by Marnee Banks
According to the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, hunters will be able to kill wolves this fall, but the group is hoping to change that for next hunting season.
The Alliance is appealing Wednesday’s court ruling which keeps wolves off the endangered species list.
US District Judge Donald Molloy said Congress acted within its power when it removed the wolf from the list. But the Alliance for the Wild Rockies still believes Congress overstepped its authority.
Alliance for the Wild Rockies Executive Director Mike Garrity says his organization is taking the suit to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
“This is about protecting wildlife but also standing up for citizens rights to make Congress follow the Constitution. So we think if Congress can do it to the environment, they can do it to any issue. If Congress doesn’t like a particular issue they can just step on the Constitution and tell the courts that what they did was wrong,” Garrity says.
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks reports it’s moving forward with this hunting season. The FWP Commission is allowing hunters to kill 220 wolves in 14 separate districts.
FWP Spokesperson Ron Aasheim says he is pleased with Molloy’s ruling.
“It’s time to move on. Montana has put together a plan that the federal government has accepted, that Montanans put together. This allows us now to manage wolves in balance with other wildlife and with landowner tolerance. We’ll manage responsibly,” Aasheim says.
Wolf licenses go on sale August 8th, with archery season beginning early September.
