GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (March 11, 2014) — Advocates both for and against wolf hunting here in Michigan remain at odds, as one group gets ready to turn in a petition aimed at ending the hunt.
The group, Keep Michigan Wolves Protected, plans to turn those signatures in on Thursday in Lansing.
Carol Jager with Keep Michigan Wolves Protected said that she’s been researching the behavior of wolves for 18 years, taking several trips to Yellowstone National Park.
Jager said that she isn’t against the killing of wolves, as a long as the wolf has learned behavior that threatens livestock.
“Generally speaking cattle is not on the menu. It could be, I mean obviously it would be an easy kill. So, if you have a wolf that finds that out, and you know starts going after cattle on a regular basis, that wolf has to be destroyed,” said Jager.
Jager said that Michigan’s wolf hunting rules don’t guarantee the “troubled” wolves will be the ones killed.
“You may or may not get the offending wolf. You can go out there and kill you know 20 wolves, and yet the offending wolf, the wolf that is the problem wolf, might not be a a part of that kill,” said Jager.
Jager said that she believes hunting a wolf is purely for trophy, since hunters don’t eat its meat and the wolf is a hard hunt.
Wolf hunting advocate and attorney, Drew YoungeDyke said that state biologists approved wolf hunting to reduce the amount of the wolf population in troubled areas, and to teach the wolves to stay away from populated areas.
YoungeDyke said that groups opposing the hunt aren’t only focused on protecting wolves.
“They are not really after scientific management of any wildlife, let alone wolves. They are looking to score a victory for their anti-hunting agenda,” said YoungDyke.
YoungeDyke, a spokesperson for Citizens for Professional Wildlife Management said that wolves have gotten so out of hand in the Upper Peninsula, that he doesn’t allow his family dog to tag along on family trips anymore.
“I don’t like them to take the dog up there anymore because there have been so many attacks on pets, in backyards, around Ironwood and areas like that,” said YoungeDyke.
