Schmitt: Don’t Expect a Wolf Hunt in Minnesota Anytime Soon

A wolf hunt in Minnesota isn't likely anytime soon.  Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News joined me on WJON today.  Schmitt says a ruling by a judge in California in favor of the people suing the Federal government to reinstate wolves onto the endangered species list.  He says this ruling will affect Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan which all have high wolf populations. Schmitt says this ruling does not affect Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. He says Minnesota will not have a hunting or trapping wolf hunt this year.

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Schmitt says the state of Minnesota has an estimated 2,700 wolves.  He says the northern part of the state has the bulk of the wolf population and could adversely be affected by a lack of a hunting season.  Schmitt says people in northern Minnesota will tell you that the wolf population needs to be regulated.  He says issues northern Minnesotans have with wolves include safety of livestock and the moose population. Schmitt says wolves can still be killed by people to defend themselves or it is proven wolves been killing livestock or pets.

The last time Minnesota had a wolf hunt was in 2014.  Schmitt says it was unlikely that Minnesota would have had a wolf hunt this year anyway because the state wolf management plan hadn't been completed.

Listen to my conversation with Glen Schmitt below.