Why Minnesota Doesn’t Allow Wolf Hunting Despite Having The Highest Wolf Population in Lower 48

Minnesota is home to more wolves than any other U.S. state except Alaska. In addition, Minnesota has more wolves than Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana put together. Yet, despite the thriving population, wolf hunting is restricted. However, that could change.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recently announced its first updated wolf management plan in over 20 years. The new project will serve as a blueprint to support the state’s wolf population for the next decade. In addition, this new initiative could open the door to wolf hunting.

The new plan was developed with the input of wolf advocates, ranchers, biologists, hunters, and other stakeholders.

“Information in the plan describes current knowledge of the wolf population, Minnesotans’ attitudes toward wolves, and guides the approach to the future conservation and management of wolves in Minnesota,” the state’s DNR said in a statement.

In addition, the agency included the wolf hunting and trapping section as an appendix to the Wolf Plan itself because any discussion around hunting and trapping is conditional.

Per reports, the state cannot manage its gray wolf population since the species has been federally protected under the Endangered Species Act.

According to MDNR’s large carnivore specialist Dan Stark, the hunting activities will only be considered if the federal government takes the species off the list.

Minnesota wolf population thriving but hunting still prohibited

First, the state game commission would meet with Minnesota tribes and the public to make sure there’s enough support. Then, the agency would examine other factors, such as prey populations and Minnesota’s overall wolf population.

After, the state would vote on possible wolf hunts pending the population can stay above a threshold of 1,600 wolves. That’s the minimum number needed to satisfy the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s recovery goal.

Once the population gets above 1,600, the new plan states that higher hunting quotas could be allowed. However, they must align with the harvest rate set by the DNR’s Wolf Advisory Committee.

Those who support delisting continue to point to other states with similar scenarios in other states. For instance, Montana and Idaho’s wolves were removed from the ESA in 2011 after they reached the recovery goals. Then, Wyoming followed behind later in 2017.

However, unlike those states that generally favor wolf hunting practices, Minnesota remains unclear on its position.

After the federal government delisted gray wolves in 2011, the MDNR allowed hunting seasons from 2012 to 2014 after the species was relisted.

Then, before the USFWS delisted the species again in 2020, the state legislature permanently banned wolf hunting. That’s something that Gov. Tim Walz supported publicly.

“A selective delisting of the wolf is something I supported in areas where the population had recovered to the point where it was warranted. The massive and the universal delisting I did not because it is not supported by good game management practices,” Walz revealed in 2019. “I don’t think that’s a place where sport hunting is appropriate.”