Some Michigan lawmakers don't think wolves being planted in Isle Royale National Park will be able to dent the park's moose population and want the National Park Service to allow a moose hunt in the park/NPS, Phyllis Green file
Some Michigan lawmakers, apparently unconvinced that wolves transported to Isle Royale National Park can make a dent in the park's burgeoning moose population, want the National Park Service to allow a hunt in the park.
“The increased and unsustainable moose population on Isle Royale has created an ongoing ecological dilemma as the moose feed on the park’s balsam fir trees and other vegetation," reads a resolution the Michigan House of Representatives is being asked to adopt. "The rapidly expanding moose herd will devastate these slow-growing trees and could eliminate them from Isle Royale.”
The three-to-five-year effort to establish 20-30 wolves on Isle Royale is being completed in order to restore predation as a key part of the island ecosystem. Researchers involved in the planning effort recommended this number of wolves from the Great Lakes region. The primary goals of the project are to ensure that wolves form packs, reproduce, and prey on the park’s moose population, which is around 2,000, according to estimates from Michigan Tech University wildlife biologists.
Initial indications show that after just a few short months, the new wolves are starting to travel and hunt together.
In recent years, park managers have discussed wolf management on the 209-square-mile island with wildlife managers and geneticists from across the United States and Canada, and have received input during public meetings and from Native American tribes of the area. Those discussions examined the question of whether wolves should be physically transported to Isle Royale, in large part due to concerns that a loss of the predators would lead to a boom in the moose population that likely would over-browse island vegetation.
But Michigan state Rep. Steven Johnson doesn't believe wolves will get the job done in time to protect the island's forests.
“Unfortunately, we’ve reached the point where the wolf population isn’t sustaining itself well," he told the Great Lakes Echo. "There are too many moose. Adding wolves isn’t going to fix that overnight.”
Park Service officials had considered a hunt to control the moose population, but ruled it out as being "inconsistent with existing laws, policies and regulations.”
"We’re just advocating the Park Service re-look at this. They turned it down but the problem has gotten worse,” said Johnson.
The resolution, if adopted by the Michigan Legislature, doesn't force the Park Service's hand at Isle Royale, but simply asks the agency to reconsider hunting as a means to controlling the moose numbers.
In mid-September four wolves were moved to the national park, but one died shortly thereafter of unknown causes. A necropy was to be performed to determine the cause of death. The three that survived bolstered the island wolf population to 17, which now includes nine males and eight females.
Comments
Thank you, rumpelstiltskin, well said
"And then there's the ban against firearms on concession ferries, and the fact that Michigan doesn't currently have a hunting season for moose." Not sure how big an obstacle that would be but point well taken. As for the rest of the island logistics it certainly isn't a walk in the park but neither is the moose hunt in Alaska in many of the more remote areas. It wouldn't be for me but I know many hunters that wouldn't be deterred.
The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do. ~Thomas Jefferson
Hunting has been controversial for decades. Whether it's better to get your meat from a pen or from the woods, it's silly really. If anyone has ever witnessed the slow and painful death of a wild or domestic animal, it is absolutely horrible. We have an opportunity here to help correct the imbalance between moose and available food in the short term until the wolf numbers increase to strike a natural balance. A wilderness area that has no vegetation below 8 feet is not beautiful or natural. I, for one, am not willing to watch a beautiful park reduced to a moonscape. I vote that this proposal be adopted. Is a hunt by humans natural? Probably not in the purest sense, but nature needs a little help here. It's a win, win, win for the Park Service; vegetation, all indigenous wildlife and, yes, the meat would be utillized.
If the issue is with over population of Moose, it should be addressed. It is just a matter of how.
Leave nature run its course?
Will create a very visible browse line which in some areas will recover quickly and other may take a very long time to recover.
Once the vegetation is depleted the moose population will decrease rapidly from attrition or migration from the island to the mainland
Overall very little control, but an effective management tool
Very cost effective, should not add any additional cost to current operations
Extremely stressful on the animals
Hunting to manage the moose population.
Hunting gives the DNR
A precision tool to effectively manage the population numbers year to year.
