MAP: Which States Hunt Wolves? { @ link}

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http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2012/09/map-which-states-hunt-wolves



It's a bad day to be a gray wolf in Wyoming, which today begins its first wolf-hunting season in more than half a century. It's one of three states—the other two are Minnesota and Wisconsin—that will offer hunts for the first time in decades this fall.

The red dots on the map below show the approximate locations of wolves in the US—a grand total of more than 5,000 in the lower 48 and 11,200 in Alaska (where wolves have never been protected). Click on a dot to see the number of wolves and their protection status in each state. In some states, there are two population numbers: "Observed population" refers to wolves that wildlife officials have physically seen and documented, while "estimated population" is an extrapolation, a guess at the total number of wolves believed to exist. (Wolves can be quite elusive and their territories can span hundreds of miles, so it's not always possible to track all of them.)

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1. Washington

This was a culling operation. I don't think there's public hunting allowed.

Washington wildlife managers say the hunt for a pack of grey wolves is over. A state marksman killed the alpha male of the pack Thursday in far northeast Washington. The department has killed a total of seven wolves from the Wedge Pack since August.

However, emotions have run strong over the decision, and debate over wolf management in the Northwest will likely remain intense.

“We know these issues spark strong feelings among Washington residents across the state, which is why we are committed to conducting our business openly and transparently,” Washington Fish and Wildlife Director Phil Anderson said in a press release.

Wildlife managers believe the pack was responsible for killing or injuring at least 17 calves and cows in far northeastern Washington. Anderson said the pack became dependent on livestock and would continue to attack them. But he says that didn’t make the decision any easier.

“We’re in the business of protecting wildlife, not killing wildlife. And making a decision to take out a pack of animals that we’re trying to recover was very difficult for me professionally and personally to do"


http://www.kplu.org/post/final-kill-wolf-hunt-backlash-expected-remain-intense