By John Barnes
Welcome to the politics of Michigan’s first-ever wolf-hunt.
To understand the passion, it is helpful to understand the immense power behind it.
Most money for ending Michigan’s hunt comes from the Humane Society of the United States, based in Washington, D.C., campaign finance documents show.
It has donated more than $300,000 directly from its various funds. A total of almost $600,000 was donated by all contributors, most from outside Michigan, quarterly statements filed in October show.
That equals about $13,000 per wolf to be hunted this year. An in-state license to kill them costs $100.
Direct donations do not include more than $200,000 in “in kind” contributions for consultants, salaries, and other expenses.
Jill Fritz defends the contributions. The Humane Society seed money has been taken over by an all-volunteer army of petition solicitors, she said. Fritz is director of the Keep Michigan Wolves Protected campaign and Michigan’s senior director of the he Human Society of the United States.
She acknowledges the organization’s first successful effort to stop this year’s wolf hunt – and have voters weigh in next year – was assisted by paid petition solicitors. The referendum was bypassed by legislators in hugely controversial move.
The newest petition drive, to undo lawmakers’ end run, is all volunteer, she said. A relatively small increase in campaign donations from mid-summer to now is evidence, Fritz points out.
But she does not shy from the effort’s support.
“The Keep Michigan Wolves Protected campaign has received more than 3,300 grassroots donations from individuals who are concerned about the trophy killing of wolves,” Fritz said. “In addition to the thousands of people who have donated individually, the organizations that have contributed to the campaign have thousands of members in Michigan, who want to put this issue on the ballot and let the voters decide.”
She said the Human Society’s position is straightforward.
“The fact is we spend very few of our resources are on hunting. But baiting, trapping, treeing hounds – practices that a lot of rank and file hunters will agree do not meet the standards of sportsmanship and fair chase – we oppose, Fritz said.
Follow the money
They include the National Rifle Association, Safari Club International, and Michigan United Conservations Clubs. Aside from the Human Society, opponents include native tribes, the Doris Day Animal League, and individual contributors that are mostly out of state.
Many of them provided statements or testimony to Michigan lawmakers. They have members here. They have an interest here. But they are not based here.
On April 10, the National Rifle Association applauded state senators for a proposal that ultimately bypassed a state referendum to top the hunt. The proposal shifted partial authority for designating game species to the politically-appointed Natural Resources Commission.
“I would like to express our strong support for … Senator Tom Casperson’s bill to improve the scientific management of wildlife,” wrote Matt Dogali, the NRA’s Michigan liaison.
Records show he has also been the liaison for Idaho, Arizona and Wyoming. His letter was datelined from Fairfax, VA.
That letter was entered into the public record. So were statements from anti-hunt advocates.
Many others were not, MLive.com learned.
Deleted public comments
J.R. Richardson, chairman of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission, said he received “several thousand emails” during the public comment period for the wolf hunt
“I opened every single one of them. I got them from Germany to Australia to New Zeeland. And a lot of them said the same thing,” Richardson said.
He said he weighted emails more heavily if they were from Michigan or the Upper Peninsula.
He also said he forwarded every email to the Natural Resources Commission, before deleting them.
“It’s my company email, then I forwarded them to the department,” said the Upper Peninsula resident.
But this is the email he sent on to the NRC’s assistant on Jan. 4, who was looking for advice on what to do with a deluge of emails, more than 10,000.
“Save in file. No response. I have already trashed 2,000 you have not seen. Thanks.”
According to a spokesman, Richardson later said he misspoke, and he did not in fact forward the comments.
“The 2,000 he deleted were form letters and were understood to be opposed to the wolf hunt,” said Ed Golder, chief spokesman for the DNR. “Nevertheless, the 2,000-some discussed … were also understood by the department and the NRC to be part of the whole response that was generated by the Humane Society.”
Golder said most other emails delivered during the public comment period went opened, because the agency was overwhelmed.
“I got many from Africa, everywhere,” said Deb Whipple, an assistant with the NRC. “Bulgaria, Poland, Italy. Everywhere.
“It all has the same subject line, so I think something was up.”
State Sen. Tom Casperson, R- Escanaba, is possibly the Michigan Legislature’s chief wolf hunt supporter.
“We had the same thing in my office, mostly from around the university area of Lansing, Michigan State, Grand Rapids, but proportionately those who were supporting the wolf hunt were from my district,” Casperson said.
Richardson, the head of the NRC, said he understands the emotion behind the issue, including those of petition gatherers.
“They are exercising their right. They have the right to do that and I respect that. We’ll let that all play out. People have passion and that’s why this is such a big issue,” Richardson said.
“All we can do is based on the science. At the end of the day, there is a lot of passion that is going to bring out a lot of emotion. What we are charged to look through is the emotion and passion.”