Today, Aug. 16, the Sportsmen’s Alliance commented on the May 2023 “Draft Status Review for the Gray Wolf” in Washington, providing our support of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) recommendation that the species be downlisted from “endangered” to “sensitive.”
WDFW’s draft describes how the gray wolf population has exploded in Washington since 2008, with recovery of the species strong enough to justify taking wolves down two notches from “endangered” to “sensitive,” bypassing “threatened.” Interestingly, even though wolf numbers justify full delisting in many areas, if not the state, recovery in western Washington remains very limited, and thereby the recommendation remained at “sensitive.”
It has been reported that Gov. Inslee is attempting to influence WDFW and the Fish and Wildlife Commission on this issue, telling anyone that will listen (along with a shrill letter) that hard data doesn’t matter, that wolves should remain fully protected no matter what the biology says. This is nothing new in Washington, where animal extremist groups – and yes, elected officials – simply want to discard the North American Model of scientific management in favor of full protection for all predator populations 24/7, no matter the consequences to people or other wildlife.
“This is proof that Inslee has no shame,” said Dr. Todd Adkins, vice president of government affairs at the Sportsmen’s Alliance. “He packs the wildlife commission with anti-hunting extremists and now wants to write all the rules while telling his professional biologists to go pound sand. This is corruption of the mind, plain and simple.”
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.