Ruling on Great Lakes Wolves a Starting Point for State Management

by
posted on September 16, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
michigan_wolves_f.jpg

On Aug. 1, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., handed down its 54-page ruling on Great Lakes wolves: Gray wolves will remain protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and state management will not be allowed. While the ruling doesn’t immediately remove federal protections from wolves in the Western Great Lakes states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, the court’s decision regarding the important issue of a “distinct population segment” (DPS) is a win for sportsmen.

The court opinion states “aspects of the Segment Policy plainly work in both the listing and delisting directions. … The Solicitor’s Opinion, formally adopted by the Service, has now explicitly interpreted the Act to allow the segment tool for delisting.”

In short, this ruling means anti-hunting organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) can no longer argue, as they did in a 2014 lawsuit, that wolves must recover across their entire historic range before delisting can occur. The “segment model” of management can be allowed under the terms of the ESA.

That is indeed a win for proponents of state-managed wolf populations. The court determined that whether there are wolves in regions outside the core recovery area is irrelevant, as the wolves in the core Western Great Lakes are not only secure, but thriving. “Further, for all six of the States with no wolf plans, the Service reasonably concluded that the deaths of any wolves that might enter those States would be so minimal as to pose no threat to the segment’s survival,” states the ruling.

Precedent like that is important in what will surely be more legal wrangling as states with huge wolf populations—Minnesota, for example, with a current wolf population of more than 2,700—try to regain control of their own natural resources.

Latest

44 Mag HST LEDE
44 Mag HST LEDE

New for 2025: Federal’s Personal Defense HST .44 Rem. Mag.

Federal Ammunition has recently added a new HST .44 Remington Magnum “Light Magnum” load featuring a specially designed hollow-point bullet, ideal for those seeking HST performance for self-defense with magnum revolvers.

Utah Wildlife Board Updates

The Utah Wildlife Board approved a few new and updated rules, some of which are necessary after recent legislative changes—including the wildlife management area license requirement for certain counties and the new process for regulating hunting guides and outfitters—along with a few other proposals during a public meeting Thursday.

Member's Hunt: A Tale of Two Moose

This month's Member's Hunt comes from John R. Bean of Tucson, Ariz.

Breeding Duck Numbers Decline Again in ND

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s 78th-annual spring breeding duck survey conducted in May showed an index of about 2.66-million birds, down from 2.9 million in 2024 and 3.4 million in 2023.

2025-26 Pennsylvania Migratory Game Bird Seasons Set

Pennsylvania’s 2025-26 migratory game bird seasons have been set. There are two significant changes to waterfowl seasons. The regular season daily bag limit for Canada geese in the Atlantic Population Zone has decreased from three to one, and for northern pintail, there will be a flat daily bag limit of three.

New for 2025: Christensen Arms Evoke in 450 Bushmaster

Christensen Arms has announced the release of the Evoke rifle chambered in powerful 450 Bushmaster.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.