Does delisting of the northern Rocky Mountain wolf DPS mean that wolves can be hunted?
Wolves can be hunted once the delisting takes effect, if states establish hunting seasons and related regulations designed to maintain the wolf population at agreed upon levels. The number of wolves killed by hunters would be tightly regulated to ensure the wolf population is never threatened. These states already have hunting seasons for many species of resident wildlife, including black bear, elk, deer, and moose. State-regulated sport hunting programs have a strong record of enhancing wildlife populations. When wolf populations are well above 15 breeding pairs per state, the State fish and wildlife agencies can propose public hunting seasons to help maintain wolf numbers and wolf pack distribution. The Service supports regulated public hunting programs as important tools to help manage and conserve recovered wildlife populations. Federal authority for maintaining wolf populations in national parks, such as Yellowstone and Glacier will remain. Can the States manage wolves? Yes. It is
