The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has announced a comment period for possible removal of the Western Great Lakes wolves from the Endangered Species List.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF), several other conservation organizations and the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources (DNRs) filed petitions with FWS asking the Director to remove the wolves from Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection due to their recovery in the region. The Service did not respond to those petitions.

As a result, the USSAF and five other groups filed an official letter (a notice of intent to sue) two weeks ago committing to bring legal action against FWS within 60 days unless the agency issued a finding.

“We are very pleased that the FWS is moving forward with the petition to delist the wolves in the Western Great Lakes region,” said Bud Pidgeon, USSAF president and CEO. “The USSAF and many others have worked for years on this and firmly stand by the idea that states, not the federal government, should be managing their wildlife populations once those populations have recovered.”

The September 14 Announcement officially opened up a 90-day comment period that will end on midnight of November 15.

Two previous efforts by the FWS to delist the Western Great Lakes gray wolves were reversed as a result of lawsuits filed by anti-hunting groups and some procedural mistakes made by the FWS in the waning days of the Bush Administration.

Take Action! Sportsmen throughout the Midwest, especially those in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin should offer your comments to the FWS. Click Here and then click on the “Submit Comment” link to voice your opinion.

Sportsmen can also mail comments to:

Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R3-ES-2010-0062
Division of Policy and Directives Management
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services
4401 N. Fairfax Dr, Suite 222
Arlington, VA 22203