The hunting intervenor coalition of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation and Safari Club International filed their completed briefing on behalf of sportsmen asking for a summary judgement against extremist groups looking to relist wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains.
In its comments, the group stated plaintiff petitions should be dismissed because they failed to address when wolves should be relisted and offered no proof that any changes in state law significantly increase the threat to wolf populations. RMEF and its partners also stated plaintiffs continue to ignore peer-reviewed science related to wolves and they ignore the link between western wolves and Canada’s robust wolf population of 15,000 just across the border.
“Wolf populations in Idaho and Montana are respectively 800 and 600 percent above minimum federal recovery goals while Wyoming’s population met minimum federal recovery criteria the last 21 consecutive years,” Kyle Weaver, RMEF president and CEO, said earlier this year. “It is incumbent that these groups stick to proven science and not emotion for the sake of healthy predator and prey populations alike.”
A District Court hearing is scheduled for June 18 in Missoula, Montana.
(Photo credit: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks)