Yes…I like wolves. l enjoy knowing that we live in an area that is still wild enough to support them. I am happy to see that wolves will again, at least temporarily, be protected. That said, I fully realize that the wolf population needs to be managed.
In 2014 the Minnesota DNR accepted 35,000 lottery applications for the 3,800 permits to hunt/trap a quota of 250 wolves, though 272 wolves were taken. Can this actually be considered a management technique? There have been lotteries for both moose and doe permits. What’s next…pull tabs for pine martins and scratchoffs for squirrels? Shouldn’t “Gambling For Wildlife” be the new slogan for DNR wildlife management?
Wolf numbers could easily be controlled throughout the state by two dozen DNR sanctioned trappers. Thousands of dollars would be saved in wolf season management/permit lottery expenses and could relieve DNR conservation officers from additional hunter/trapper oversight duties. Wolves could be more specifically targeted in problem areas. Alpha pack members could be left in place to maintain pack hierarchy and young wolves might be taken earlier in the year to reduce pack size and predation.
Isn’t it time to take the “gaming” out of DNR game management?
Bob LaMettry
Grand Marais
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