Hunters Rights Coalition applauds DNR
The Hunters Right Coalition (HRC) applauds Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for the comments they submitted regarding the removal of wolves in our state from the endangered species list.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is once again proposing the de-listing of wolves in Michigan and Wisconsin. The Wisconsin wolf population is estimated by the DNR at around 800 wolves, more than the 100 wolves needed to proclaim “recovery”, and more than twice as many as the Wisconsin management goal of 350.
The Hunters Rights Coalition member groups have also submitted comments in support of the de-listing. Led by the US Sportsmens Alliance, The HRC and its members have been the leading Wisconsin advocates for returning wolf management to the state. HRC member groups include the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association (WBHA), the Wisconsin Chapters of Safari Club International (SCI), the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), and Wisconsin Firearms Owners, Ranges, Clubs, and Educators (Wi- FORCE).
“We believe that the proposed de-listing is based on sound science and reflects the reality that wolves have recovered in Wisconsin and the rest of the upper Midwest,” said SCI Central President Joe Koback.
“We are pleased to see our Wisconsin DNR has issued a strong statement on behalf of de-listing, said Kendal Durham, WBHA President. “The DNR has produced a very comprehensive plan for managing wolves that is based on a consensus in the wildlife community and they should be allowed to implement this plan.”
NWTF State Chapter President Cory Catlin said, “”If we fail to properly manage growing wolf populations soon, it may cause unnecessary risk to abundant and growing wildlife populations in Wisconsin.”
“Although we once again anticipate that out-of-state animal rights extremists will challenge this decision, we are confident that the sound scientific basis used for the de-listing will trump the uninformed emotionalism of the opponents,” added Koback, noting that the sportsmens and farming communities would be united in trying to finally overcome all the artificial hurdles erected by the previous lawsuits.
The Hunters Rights Coalition and several of its members intervened during the previous challenge to the de-listing decision in 2008. A judge did rule against that decision because of a technicality.