Predator Mangement

Having natural predators on the landscape is not necessarily a bad thing. However, the current agenda of promoting and establishing large numbers of predators is anti-science, anti-hunter, and inherently anti-conservation. A significant portion of the environmental groups pushing for reintroduction and zero population management do not see humans as an integral part of the system even though we have been since the dawn of man. There is very little wilderness left in the midwest and as a result, there is little room for large predators. Failure to manage predator populations for emotional reasons breeds conflict and spite for the animal which inevitably ends up hurting the very resource these "environmental" groups claim to protect

Humans are part of nature and must manage the game animals we hunt as well as their predators in order to foster balance and lasting sustainable use within the dynamic system of population rise and collapse. There are remote areas where large predators can exist on the landscape, and there are large swaths where tolerance is low to non-existent. Our ability to manage predator populations via hunting is the most proven and effective way to keep these animals extant. 

Nature does NOT exist by chance, it's here because hunters demand it. 

Image source: Dan Cole - North American Whitetail

Gray Wolves

Gray Wolves are NOT endangered.

In 1973 the USFWS set a recovery goal of 1251 wolves in Minnesota. We now boast over 3,000, and yet, they remain federally protected.

Because this is a federal issue, there is absolutely no scientific purpose to have state specific population goals. "Is this species endangered or not" should be the criteria. Clearly it is not. The gray wolf population needs to be considered as a whole throughout the midwest, west, and Canada, and the population needs to be managed in such a way as to maintain long term viability while intensively managing for reduced conflict.

A lot of hunters inherently like wolves. It's the poor management and misuse of the Endangered Species Act which has lead to an overabundance and resulting animosity.

Support Management

Coyotes

Abundant and largely unrestricted hunting and trapping

MTN Lions

Present but sightings are rare. Less is more.

Image Source: Vividmaps

Grizzly Bears

We currently have more than enough in North America to keep the species extant. There's a very good reason our ancestors extirpated them.

Bobcats

Regulated trapping season. They do kill adult deer and fawns but not viewed as a primary concern