Press Release: Minnesota House votes to remove wolf hunting and trapping from state law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Contact: Maureen Hackett, (612) 250-5915

SAINT PAUL, MN – Howling For Wolves President and Founder Maureen Hackett issued the following statement applauding the Minnesota House of Representatives’ passage of legislation that will remove recreational wolf hunting and trapping from state law. “We are overjoyed that the House of Representatives has taken a historic move to protect wolves in our state. By voting to end recreational wolf hunting and trapping, the House is taking a huge step toward making Minnesota a national model for the humane treatment of wolves.

“Let’s be clear: wolf killing destroys wolf packs and causes the deaths of additional wolves outside of the hunts and legalized wolf killing inevitably leads to the persistent illegal killing of other wolves, magnifying the damage to this vulnerable species.

“Howling For Wolves has spoken to many hunters who would never hunt wolves and support our push to prevent others from doing so. But the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has ignored them – and other Minnesotans, who overwhelmingly oppose wolf hunts. This policy change will help focus our Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on efforts to educate the public and enforce poaching laws.

“In general, a top-down paradigm shift in policy is necessary to bring about a bottom-up change in behavior – and that’s what makes this new legislation so important. Public wolf hunting unleashes wolf killing that cannot be controlled. To change this, we are asking the Minnesota legislature to lead by removing wolf hunting and trapping seasons from state law. As apex predators, wolves have social and biological systems to control their numbers and territories. Fragmented wolf packs will create problems for livestock producers, not make the situation better for them.

“Monday’s vote was a huge win that sets this paradigm shift into motion – not just in Minnesota, but throughout the country. We call on lawmakers from both the House and Senate to work with Governor Tim Walz to protect wolves in state law. Doing so will prove that ‘Minnesota nice’ extends to our wildlife neighbors – and make our state a national leader in the fight to foster tolerance of the wild wolf and ensure that the species survives into the future.”

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