Board united on effort to delist wolves

After flirting for weeks with a resolution that calls for wolf management in the state, the Carlton County board voted unanimously Tuesday to appeal to federal and state legislators to delist gray wolves from endangered species protection.

The board agreed to send letters to Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, as well as Rep. Pete Stauber, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and local state legislators, Sen. Jason Rarick and Rep. Jeff Dotseth.

"We are hopeful that you will support this effort to delist the gray wolf and have management responsibilities directed to the state of Minnesota," the letter said.

The measure was a late addition to the board's agenda, drawing the ire of Cloquet-based commissioner Tom Proulx, who had previously questioned the board's desire to weigh in on wolves. In the end, he joined the others in approving the letter, written by county coordinator Dennis Genereau.

"We are not looking at eliminating the wolves," commissioner Gary Peterson said. "We just want scientific and responsible wolf management."

Peterson proposed the letter in February, meeting friction from Proulx who contended the board, in 2021, had resolved to stay out of federal issues such as immigration and gun control.

"We lobby and try to influence the federal and state government on many issues," Peterson said Tuesday.

Peterson represents District 5, including Cromwell, Kettle River and most of Moose Lake.

Notions of sanctuaries for migrants and gun control measures are highly partisan, Peterson noted, adding that wolf management is bipartisan, supported by Klobuchar, a Democrat, the Republican Stauber and other key decision-makers.

"You're, as a board, simply voicing support for action happening at that level," Genereau said.

Genereau said he did not consult a Hunters for Hunters template when writing the county letter.

The Hunters for Hunters organization arose following last year's subpar deer hunting season, and has used half-truths to rally hunters and argue that wolves are wholly responsible for the declining deer population.

Instead, Genereau said he conducted his own research, including reading the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource's wolf management plan from 2022.

"The DNR sought input from and considered all sides of the issue when crafting the wolf management plan, and we are confident ... the DNR will execute the plan in a manner that is responsible," the letter said.

The DNR has said that gray wolves are no longer endangered in the state, with a population rising beyond 2,700 animals. The wolf management plan supports a wolf hunt should the animal be delisted from the federal endangered species protection.

Board chair Susan Zmyslony said she read the plan in anticipation of the vote, and encouraged others to do the same.

"It's not just Gary's district," said Zmyslony, representing District 4, including Barnum and Wrenshall. "I received a couple of emails encouraging us to support delisting."

Farmer Bob Hattenberger was invited by Peterson to appear at the county board meeting. The Split Rock Township resident said he no longer raises calves due to severe degrees of wolf predation on his former herd. He only buys and raises feeder steers now.

"I've lost animals quite a few years to wolves," he said. "The last eight or nine years the DNR won't come out. They said they'd taken too many wolves off my property."

Neighboring farm operations also have been hurt by wolves, he said, as he spoke in support of an appeal to state and federal legislators.

"I'm not saying get rid of wolves completely, but they need to be managed," Hattenberger said.

In lending his support to the letters, commissioner Marv Bodie reasoned that the county does weigh in on matters outside its purview, including letters for state and federal highway projects.

"We do it to help support the residents," said Bodie, who represents Thomson Township and Carlton in District 2.

The notion of a wolf management resolution had seemed to be over at the board meeting Feb. 26, when the matter stopped appearing on the board agenda. But Peterson said he kept it off the agenda then out of respect for Proulx, who was absent from that meeting.

In the end, Proulx went along with fellow commissioners, despite grumbling about why the president of the United States wasn't included on the list of recipients, and why the matter was such a late addition to the day's agenda. (Genereau explained he'd not had time to finish the letter when the agenda was advanced late last week.)

"It's unanimous," Zmyslony said following the vote, with the letters dated March 12 ready to be mailed.