Up North Progressive

This article has been edited for errors

More good news from the Department of Natural Resources. The Natural Resources Commission issued a statement that there isn’t enough scientific data available to determine if a wolf hunt in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is feasible in 2014, and with the two referendum ballot initiatives on the November ballot, they announced no hunt would take place this year because there wouldn’t be enough time to prepare for a 2014 hunt even if the referendum measures pass.

Keep Michigan Wolves Protected filed petition signatures on two proposals. One would protect Michigan wolves from trophy hunting, the other would put the power back into the hands of the people of Michigan to have a say in wildlife management in the state. The Republican controlled state legislature passed a law in 2013 that set up the Natural Resources Commission, a seven member board completely made up of political appointments. The commission has not one person with any wildlife background, and instead rely on trophy hunters for input on what can be classified as a game species in Michigan.

In 2013 the NRC set a quota of 43 wolves but only 22 wolves were harvested from the Upper Peninsula. The DNR stated that their wildlife experts are studying the data they have about Michigan’s wolf population and will base their research on updating the management plan for wolves. A new law, called the Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, passed in August of 2014 through special state legislature rules gives the RNC authority to designate game species for hunting in the state, but it doesn’t go into effect until March of 2015.

Keep Michigan Wolves Protected, with the Humane Society of the United States will urge voters on November 4 to vote NO on both wolf hunt referendums. A no vote would keep Michigan’s wolves protected from trophy hunters and give the wolves a chance to live in their natural habitat. Voting no on both ballot issues with also restore the constitutional right of the people of Michigan to propose new laws and reject bad ones, something the Republican-controlled state legislature doesn’t like the voters doing.

The wolves are protected for 2014. On November 4 vote NO on both wolf hunt referendums to keep wolves in Michigan protected permanently.