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Straits Area Sportsmen's Club
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      • Brevort Lake Fish Info.
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Wolves in the U.P. of Michigan

WOLF MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COUNCIL UPDATES

April 16th Update

Since our last update, a lawsuit was filed in Oakland County, Michigan on March 30 which alleges DNR Director Daniel Eichinger skirted statutory requirements when appointing members to the Michigan Wolf Management Advisory Council. 


The suit filed by Karol Miller, President of The 06 Legacy, individually and on behalf of the organization, claims the director "eliminated the conservation appointment" by appointing MUCC Executive Director Amy Trotter, Dick Persinske, and Mike Thorman as the conservation representatives. The lawsuit also challenges the Tribal Representative Miles Falck because he is from Wisconsin. 


The Michigan Attorney General's office will represent the Department of Natural Resources with the DNR presenting materials.


The Wolf Management Advisory Council Meetings will follow the Open Meetings Law, and it appears they will not meet until sometime in May.


Addtionally

Shortly after the Gray Wolf was officially delisted in January there were three lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court of  Northern District of California. 


The three organizations that filed the lawsuits are Natual Resources Defense Council independently, Western Environmental Law Center filed on behalf of Wild Earth Guardians and a coalition of eight other organizations, and Earthjustice filed on behalf of Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, Humane Society of the United States, National Parks Conservation Association and Oregon Wild.


The three suits challenge the delisting on 20 different claims, but basically, they argue the Federal Government has not done enough for the wolf recovery across their former range.


Safari Club International and the NRA together are intervening in the suits to represent the voice of hunters across North America.  While this is frustrating it is not unexpected these groups are well funded and will fight the delisting it in the court system and public opinion with their rhetoric vs sound science.


If you would like to send us comments you can email us at sasc764@gmail.com.


If you have a wolf issue or encounter it is important to notify the DNR. They need this information for their records to help show wolf problems in the U.P. Scroll down to find a link to the DNR website 'Reporting A Wolf Observation' where you can make a report. 


Additional Reading

 The lawsuit, in Oakland County 


Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC)


Safari Clubs International (SCI) 


National Rifle Association (NRA)

March 29, 2021

Thursday, March 25, 2021, Amy Trotter, Executive Director of Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) and a member of the Wolf Management Plan Advisory Council held a Zoom call with Upper Peninisula affiliated Clubs of MUCC, MUCC Board Members and MUCC Staff.


Amy provided an overview of MUCC’s representation of the groups on the Wolf Management Advisory Council (WMAC) and MUCC’s guiding policies on wolf management. MUCC’s most recent resolution passed at the 2020 Convention, states a goal of 300-400 wolves as a sustainable population and a hunting and trapping season for the entire Upper Peninsula. 


Wolves were delisted on Jan 4, 2021, after which several lawsuits were filed, in Northern California, based on the delisting of the Gray Wolf in the Lower 48 States. The DNR feels the legal status should be more permanently settled, especially given the long history of legal challenges to delisting decisions and the resulting shifting status of wolves. 


An orientation meeting will be sometime in April for the Council to meet to discuss how the Council will work and a meeting schedule.


This group will again meet again in April after the orientation meeting occurs.  Check back in for any updates. If you would like to read the 2015 Wolf Management Plan check further down the page and click on the 2015 Wolf Management Plan tab. 


If you would like to send us comments you can email us at sasc764@gmail.com .


On a side note if you have a wolf issue or encounter please notify the DNR. They need this information for their records to help show wolf problems in the U.P. Scroll down to find a link to the DNR website 'Reporting A Wolf Observation' where you can make a report. 


Wolf Management Council Members

Below are the NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT which outlines the formation of the Wolf Management Advisory Council. Here are the current members that were recently appointed.  

  • Amy Trotter - MUCC/Conservation Organizations
  • Dick Perschinske (UP Resident) - Farm Bureau/Agriculture/Former Eastern UP CAC Chair
  • Mike Thorman -  MI Hunting Dog Federation 
  • Bea Freelander - Attorneys for Animals
  • Miles Falck -  Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission/Tribal Governments
  • Dan Kennedy - DNR Wildlife

Michigan Wolf News & Policy

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT Act 451

324.43540e Wolf management advisory council. Sec. 43540e.

  (1) The wolf management advisory council is created within the department.

  (2) The council shall consist of at least the following members:

  (a) The director of the department or his or her designee.

  (b) One member representing an organization that promotes conservation in this state appointed by the director or his or her designee.

  (c) One member representing organizations that promote hunting or fishing in this state appointed by the director or his or her designee.

  (d) One member representing a tribal government appointed by the director or his or her designee.

  (e) One member representing agricultural interests appointed by the director or his or her designee.

  (f) One member representing an animal advocacy organization appointed by the director or his or her designee.

  (3) The council shall meet at least annually.

  (4) A majority of the members of the council constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at a meeting of the council. A majority of the members present and serving are required for official action of the council.

  (5) The business that the council may perform shall be conducted at a public meeting of the council held in compliance with the open meetings act, 1976 PA 267, MCL 15.261 to 15.275.

