State wolf hunting and trapping season to close Thursday, January 3

Minnesota’s first-ever wolf season will close at the end of shooting and trapping hours on Thursday, January 3, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources..

As of Wednesday,  181 wolves had been registered in the late season northwest wolf zone out of a target of 187. The northwest zone was the last of three management zones where wolves could be taken by permit since November 3.

The northwest zone number, when combined with totals from the early season and the other late season zones, brings the inaugural wolf season total to 395.

“Our plan was to close the season when the harvest was at or projected to reach 400,” said Dan Stark, large carnivore specialist for the DNR. “It is important that hunters and trappers know that they have until 5 p.m. Friday to submit their wolves for inspection.”

For the late season, the east-central zone was closed to hunting December 13. The northeast zone, which includes the Minnesota Arrowhead was closed December 14. Nine wolves were killed in the east-central zone where the quota was 10, and 58 were trapped or shot in the northeast zone where the target was 56.
  
Complete wolf hunting information, including a map of the wolf zones, is available at
www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/wolf/index.html.