Just next door in Minnesota, farmers have the option of collecting cash if they DO NOT call the federal government to get rid of problematic wolves. The group paying private depredation dollars is called Howling For Wolves. It just started this pilot program in early August.
Dave Ladd speaks on behalf of the organization – he says money is the ‘solution’ to benefit both farmers and the wolf population. If it’s successful, he says there’s potential for it to grow beyond northern Minnesota.
Predator losses within wolf range, as well as atypical cases outside the defined wolf range, will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Eligible producers will contact Howling For Wolves directly to initiate the process for payment of $600 per calf and $750 per adult. The organization will ask about the age of the lost livestock, a photo and the last time the animal was seen. All inquiries and information gathered will remain confidential.
“Minnesota currently has the largest and only original wolf population remaining in the lower 48 states,“ says Howling For Wolves Founder Maureen Hackett. “We remain committed to working with livestock producers to address the issue of wolf predation of livestock. We understand the challenges livestock producers face when running their operation and we want to work with them to find common ground.”
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