Set the optimum population number for the Island
Number of bulls
Consider the bulls
eat the vegetation
also damage vegetation during the rut
Number of cows
Consider the cows
Eat the vegetation
Give birth to calves, increasing the population
Determine how many moose can reasonably be harvested annually
Depending on the reduction number the required harvest may be completed in one year but may take multiple years to achieve
Once the goal is achieved
The population will be easily managed with annual hunts
Hunting will raise revenue in lieu of costing the taxpayers millions to intervene with relocation of wolves to the Island or moose from the Island
Hunters should be responsible for all cost related to the hunt, this should be a break even or net gain for the State of MI not a loss and cost to the taxpayer.
Hunting should not require any more additional manpower to the staff that is already there to manage the current scientific community and tourists
If the State of MI feels it is necessary to have the hunt supervised by a staff member of approved guide, then this cost should be explained to the hunters and be covered by the hunter.
Although moose are the largest member of the deer family, they are easily broken down in the field to be packed out.
This is part of the hunting experience with large members of the deer family and many hunters would love to pursue this type of hunt in the State of Michigan
If you think this is too much work, then please do not apply or participate in these types of hunts here in MI or elsewhere
If there is a concern with the carcass being left
Wolves and other animals and birds will clean it up, no different than being killed by a wolf or passing from natural causes.
Make the hunter responsible for the removal of the carcass if that is what's desired
Overall a very controllable management tool
Cost should be bore by the hunter not the taxpayer
Some stress on the animals during harvest
Relocating wolves to the Island to manage the moose population.
Very expensive
Very difficult to manage the impact of the wolves on the island's moose population
If the lake freezes over to the island in the winter wolves can easily migrate back to the mainland
If the wolves do take up residence on the island due to the abundant food supply (moose)
The wolf population will continue to increase until the moose population decreases or is completely wiped out
At this time many of the wolves will migrate from the island looking for a new food source
During the decline of the moose population the wolves will start focusing on other species as well
Overall a very uncontrollable / unpredictable management tool
Very costly
Very stressful on the animals being confined to the island and pursued by wolves
Relocating moose from the Island to manage the moose population.
Very expensive
Unless you have private organizations that would be willing to cover the cost to relocate moose from the Island
No government funding of any sort
Very stressful on the animals
Logistic of moving an adult moose is very difficult.
Must be carried out on a regular basis
Continual funds needed to support this effort
Overall a controllable management tool
Very costly
Very stressful on the animals
Wait for the lake to freeze over to the island, gather a bunch of volunteers and drive the moose off the island and onto the mainland.
Overall a controllable management tool
Very low cost
Some stress on the animals for a very short period.
Yes, I am a hunter, but also a conservationist who loves getting out and enjoying the outdoors.
We all are responsible for the stewardship of these lands and should be willing to fund the management tool of our choice.
This means developing a plan, whether it be: Nature taking its course, hunting, introduction of more wolves or the removal of moose one at a time or by driving them off the island. Whichever camp you are in, put action and money behind your words do not look to the state for this. Take a funded plan to the state and let them act.
Do you want other people forcing you to fund their passions?
At the end of the day nature will take care of itself, we sometimes just need to get out of the way.
There seems to be a continuing lack of knowledge of the facts on the part of the hunting crowd here, which points to a lack of education and ultimately credibility. Their arguments have already been completely debunked; but, they also can't seem to make even a serious imitation of a coherent argument. At this point, I want to know what is wrong with the schools in Michigan.
I tried to find NPS discussion of hunting and why they ruled it out, but was unsuccessful.
Kurt, from the draft EIS:
Managed Culling / Public Hunting
During public scoping, some commenters advocated the use of hunting in the park to reduce the moose population and reduce herbivory on island vegetation. Public hunting would be inconsistent with existing laws, policies, and regulations for the park because public hunting is not allowed by federal statutory law at the park. The NPS is not considering a managed harvest because of the difficulty related to logistics, increased staffing requirements, removal of carcasses from the landscape, and the impacts to wilderness character. In addition, a public comment was submitted suggesting NPS conduct non-lethal wolf hunts off-island using tranquilizer darts to provide wolves for introduction. Due to logistical constraints and animal welfare, this was element was not carried forward for detailed analysis. As a result, hunting and managed culling is dismissed from further consideration.