The Corrupted Political Path of MN's 2012 Wolf Hunting Season

Tell DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr to use his authority to stop the hunt, before it's too late.

Gray Wolves were eliminated from all lower 48 states when the last remaining 600 wolves which were in Minnesota were granted Federal protection in 1978. After 20 years on the endangered species list, the wolf population increased to about 2400 wolves in 1998 and the population has stayed stable at just under 3000 wolves in 2007. A wolf management Plan was passed into law in 2001 in preparation for the gray wolf Federal delisting. This plan took two years of the cooperative efforts of over 30 organizations and stakeholders and resulted in a compromise agreement. It states that "population management including public taking (i.e. hunting and trapping) will be considered by DNR in the future, but not sooner than 5 years after Federal delisting. If a public take was proposed then there would be opportunity for full public comment. Decisions for any public take will be based on sound biological data including comprehensive population surveys."

The MN Gray wolf as a part of the entire Great Lakes Gray wolf population was removed from the endangered species list in January 2012. The MN legislature and Governor Mark Dayton set aside the Wolf Management plan in the summer of 2011 and eliminated the minimum five year waiting period before a wolf hunting and trapping season. The wolf hunt was attached to a budget bill without any discussion or political debate and passed as part of ending the government shut down. There was no full public comment and no comprehensive population surveys. Governor Mark Dayton signed the wolf hunting and trapping season into law in the Game and Fish bill on May 3, 2012. A proposed amendment in the MN State Senate to reinstate a five year waiting period before wolf hunting and trapping failed. We are deeply disappointed that the Gray wolf in Minnesota will once again be killed for entertainment and pelts.

There is a very brief time to submit public opinion to the DNR about MN's wolf hunting and trapping in an online survey. While we think this is not a full public comment because it limits participants to online and limited questions, we encourage the public to state their opinion in this survey. The public comment period closes on June 20, 2012. While the public input is an afterthought at best, we think it is vital that people have their opposition registered. This is the only official record of public comment that can be accessed for any future political or legal actions.

Also contact Governor Dayton's office directly. Ask him to rescind the wolf hunting season or put it to a voter referendum. Use the information below: But remember he does not keep official records of your comments.

Office of the Governor
130 State Capitol
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
mark.dayton@state.mn.us