An animal welfare group has the green light to start collecting signatures in its attempt to stop a new law opening Michigan to a wolf hunt. A state board Thursday approved petitions drafted by the group Keep Michigan Wolves Protected.
The group’s attorney, Michael Hodge, says there’s no evidence that wolves are a problem in the Upper Peninsula.
“So it’s a hunting season for trophy hunters who want to kill an animal that just basically reappeared in the state of Michigan in recent years,” he says.
Under the new law, it is up to state wildlife officials to decide whether to have a managed wolf hunt. Supporters of the measure say it’s the best way to preempt problems like attacks on livestock.
Opponents will have less than six weeks to gather more than 160,000 signatures. If they do, the law will be suspended and Michigan voters will decide whether to repeal it in November 2014.
“That’s a very short period of time,” says Hodge. “It’s going to take a lot of hard work and a lot of volunteers. But our assumption is that we can do it, it’s been done before, and we’ll be successful.”