  (6) A writing prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by the council in the performance of an official function is subject to the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246.

  (7) Members of the council shall serve without compensation. However, members of the council may be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties as members of the council.

  (8) The council shall annually submit to the commission and to the legislature a report that makes nonbinding recommendations as to the proper management of wolves in this state.

CURRENT STATUS

WOLF BIOLOGY AND HABITAT

EXPANDING THEIR RANGE

Nov 9, 2020  
The Department of Interior late last month announced the gray wolf would be delisted following the agency's determination that the species is no longer threatened or endangered. ... All gray wolves in the lower 48 states except for a small population of Mexican gray wolves in Arizona and New Mexico have been removed.


To achieve a permanent solution, SASC is working with Congressman Jack Bergman, Safari Club International, The Upper Peninsula Sportsmen’s Alliance, and the Michigan United Conservation Club to pass into law through the United States Congress a bill that will remove the gray wolf as an endangered species PERMANENTLY!

Check back we will keep you updated as we learn more.

US Fish & wildlife delisting of grey wolf proposal

EXPANDING THEIR RANGE

WOLF BIOLOGY AND HABITAT

EXPANDING THEIR RANGE

Wolves began naturally returning to Michigan's Upper Peninsula via Canada and Wisconsin in the early 1990s. Since that time populations have increased and continue to expand their range. Evidence of range expansion into the Lower Peninsula came when a gray wolf was accidentally killed in Presque Isle County in 2004.   
In 2015 the Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced the second confirmed presence of a gray wolf in the Lower Peninsula since 1910.   This wolf probably crossed on the ice between the U.P. and the Lower Peninsula.

WOLF BIOLOGY AND HABITAT

WOLF BIOLOGY AND HABITAT

MICHIGAN WOLF MANAGEMENT PLAN

Wolves are the largest member of the Canid family (wild dogs), which also includes coyotes and red and gray foxes.
As adults, wolves average 30 inches in height at the shoulder and 65 pounds. Their feet are generally 3 1/2 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches long, and provide an easy way of differentiating wolves from coyotes, whose feet are only 1 1/2 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches long.

To learn more about Wolves in Michigan click on the link below.

Wolves in michigan

MICHIGAN WOLF MANAGEMENT PLAN

HAVE A WOLF SIGHTING IN MICHIGAN

MICHIGAN WOLF MANAGEMENT PLAN

Click below to see the 2015 update to the 2008 Wolf Management Plan.

2015 Wolf management plan

WOLF POPULATION SLOWLY GROWING

HAVE A WOLF SIGHTING IN MICHIGAN

HAVE A WOLF SIGHTING IN MICHIGAN

  July 27, 2020

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reported the state’s wolf population has remained relatively stable over the past nine years, with the most recent survey completed this past winter. DNR Wildlife Division staff who participated in this latest survey estimate there was a minimum of 695 wolves, found among 143 packs across the Upper Peninsula. Pack size has remained stable and averages just under five wolves


The 2018 Winter Survey estimated there was a minimum of 662 wolves found among 139 packs across the Upper Peninsula. The 2016 minimum population estimate was 618 wolves. Fifteen more wolf packs were found during this past winter’s survey than in 2016, but pack size has decreased slightly and now averages less than five wolves.


It is important to note these are an estimate of the minimum number of wolves.

Upper Peninsula 2020 Winter Wolf Survey

HAVE A WOLF SIGHTING IN MICHIGAN

HAVE A WOLF SIGHTING IN MICHIGAN

HAVE A WOLF SIGHTING IN MICHIGAN

 The gray wolf is currently listed as a federally endangered species.  Wolves have been found in every county of the Upper Peninsula, but some years they have been absent from Keweenaw County (excluding Isle Royale) during the population surveys. Please report wolf sightings using the link below. 

Reporting A Wolf Observation

Gray wolf podcast

Gary Morgan of Wild Game Dynasty conducts a podcast on his website Wild Game Dynasty.com.  


Check out podcast 75 where he interviews  Brian Krupla about his experience in the U.P.  with wolves.  Podcast 76 is an interview with Gary Gorniak about how Michigan needs a Wolf Management Plan.



Wild game dynasty podcast

Wolf Video in Gladstone

Adult wolf taking a stroll through  Gladstone. Just down the street from the elementary.  

Wolf Sighting in St Ignace, MI

A Club member passed this along to us this past spring.  Both videos were taken along the boulevard in St. Ignace Michigan.

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Straits Area Sportsmen's Club

P.O. Box 764, St. Ignace, MI 79781

810-516-2000 or 419-460-3988

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Membership Information

If you are interested in hunting, fishing, trapping, or have other outdoor interests the Straits Area Sportsmen's Club is for you.  For membership information check our Website or email us. (sasc764@gmail.com)


The Straits Area Sportsmen's Club meets the 3rd Monday of each month at 7:30 pm in the Masonic Building, 12 N. State St., St. Ignace. Stop in to see what we are doing. 

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