Michigan’s Draft Wolf Management Plan Does Not Include Hunting

August 22, 2007

The 90-day comment period for the new Michigan Draft Wolf Management Plan ends on November 14, 2007. Michigan, along with Minnesota and Wisconsin were three states where the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the gray wolf from the list of endangered animals. Michigan officials are currently working on a new wolf management plan and nothing in that plan provides for a hunting season. Here’s the reason for that. (you can read the entire Draft Wolf Management Plan here. (pdf))

Wolves in Michigan have surpassed State recovery criteria, and their classification as State threatened or endangered is no longer appropriate. Designation of Game Animal status in Michigan would require action by the State Legislature and is therefore outside the authority of the Michigan DNR. The Michigan DNR does have the authority to amend the Wildlife Conservation Order to designate wolves as Protected Non-game Animals. In the event wolves would not be protected as either threatened or endangered species or as Game Animals, the Michigan DNR would use that authority to avoid a lapse in legal protection for the species.

So, before any wolf hunts in Michigan could be considered, the state legislature would first have to designate the wolf as a game animal. Where this is not included in the Draft Management Plan, which typically goes for about 10 years, it doesn’t appear that Michigan hunters and trappers will have a chance at wolves any time soon.

Comments can be emailed to: wolf_comments@michigan.gov, or mailed to: Wolf Plan Comments, Attn: Endangered Species Coordinator, Michigan DNR Wildlife Division, P.O. Box 30444, Lansing, MI 48909.