DNR working to resolve glitch in wolf hunt reporting system

Author:
Updated:
Original:

A glitch in Minnesota's wolf harvest reporting system has caused some confusion for hunters and trappers.

The Duluth News Tribune reports the telephone hotline setup by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources told callers on New Year's Day that the season was closed when it is actually open in the northwest zone.

The DNR's wolf hunting website also stopped tallying numbers. The Star Tribune reports the website has been manually updated with a tally number listed as "pending." The error with the live feed of harvest numbers should be resolved Wednesday.

The DNR says the changeover to 2013 may have caused the hiccup.

Unless a target harvest is reached, the season remains open until Jan. 31. Hunters and trappers still have not reached a quota of 187 wolves in the northwest zone as of Dec. 31.

Howling for Wolves, a group that fought to stop the hunt, tells the Star Tribune they've been concerned about the DNR's ability to keep an accurate count. The group says the DNR-set quota for hunters in the northeast region last fall was exceeded by one wolf.

Next Up

Related

MN News

DNR working on framework of first wolf hunt

The Game and Fish bill signed into law Thursday allows Minnesotans to legally hunt and trap wolves for the first time in nearly four decades. The legislation gives the DNR authority to set harvest limits and conduct a hunter lottery. About 3,000 wolves live in Minnesota right now and the agency plans to reduce the population by about 400 this fall. The gray wolf was removed from the Federal Endangered Species List in January.