Wolves are a hot topic in the upper Midwest, where federal and state wildlife officials have tangled in the judicial system for years about management.
Many residents, farmers, hunters and outdoors enthusiasts in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan don't like what's been going on with the Great Lakes wolves. For years they along with state officials and federal officials have tangled in the court system about management — hunting seasons — with the proponents arguing in favor of the continued Endangered Species protection and no hunting.
Of course, one of the issues is whose biology is right. The states say they know best since they're more closely in touch and should be able to manage with hunting seasons. Opponents say they're right and are for maintaining protection.
As of August 2017, a federal judge ruled in favor of keeping the wolves on the ESA list. However, in that ruling it was determined that the entire population doesn't have to be recovered before removal from the ESA, only a segment. So that's a plus for the states arguing they should be in control of management. Congress even got involved a few weeks after that ruling, although things are still in flux. It's believed there are more than 4,000 wolves in the three states.
The Great Lakes wolves are not popular among big game hunters in these three states. Along with posing possible problems to humans, whitetail deer, moose and other game animals are under the gun. Studies are ongoing about interactions with moose, which are on the decline in Minnesota. Common sense says to reduce the number of wolves would increase the number of moose, but the wolf protectors don't want to hear that.
Officials in Kittson County, Minnesota, created the video (above) to explain how many cases they've investigated from farmers. It's pretty illuminating, and helps show the problems they're having.