Minnesota's wolf hunting season claims 50 on opening weekend

Courtesy Minnesota DNR.

That amounts to one-quarter of the quota for the early 16-day wolf hunting season. Another quota of 200 will be set for a later season, running from November 24 to January 31.

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Minnesota's wolf hunting season begins November 3

By the end of Sunday, hunters claimed 22 wolves in the Northeast Zone (which has a 122 quota), 20 in the Northwest (58 quota), and eight in the East Central Zone (nine quota), according to the DNR. Because killings in the East Central Zone have almost reached the limit, the DNR will be shutting it down today.

Though the season is only now beginning, the wolf hunt has been generating controversy since it passed the Minnesota Legislature this spring. The wolf was taken off the endangered species list at the beginning of the year, and advocates believe a hunting season could have a dramatic negative impact on the resurgent population.

Opponents of the season are responsible for those graphic billboards across the Twin Cities, depicting bloodied wolves in traps next to the heading, "Stop DNR torture." They also attempted to get the state supreme court to halt the season, but to no avail.