By Rep. Paul Anderson
Much has been written and said about the new wolf hunting season here in Minnesota, which will start in areas of northern Minnesota in November. Wolves were recently taken off the endangered-species list in Minnesota by the federal government because their numbers have recovered. Although it’s difficult to get an accurate count, estimates place the number of wolves in Minnesota around 3,000.
The application deadline was Sept. 6, so if you had an idea of hunting them this fall and hadn’t applied for a license yet, it’s too late for this year. The season will be strictly monitored with a target of 400 animals to be harvested, either by hunting or trapping. Judging from testimony heard in the Environment Committee last session, taking a wolf – especially by hunting – will not be easy. They are wily animals and can move about in a range of many miles. We were told that in Montana a wolf season is held concurrent with the elk hunt, and the number taken last year was 79.
I received a number of emails from those opposed to having a wolf season so soon after they had been taken of the endangered list. I don’t recall any of those messages coming from district residents, in fact most came from the metro area or out-of-state. We were shown pictures of what a pack of wolves can do to a cow or calf or to sheep. Reports of farm animals being taken by wolves are most common in northwestern Minnesota.
A recent study showed that the state paid out more than $100,000 in damages to farmers because of wolf depravation. Federal sharpshooters and trappers were called in to the areas where the greatest amount of damage was being done, and more than 200 wolves were taken in that fashion last year. It’s thought that because of our lack of snow last winter, wolves had more difficulty taking deer so they relied more heavily for food on farm animals or pets.
Controlling the damage done by wolves in that fashion is not cheap, and with the animal being taken off the endangered list, that cost has now fallen to the state. Having a hunting season, where those who receive a license through a lottery system and pay a total of $34 for their permit, makes more sense. Three zones have been established – northwest, northeast, and east central – and each has a harvest target. If and when that number is reached in any of the zones, hunting will close in that area. The early season begins Nov. 3 and goes for either nine or 16 days, depending on the zone, while the late season for both hunting and trapping starts Nov. 24 and closes Jan. 31 of next year.
Fall harvest is in full swing. With our dry and warm summer, crops are maturing several weeks earlier than normal. Even the leaves on trees are turning color and beginning to drop. Have a good fall and a safe and successful harvest.
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