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NWC Public Statement: 2013 Wyoming Wolf Hunt

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State officials reported that there were about 300 wolves in the state outside of Yellowstone when the state took over management of wolves in Wyoming. According to Brian Nesvik, the department’s chief game warden, WY Game and Fish officials had hoped to use the 2012 hunting season to lower wolf numbers from 192 to 172 in the northwest corner of the state outside of Yellowstone National Park.  Final estimates show 169 wolves and 15 breeding pairs lived in that area after the hunting season.  About 90 more wolves and six breeding pairs lived in Yellowstone and on the reservation at the end of 2012, according to estimates.

Wyoming officials reported that last season, hunters killed 42 wolves during the trophy and seasonal trophy hunting seasons from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31. Wolves can be shot without a license during any time of the year in about 85 percent of the state known as the predator zone, and thus  far this year, hunters have killed 16 wolves in this zone to date. Monthly updates are provided on the agency’s website.

Although the 2013 wolf plan reduces the kill-quota to 26 wolves in the seasonal trophy zones, hunting and trapping in the rest of the state is unlimited.  Thus, we believe that the Department’s proposals already approach a dangerous slippery slope when it comes to state management of wolves in Wyoming. Thus we oppose all hunting and trapping in the state at this time. In fact, we feel the plan has the potential to recklessly unravel the recovery of wolves in the entire Northern Rockies region.

Public information meetings about Wyoming’s proposed 2013 wolf hunting season will be held around the state regarding changes to the plan.

  • Public Comment can be made via online submission Scroll down to “Submitting comments” – via the blue hyperlink “Submitting your comments online”. Comments are due before June 12th
  • Snail mail comments – Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Wildlife Division, ATTN: Regulations, 3030 Energy Lane, Casper, WY 82604

The Commission will be hosting a hearing to take action on this plan on July 9-10th in Saratoga, Wyoming.

The National  Wolfwatcher Coalition submitted its

NWC Official Public Comment re: Wyoming’s 2013 wolf hunting proposal.

You  are invited to review our statement and use it as a resource to guide the drafting of your own public comment via the directions above.

 Questions or Comments?  Contact us via email at : info@wolfwatcher.org

 

 

 

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