H.B. 5834 wolf hunt hearing

[westcliffe01]

Having the species listed as a game animal is not equal to an extermination order. Like many other states, wolves will be hunted on a quota system, probably by county. The quotas will be based on observed wolf activity and possibly based on livestock predation reports.

There will probably be a lottery to draw a tag, and drawing a tag does not mean that you will get a wolf. Having been predator hunting for a while, I know how hard it is to hunt these animals. Particularly after their first brush with hunters. Predators very quickly adapt to hunting pressure and in the case of wolves, it means 2 things: 1) Fear of humans, which they loose when they experience no danger near humans over extended periods 2) Change of habits from diurnal to nocturnal once they figure out that they do not get hunted at night.

For these reasons alone, a hunt makes sense. We do not want these predators moving fearlessly through our subdivisions or anywhere close to people. Yet this is the natural result of town and city ordinances that prohibit shooting dangerous predators near homes. A few months of activity on a sheep farm reduced coyote activity to a level substantially lower than what I have in my sub division, where they come to within 8 feet of my doors. But if I shoot one in my yard, I might get arrested. This is nothing but liberal Sierra club inspired BS. Instead we should pay government approved agents many thousands of $ per kill to hunt down the offending animals ? Of which not 1 dime goes to any legitimate conservation activity, which is exactly the opposite of what happens when the hunt is managed by the DNR.

[sourdough44]

The WI wolf hunt has gone well. I expect it to close early was we are only 25 or so away from the 116 wolf limit. So far most were taken with traps.


The wolf numbers will NEVER get all that high. They are a top predator, not like deer & such. Look at CA, their Fish & Game' kills more Mtn Lions than a modest season would. Many like it that way though & would NEVER support a hunt.

There is already a wolf season in MI, just not a legal one. The DNR also takes problem wolves out. I know the professionals in game management can't bring reason to many. We just have to meet you in court.

[willforu1]

They should hav enever have been reintroduced or introduced in the first place. I will support the hunt. thank you for posting!

[sonicmatter]

signed

[Tallbear]

Call Today to Ask for YES Vote on SB 1350!
Dear MUCC Members,

MUCC needs your help to support sound wolf management in Michigan! Contact your State Senator today!

Senate Bill 1350 will be up for a vote this week in the Michigan Senate! This bill would designate the wolf as a game animal in Michigan and also authorize the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) to create the parameters for a hunting and/or trapping season.

Anti-hunting organizations, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and other animal rights groups, have been active in their opposition to sound wildlife management, which includes regulated hunting and trapping. Their rhetoric is misleading some legislators to believe that the wolf is not recovered and will become extinct if this bill passes. Nothing could be further from the truth; through Proposal G of 1996, we have entrusted wildlife biologists and the bipartisan NRC to use sound science when prescribing wildlife management techniques, using hunting and trapping as a management tool for many of our state’s most treasured wildlife species.

You can help make sure HSUS and the anti-hunting rhetoric does not prevail and support sound scientific management of the wolf by calling or emailing your State Senator today and asking them to vote “YES” on SB 1350.

The recovery of the wolf is a conservation success story. Now that the population has fully recovered and been removed from the federal and state Endangered Species List, the State of Michigan should be allowed to manage the population, particularly to reduce human conflict and its impacts on other domestic and wild animals.

The future of wolf management may depend on our action, so please help protect and defend scientific wildlife management today by contacting your State Senator!

Vote YES on SB 1350.

Find Your Senator Here!

Thank you,

The MUCC Policy Team
Amy Trotter, Resource Policy Manager
Kent Wood, Legislative Affairs Manager

[mishomukwa]

Done. Thanks Mike!

[oif3vetk9]

Shoots--I think if you really believe that then they should be reestablished in ALL of MI for ALL to enjoy and feed.

We could start with sending the WOLVES to the HILLS--

Irish Hills, Farmington Hills, Rochester Hills and all the other hills that other posters can add to the list.

Now that's just mean,,,, to the wolves. lol.

Honestly, can anybody on this board say they've seen a wolf themselves while out in the woods here in MI? I saw A track about 12 years ago in the St. Helen area. That's it, one.

Last I knew as far as ranchers went, they get reimbursed from the govt if any livestock is killed by a wolf. Now that may have changed seeing wolves have made it off the endangered list. If it has changed then ok, I can see ranchers/farmers, that have a problem with wolves killing livestock, killing said wolves.

As far as the rest, quit reading little red riding hood. If you're crying about them killing deer and elk guess what? That's what they do, it's kinda their thing. If anything complain about the govt putting designated seasons that WE are allowed to hunt. Ever think about it that way? They hunt year round, we only get couple weeks to hunt and that's been forced on us.

And as far as them attacking people(oh yeah, I know people think that's going to or will happen if they are left unchecked) I'd be willing to wager that you'll find more attacks from other top predators than wolves, and I mean anywhere in the US.

So really, what is the logical reason to have a hunt? I personally think it's because humans don't want to have to compete with them for the large game. If you can present anything logical I'd like to hear it.

Like the few others, I know this isn't a popular opinion to have, and I don't care. I've stated if they are a threat to somebody's living(livestock) then fine, take care of business, I get it. But if it's the complaint of game, get over it. They were here before us. And how many of you would eat one if you shot it?

