone, biologists hold no reservation about the species’ future in the region. In addition to delisting the wolf, the proposed rule would seek to revise the species’ range by restricting it from 29 eastern states based on taxonomic evidence that suggests the region did not historically hold gray wolf populations. The rule also calls for a review of gray wolf numbers in the Pacific Northwest and the Southwest in order to determine potential listing status of the species in those areas. (mcd)

About:
Wildlife Management Institute: Founded in 1911, WMI is a private, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization, dedicated to the conservation, enhancement and professional management of North America’s wildlife and other natural resources. Visit: www.wildlifemanagementinstitute.org

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

MALTA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Based in part on lessons learned from the state’s first regulated wolf hunt in 2009,

Commissioners approved a harvest quota of 186 wolves across 13 wolf management units for the 2010 season, which was blocked by a federal court.

“This season proposal is very similar to the season considered last year and it’s one that is properly balanced,” said Ken McDonald, FWP’s chief of wildlife.

McDonald explained that the state’s 14 WMUs are generally situated in the western portion of Montana to target areas where impacts on elk and deer populations have occurred and where recurring livestock depredations are predicted. A new WMU is proposed to be added in the Bitterroot Valley where wolves have contributed to a significant drop in the elk population.

“We carved out smaller-sized wolf management units to allow for a more widely distributed harvest,” McDonald said.

In addition, subquotas are proposed in three areas to limit harvest during early season backcountry hunts, including the area directly north of Yellowstone National Park. Wildlife managers also asked the commission to consider a wolf archery season to run Sept. 3 through Oct. 16, which coincides with Montana’s deer and elk archery seasons.

McDonald said a harvest quota of 220 is projected to reduce the wolf population to a minimum of 425 wolves, or by about 25 percent. These projections include anticipated reductions due to livestock depredation and mortalities from other events, like accidents and natural causes.

Public comments on the 2011wolf season proposal are due by 5 p.m. on June 20. Final quotas and seasons will be adopted by the FWP Commission on July 14. Send comments beginning Friday, May 13 via FWP’s website at fwp.mt.gov . Click “For Hunters”. Or mail to FWP Wildlife Bureau, Attn: Public Comment, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701.

Montana FWP Seeks Comment On 2011 Wolf Hunting Season

2011 Wolf Season Basics
Wolf Management Units & Quotas—Northwestern and central Montana would have nine WMUs with a total quota of 123 wolves; western Montana would have two WMUs with a total quota of 54 wolves; and the three proposed WMUs in the southwestern portion of the state would have a total quota of 43 wolves. Two of Montana’s 14 WMUs would stretch across the eastern portion of the state.

Wolf Hunting Season Dates—Wolf hunting seasons would correspond to Montana’s early backcountry big game hunting season, which runs Sept. 3—14 for archery and Sept. 15—Nov. 27 for rifle hunting; and the big game archery and general rifle seasons set for Sept. 3—Oct. 16 and Oct. 22—Nov. 27 respectively. Wolf seasons could run through Dec. 31 if quotas are not reached. Hunting licenses will cost $19 for residents and $350 for nonresidents. License sales should begin in August.

Montana Wolf Season Background
In 2009, during Montana’s first ever regulated wolf hunt, hunters harvested 72 wolves during the fall hunting season. As hunters approached the overall harvest quota of 75 wolves, FWP closed the hunt about two weeks before the season was scheduled to end to ensure the quota would not be exceeded.

Montana’s 2010 hunting season was blocked by a federal court ruling in August 2010 that returned wolves to the federal endangered species list.

On April 15 the U.S. Congress enacted a new federal law that provided for the delisting of wolves in Montana and Idaho—and in portions of Washington, Oregon and Utah.

The law authorizes Montana to manage wolves under the state’s federally approved Gray Wolf Conservation and Management Plan.

Federal Wolf Recovery Goal for the Northern Rockies & Current Population
The recovery goal for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains was set at a minimum of 30 breeding pairs—successfully reproducing wolf packs—and a minimum of 300 individual wolves for at least three consecutive years.

This goal was achieved in 2002, and the wolf population has increased every year since. The northern Rockies’ “metapopulation” is comprised of wolf populations in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming.

Today, about 1,650 wolves in 244 packs and about 111 breeding pairs, live in the region, where wolves can travel about freely to join existing packs or form new packs. This, combined with wolf populations in Canada and Alaska, assures genetic diversity.

Montana’s Wolf Population
In Montana, officials estimate that at least 566 wolves, in 108 verified packs, and 35 breeding pairs inhabited the state at the end of 2010.

Delisting allows Montana to manage wolves in a manner similar to how bears, mountain lions and other wildlife species are managed, guided completely by state management plans and laws.

To learn more about Montana’s wolf population, visit FWP online at fwp.mt.gov. Click “Montana Wolves”.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA, Washington --(Ammoland.com)- Although wolves have been removed from federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection in the eastern third of Washington state, they remain protected as a state endangered species throughout Washington.

Under Congressional direction that prevents any judicial review, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has removed the northern Rocky Mountain population of gray wolves from federal endangered status. The action affects wolves in Montana, Idaho, the eastern third of Oregon and Washington and a small area of north central Utah.

The federal de-listing covers eastern Washington east of State Route 97 from the Canadian border to Highway 17, east of Highway 17 to State Route 395, and east of State Route 395 to the Oregon border. That federal de-listing boundary was based on the anticipated dispersal of wolves from recovered populations in the other states.

