By John Barnes
Opponents of Michigan’s wolf hunt today were to turn in a second round of petition signatures aimed at make Michigan’s first hunt its last.
If approved, the effort could kick off a multi-million dollars effort on both sides to preserve a hunt that killed just 23 wolves last fall, but is at the center of a fierce debate over hunting rights.
A competing petition drive could yet derail the see-saw battle between those who want a public vote and others who say lawmakers and an appointed body should handle games issues.
Today is the day deadline for turning in the anti-hunt signatures. If enough are approved by the state’s Board of Canvassers, a new law allowing the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) to set a hunt would be put on hold until the public vote.
Some 225,000 signatures have been collected, a leader in the effort said. That’s about 64,000 more than the minimum 161,305 valid signatures required.
“They’re still coming in, but it will be right around that number. We’re still counting them,” said Jill Fritz, director of the Keep Michigan Wolves Protected ballot committee and state director for the Humane Society. The anti-hunt effort is heavily financed by the Humane Society of the United States.
Canvassers faced brutal winter conditions, she added.
“It was incredibly cold and our volunteers were out there the cold in the worst winter in a century to collect those signatures, just for our right to vote on an issue,” Fritz said. “They were grabbing the pens out of our hands to sign the petitions.”
Meanwhile, a petition initiative by hunt supporters hopes to repeat earlier success in making opponents’ efforts largely irrelevant.
The group has until May 20 to submit more than 250,000 valid signatures. The effort seeks to reinforce the NRC’s ability to designate game species and issue fisheries orders.
If enough signatures are collected, the bill heads to the Legislature, which would have 40 days to act. If approved, lawmakers would essentially render opponents’ ballot efforts moot.
If lawmakers did not act, the pro-hunt proposal would go to the statewide ballot. There it would join an anti-wolf hunting question approved earlier and potentially the proposal supporters are pushing forward today.
Drew YoungeDyke, spokesman for the pro-hunt Citizens for Professional Wildlife Management, said signature gathering is going well and petitioners have benefitted from indoor venues.
“We got a real big boost of support from the Michigan outdoor retail industry – Cabala’s, Bass Pro Shops, Gander Mountain, Jay’s and Frank’s – in addition to local retailers,” said YoungeDyke, who works with Michigan United Conservation Clubs.
“We’ve also been at every single gun and outdoors show.”
The pro-hunt petition drive is backed by a variety of groups, including MUCC, the Upper Peninsula Sportsmen’s Alliance and the Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers Association.
There were an estimated 658 wolves in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula last year, up from just three in 1989. A 45-day limited-area wolf hunt killed that launched in November with the firearm deer season targeted 43 wolves.
The hunt is intended to manage conflicts with wolves, particularly cattle and dogs, but also humans.
An MLive.com investigation in November found government half-truths, falsehoods and wolf attacks skewed by a single farmer distorted some arguments for the ongoing hunt. Supporters say the UP wolf population still justifies a small “harvest.”