Wisconsin RMEF Members,
Speakers at a recent “wolf summit” in your state called on Congress to return management of Wisconsin’s wolf population to the state. We, at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, wholeheartedly agree and do the same!
“The gray wolf in Wisconsin is recovered. No further protections under the Endangered Species Act are necessary. This is a fact that has been affirmed by many, including the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” said Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Deputy Secretary Kurt Thiede.
He is absolutely correct! At last count, Wisconsin’s minimum wolf population count is nearly 900. The federal delisting criteria for wolves is 100 in Wisconsin and Michigan combined, and that benchmark has been met for each of the last 18 years.
RMEF remains heavily involved in the appeal of a 2014 ruling that placed the Great Lakes wolf population back under federal protection. Oral arguments are scheduled in the Washington DC Circuit in the next month. We remain hopeful the court, which previously did not identify one single deficiency with Wisconsin’s hunt, management or management plan, will return wolves to state management where they belong.
RMEF also joined several other sportsmen organizations in recently sending a letter to the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations regarding a hearing featuring fish and wildlife directors from Idaho, North Carolina and New Mexico. The directors testified in support of state management of wolves. The letter was submitted for the permanent hearing record.
We also continue to work the halls of Congress urging passage of a legislative work-around that would remove wolves in the Great Lakes from federal protection.
Please reach out to your Senate and House representatives. Let them know how you feel. Call on them to return wolves to state management.
We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you in this most necessary and valiant effort.
Sincerely,
David Allen
RMEF President & CEO