I'm no bleeding heart liberal, and yes I hunt. I'm just skeptical of the whole thing. There's probably enough already doing the shoot, shovel and shut up. The stigma about wolves was created due to a childrens story and it has never been proven that they are aggressive towards humans anymore than what any of other top predator is.

If they move into a urban area and become a threat, kill livestock etc, fine, then deal with them. But, also remember, when an area is looking at to be "developed", humans are moving into another area. That affects hunting too amongst other things.

[Tallbear]

House Standing Committee Meeting

Natural Resources, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation, Rep. Frank Foster, Chair

DATE: 12/4/2012

TIME: 9:00 AM

PLACE: Room 307 House Office Building, Lansing, MI

AGENDA:
SB 1008 (Sen. Moolenaar) Water; other; groundwater dispute resolution program; restore.

SB 1350 (Sen. Casperson) Natural resources; hunting; gray wolf; include in game list and authorize hunting season.

SB 1206 (Sen. Casperson) Environmental protection; solid waste; bulk biosolids of exceptional quality; exempt from certain rules concerning cumulative loading, management practices, and reporting.

SB 1261 (Sen. Hansen) Natural resources; other; Michigan civilian conservation corps; modify program and authorize another entity to establish and operate a Michigan civilian conservation corps.

SB 1262 (Sen. Casperson) Natural resources; other; Michigan civilian conservation corps act; modify program and authorize another entity to establish and operate a Michigan civilian conservation corps.

SB 1263 (Sen. Pavlov) Natural resources; other; Michigan civilian conservation corps; modify, and authorize another entity to establish and operate a Michigan civilian conservation corps.

SB 1264 (Sen. Warren) Natural resources; other; Michigan civilian conservation corps; modify program and authorize another entity to establish and operate a Michigan civilian conservation corps.

SB 1265 (Sen. Green) Natural resources; other; Michigan civilian conservation corps; modify, and authorize another entity to establish and operate a Michigan civilian conservation corps.

SB 1057 (Sen. Booher) Natural resources; forests; private forest management; provide oversight from the department of agriculture and rural development and provide for conservation district assistance to owners of forestland.

SB 1058 (Sen. Meekhof) Agriculture; other; Michigan agriculture environmental assurance program; expand to include lands not utilized for traditional or production agriculture such as forest management.

SB 1059 (Sen. Booher) Property tax; classification; qualified forest property tax program; modify.

SB 1061 (Sen. Moolenaar) Natural resources; forests; promotion of forestry and the development of the forest products industry in the state; require of the departments of agriculture and rural development and natural resources.

SB 1062 (Sen. Green) Property tax; exemptions; definition of qualified agricultural property; revise.

SB 1287 (Sen. Booher) Property tax; classification; allocation of qualified forest property recapture tax; modify.

SB 1238 (Sen. Booher) Natural resources; funding; procedures of proposed land acquisitions and developments; modify.

SB 1021 (Sen. Casperson) Property tax; other; payment in lieu of taxes on certain state-owned land; increase, and prohibit prorated payments.

SB 1022 (Sen. Booher) Property tax; other; payment in lieu of taxes on certain state-owned land; revise.

SB 1280 (Sen. Casperson) State agencies (existing); natural resources; economic and recreational activities on DNR-managed land; require DNR to maximize, and impose term limits on natural resources commission members.

HB 5544 (Rep. Foster) Crimes; weapons; prohibitions against carrying certain weapons; revise.

PENDING REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE

SB 1328 (Sen. Casperson) Environmental protection; cleanups; procedures for cleanups and funding; modify.

To view text of legislation go to:
http://www.legislature.mi.gov/mileg....tteeBillRecord

[Tallbear]

Wolf Bill Up In House Natural Resources Committee
Call Your Representative Today!
Dear MUCC Members,

Thanks to your help last week, the wolf management bill, Senate Bill 1350, passed the Senate by a final vote of 23-15. Thank you for your efforts!

But our work is not over yet. Senate Bill 1350 will be up for testimony and perhaps even a vote this Tuesday morning at 9am in the House Natural Resources Committee! We need your help to contact your State Representative and ask for their "YES" vote on SB 1350!

Anti-hunting organizations like the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) are using misleading rhetoric to make sure this bill does not pass. It's not surprising. Groups like HSUS don't want wildlife managed by sound-science. They want wildlife management dictated by politics and emotion.

That is why we need your help in contacting your State Representative to remind them that since proposal G of 1996, Michigan citizens expect that our wildlife management be based on sound scientific principles.

Please help us make sure HSUS and the anti-hunting rhetoric does not prevail and support scientific management of the wolf by calling or emailing your State Representative today and asking them to vote “YES” on SB 1350.

The recovery of the wolf is a conservation success story. Now that the population has fully recovered and been removed from the federal and state Endangered Species List, the State of Michigan should be allowed to manage the population, particularly to reduce human conflict and its impacts on other domestic and wild animals. These decisions should be made by wildlife professionals, not deep-pocketed anti-hunting organizations.

The future of wolf management may depend on our action, so please help protect and defend scientific wildlife management today bycontacting your State Representative!

Ask Your Representative to Vote YES on SB 1350.

Find Your Representative Here!

Thank you,

The MUCC Policy Team
Amy Trotter, Resource Policy Manager
Kent Wood, Legislative Affairs Manager

[SteelTherapy]