MARQUETTE -- A student group at Northern Michigan University is gathering signatures to stop a potential wolf hunt in Michigan. The newly formed student group, called Earthkeepers 2, held an informational petition signing Wednesday night at NMU.
Wolves were taken off the endangered species list back in January of 2012. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been exploring the possibility of a wolf hunt in recent months. Members of Earthkeepers feel that the wolf population is still recovering.
"The wolves just got off the endangered species list within the year, and I feel like it would be very premature to start a wolf hunt when the population's still under 700," said Adam Magnuson of Earthkeepers. "You don't just take them off the endangered species list and then immediately hunt them."
The students need to gather more than 161,000 signatures by March 27. If they get that amount, then the state would hold a public vote in November 2014 for a wolf hunting bill.
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