February 2022

Controversial changes to wolf hunting and trapping regulations intended to reduce the wolf populations in Idaho and Montana led to public outcry and calls for emergency re-listing of wolves under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). However, the changes have not resulted in higher statewide harvests by the end of January 2022. What has changed is where wolves are being killed. The number of wolves killed adjacent to Yellowstone National Park in Montana increased from two to four in prior years when the state imposed conservative quotas in Wolf Management Units (WMU) 313 and 316 to 20 wolves by the end of January this year. This take includes some of the most frequently viewed and photographed wolves in North America. Wolf advocates, the National Park Service and tourism businesses expressed dismay over the loss of these wolves and the economic impact to gateway communities. The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission met on January 28 to reconsider regulations in the region adjacent to the park and voted to close all wolf hunting and trapping in the region if six more wolves were killed. As of February 7, one additional wolf had been taken in the region, in WMU 313.

Michigan DNR research vessel Lake Char operates in Lake Superior, the largest and northernmost of the Great Lakes of North America. The crew documented lake trout spawning in deep water at Isle Royale in June, outside the expected fall spawning period. The crew used a deep-water remotely operated vehicle that deployed a video recorder, electroshocker, and vacuum sampler to confirm that lake trout were spawning in June and at the deepest ever documented lake trout spawning in water over 300 feet (91 m) deep.