Wolves are still state-listed as endangered in Washington because their numbers are low and they do not inhabit most of their historic range, according to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) biologists. The state population is estimated at two dozen wolves, with only a couple of successful breeding pairs or packs with pups documented to date.

Wolves remain federally listed as an endangered species in the western two-thirds of the state.

“The federal de-listing means that in the eastern third of Washington, the state is the lead for wolf management, including response to reports of suspected wolf depredation of livestock,” said Harriet Allen, WDFW’s manager of threatened and endangered species.

Under state law (RCW 17.15.120) it is illegal to kill, harm or harass endangered species, including the gray wolf.

WDFW has collaborated with USFWS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services to develop wolf response guidelines that address wolf/human conflict issues such as livestock depredation. The guidelines are posted on WDFW’s website at www.wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/contacts.html#guidelines .

In the western portion of the state where wolves remain federally listed, USFWS has the lead for wolf management.

The recent federal delisting action does not impact the timeline of WDFW’s Draft Wolf Conservation and Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

The state plan has been under development with a 17-citizen Wolf Working Group since 2007. Plan development included public scoping and a public comment period on draft alternatives. WDFW staff members are currently incorporating public comments into the draft plan. The draft plan is scheduled to be reviewed with the Wolf Working Group in June, and is scheduled to be presented to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission in August. Commission review and action on a final plan are anticipated by the end of this year.

Information about wolves, including wolf-livestock conflict prevention and suspected wolf depredation reporting, is available on WDFW’s website at www.wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/ . Reports of wolf sightings can be made on the wolf reporting hotline at 1(888)584-9038.

After being extirpated as a breeding species in the 1930′s, wolves have been naturally returning to Washington over a period of years. The first documented breeding pair was confirmed in western Okanogan County in 2008. A second pair with pups was confirmed in Pend Oreille County in 2009. WDFW biologists continue field work to document the presence of other possible breeding pairs.

Congressional Sportsmen

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- On the heels of legislation passed last month with the support of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) as part of the FY 2011 budget agreement, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced this week that it is lifting Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for 5,500 grey wolves in eight states in the Northern Rockies and Great Lakes and has published a proposed rule to remove gray wolves from ESA designation in the Western Great Lakes.

“Like other iconic species such as the whooping crane, the brown pelican, and the bald eagle, the recovery of the gray wolf is another success story of the Endangered Species Act,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “The gray wolf’s biological recovery reflects years of work by scientists, wildlife managers, and our state, tribal, and stakeholder partners to bring wolf populations back to healthy levels.”

The budget rider introduced by CSC member Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho and CSC Senate Co-Chair, Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, directed the Secretary of the Interior to reissue the latest (2009) ruling declaring the wolf recovered and to return wolf management to state agencies in Montana and Idaho, as well as portions of Utah, Washington and Oregon.

Gray wolves will remain listed under the ESA in Wyoming, although the USFWS is working closely with that state’s wildlife biologists to develop a management plan that would allow wolves within the state to be removed from ESA protection. The USFWS and state wildlife managers will monitor wolf populations in the Northern Rocky Mountains and gather population data for at least five years under a post-delisting monitoring plan previously approved by the USFWS.

“This is a great first step and we can thank the bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus for getting all of this moving,” said Jeff Crane, President of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation.“However, we are still working diligently within the United States Congress to transfer management of wolves to state wildlife managers where this species has met recovery goals.”

The USFWS has published a proposed rule to remove gray wolves from ESA designation in the Western Great Lakes states of Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin, and portions of neighboring states because wolves have recovered in this region as well and no longer require ESA protection.

“Gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes are recovered and no longer warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act,” said USFWS Acting Director Rowan Gould. “Under this proposed rule, which takes into account the latest taxonomic information about the species, we will return management of gray wolves in the Great Lakes to state wildlife professionals. We are confident that wolves will continue to thrive under the approved state management plans.”

The USFWS would revise the range of the gray wolf by removing all or parts of 29 eastern states due to newer taxonomic information indicating that the gray wolf did not historically occur in those states as part of the proposed rule. USFWS is also beginning reviews of gray wolves statue in the Pacific Northwest and Southwest to determine the appropriate entity and listing status in those areas, and also seeking information on a newly-recognized species, the eastern wolf (Canis lycaon), throughout its range in the United States and Canada. The USFWS is seeking public comment as part of this process.

The proposed rule to remove wolves in the Western Great Lakes from the ESA, as well as the final rule reinstating the 2009 final delisting rule for the Northern Rocky Mountain DPS as directed by the 2011 Full-Year Appropriations Act was published in the Federal Register on May 5, 2011. The final rule for wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountain DPS is effective immediately. Sportsmen can view the proposed rule for the Western Great Lakes area HERE.

The sportsmen’s community can submit written comments on the proposed rule for wolves in the Western Great Lakes by visiting the Federal eRulemaking Portal at: http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. [FWS-R3-ES-2011-0029]. Sportsmen can also utilize U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. [FWS-R3-ES-2011-0029]; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203. Comments must be received on or before July 5, 2011 and the USFWS will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov.

Public hearings for the proposed removal of wolves in the Western Great Lakes and proposed removal of eastern states from the gray wolf listing will be held May 18 in Ashland, Wisconsin, and on June 8 in Augusta, Maine. More information on the hearings will be available at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/

About:
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2009. Throughout this time, CSF has maintained a singleness of purpose that has guided the organization to become the most respected and trusted hunting and fishing organization in the political arena. Visit: www.sportsmenslink.org