State Rep. Dave Prestin, R-Cedar River, on Wednesday released the following statement after announcing his plan to require the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to implement a wolf hunt within 90 days of the Gray Wolf being delisted from the federal Endangered Species Act.
Congress is currently considering legislation to delist the Gray Wolf, returning management authority to the states.
“Upper Peninsula families and sportsmen have watched wolf numbers explode while our deer and moose populations take a severe beating. Whitetails that once filled our woods are being hammered hard in the Upper Peninsula. Moose numbers continue to struggle under relentless predation. This is not sustainable for our herds, our hunters, or our rural communities.
“My plan ensures that once Congress delists the wolves, Michigan will not waste time. The DNR will have a strict 90-day window to get a science-based wolf hunt up and running. This will help restore balance to our forests, protect our big game populations, keep our deer camps full, support local economies that rely on hunting, and reduce livestock losses and pet attacks that are becoming far too common.
“Upper Peninsula residents know this land best. It’s time we stop letting Washington dictate how we manage our own wildlife. The U.P. deserves healthy, huntable populations of whitetail deer and moose for our children and grandchildren.”
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