Voters Reject Wolf Hunts, HSUS Says Fight Isn't Over

Fueled by voter rejection of managed wolf hunting in two ballot proposals in Tuesday’s midterm elections, wolf hunting opponents say they intend to sue the state Legislature for they say was a circumvention of voters’ intentions.

The two proposals contained wording that allowed the appointed Natural Resources Commission to designate wolves and other animals as game species that could be hunted. Proposal 1 was defeated 55 percent to 45 percent, and Proposal 2 was defeated 64 percent to 36 percent.

The vote doesn’t count for much. Legislation approved this year trumps the vote, leaving the decision on whether to declare a wolf season – and all other fish and game seasons in Michigan – to the Natural Resources Commission and its staff. It included a $1 million appropriation to control Asian carp that made the legislation referendum-proof.

The Humane Society of the United States, the chief financial opponent of the wolf hunt, thinks the legislation is unconstitutional. Wayne Pacelle, the organization’s president and CEO, wrote on a blog earlier this week that the legislation would be challenged in court of voters rejected Proposals 1 and 2.

He chastised proponents of the hunt for “arrogant claims” that the election was “little more than a straw poll” and for their “disdainful attitudes toward voters.”
“What’s more, every party knows that the debate over trophy hunting of the state’s small population of wolves will continue, and these votes [Tuesday] will be the best measure of where the public stands on the issue as the debate moves ahead,” Pacelle wrote. “We know that trophy hunters and their allies in the Legislature want to ignore those results, but we won’t let them.”

Drew Youngedyke, a spokesman for the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, whose members strongly support wolf hunts, expects a summary dismissal of any court challenges to the legislation,MLive reports.

“Well, it’s a public relations issues,” he said during a radio interview with Mike Avery’s’ Outdoor Magazine. “You know HSUS is going to spend money on this because that’s the only tactic they know how to do. They know how to spend money. That’s about all they know how to do. ...

“They are actually making (fundraising) money off this, believe it or not ... and they’re going to try and use this as public relations victory for them, if you will. ... Even though we’ve already won this battle.”

Gray wolves have made a comeback after being hunted, poisoned and trapped to near extinction – as recently as 1992, there were only 20 gray wolves in the state – and now the estimated number is 650, found mostly on the Upper Peninsula. Supporters of wolf hunts say they’re needed to protect farm animals, pets, people and communities.

Brian Roell, a wildlife biologist with the state Department of Natural Resources in Marquette, told MLive that so far this year, 26 head of cattle and 17 dogs have been killed or injured, compared with 11 head of cattle and seven dogs in 2013.

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Photo: USFWS/Creative Commons