A 90-Day Clock for Wolf Hunting

House Bill 6008 would require the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to open a gray wolf hunting season in the Upper Peninsula within 90 days of federal protections being lifted.

The bill was introduced Thursday, May 21, by Rep. Dave Prestin, a Republican representing Cedar River. It was co-sponsored by 12 other Republicans.

"Upper Peninsula families and sportsmen have watched wolf numbers explode while our deer and moose populations take a severe beating," Prestin said in a press release. "Whitetails that once filled our woods are being hammered hard in the Upper Peninsula. Moose numbers continue to struggle under relentless predation. This is not sustainable for our herds, our hunters, or our rural communities."

The Numbers Behind the Debate

According to the Michigan DNR, a 2024 survey of wolf tracks estimated the minimum wolf population at 768 animals in the Upper Peninsula. The state and federal government set recovery goals for gray wolves that the population has exceeded for more than 20 years.

The DNR also reported that 23 dogs have been killed in conflicts with wolves in the Upper Peninsula since 2020.

Under current law, the Natural Resources Commission has discretion to issue orders establishing annual wolf hunting and trapping seasons. HB 6008 would remove that discretion and make a wolf hunt mandatory once the species is delisted from the federal Endangered Species Act.

What the Bill Would Change

The legislation includes the following provisions:

  • The DNR must implement a wolf hunting season within 90 days of the gray wolf being removed from the Endangered Species Act list
  • The bill reaffirms legislative findings that wolves should be managed through hunting to stabilize game populations
  • The measure aims to reduce conflicts between humans and wolves and protect livestock and pets

"My plan ensures that once Congress delists the wolves, Michigan will not waste time," Prestin said. "The DNR will have a strict 90-day window to get a science-based wolf hunt up and running. This will help restore balance to our forests, protect our big game populations, keep our deer camps full, support local economies that rely on hunting, and reduce livestock losses and pet attacks that are becoming far too common."

Where the Bill Goes Next

HB 6008 was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Tourism. The bill must pass committee, clear the full House, move through the Senate, and reach the governor's desk to become law.

The fate of the legislation depends in part on federal action. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been reviewing the gray wolf's status under the Endangered Species Act, but no final delisting decision has been announced as of Tuesday.