Wolf populations continue to flourish across the Western Great Lakes states and a man who spent more than two decades as U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) wolf recovery coordinator in the North Rockies maintains they should be removed from federal protections and delisted.
“Wolves aren’t this fragile population that state agencies can’t handle,” Bangs told Game & Fish magazine. “State biologists are not going to wipe out the wolf. Even if you make a mistake and take a few more wolves than you planned, you can get that back very easily. We’ve proven that everywhere we’ve held a hunting or trapping season.”
The USFWS reports a minimum of 4,423 gray wolves across Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Wolf populations in all three states are well above state management plan totals.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation maintains state agencies should be able to manage wolves just as they manage elk, deer, bears, mountain lions and other wildlife.
(Photo source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)