PRESS RELEASE: Vote on MN Wolf Hunt Ban Narrowly Defeated in Senate, Bipartisan Support Shows Momentum

HOWLING FOR WOLVES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 11, 2024

CONTACT: Dr. Maureen Hackett, Howling For Wolves, 612.250.5915 or Leslie Rosedahl, Press@HowlingForWolves.org, 651.353.1818

Vote on MN Wolf Hunt Ban Narrowly Defeated in Senate, Bipartisan Support Shows Momentum

(St. Paul, Minn.) – Today an amendment to the Senate omnibus Environment Policy Bill, Senate File 3631 (Hawj), was offered by Senator Mary Kunesh (D-New Brighton) that would have banned a wolf hunting and trapping season in Minnesota. After a lengthy debate, the amendment failed to pass by a vote of 30-35, with bipartisan support for its adoption.

Dr. Maureen Hackett, founder and president of Howling For Wolves, a Minnesota-based wolf advocacy organization said in response:

“We’re thankful for the vote – and bipartisan support – of protecting wolves for future generations in Minnesota. While we think recreational wolf hunting needs to be taken out of law now, this is a good step forward. This continues pressure for legislators to follow public and scientific support for banning recreational wolf hunting and trapping killing seasons – and also shows the Department of Natural Resources how much opposition they’ll face if they propose a wolf hunt.

We won’t let our disappointment get in the way of advocating to ensure the survival of our state’s wolf population. We will continue fighting to ensure that the wild wolf survives for future generations.”

A wolf hunt was recklessly started in 2012 in Minnesota – the same year wolves lost protections – without any information or attempt by the MN DNR to protect wolves. It was only the judicial courts that saved wolves from extinction because not only were wolves baited and trapped in recreational hunts, but they were also killed in two-thirds of the state when anyone requested it.

Hackett continued, “A wolf hunt will happen again if we don’t stop it. We are trying to slow wolf killing in Minnesota.”

Last year, a prohibition on wolf hunting passed the Minnesota House of Representative with a huge margin of 69-57 with bipartisan support.

In addition to an amendment to ban wolf hunting, today an amendment was also offered to mandate a wolf hunting and trapping season. That amendment failed with bipartisan opposition.

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Howling For Wolves educates the public about the wild wolf to foster tolerance and to ensure the wolf’s long-term survival. Howling For Wolves opposes wolf hunting and trapping and all wildlife snaring. We advocate for nonlethal prevention methods that reduce wolf-livestock conflicts and support current federal protections for the wolf. www.HowlingForWolves.org