Proposal Would Remove Protection from Wolves Moving Thru Missouri

The state of Missouri's official position is that there are no wolves in the state although they do admit that sometimes you'll see a lone wolf as they travel from north to south sometimes. A new proposal would remove all protections from wolves altogether.

As of this writing, you are not allowed to hunt a wolf even if you see one in Missouri. They are a federally-protected species. They are included in the Endangered Species Act. That could change soon.

Yahoo News is reporting that there is a proposal in congress that would remove all current protections from wolves and make them legal targets for hunters. When protections for gray wolves were removed a few years ago, nearly 200 wolves were killed in Wisconsin before a federal judge restored the protection.

The estimates say that there are only 5,000 wolves existing in America currently, but if they're removed from the Endangered Species List, that number would likely drop dramatically.

It's only fair to mention that not everyone is a fan of wolves and that definitely includes many Missouri ranchers who dread the thought of their cattle becoming a food source if wolves ever made a permanent habitat in the state. Ask ranchers in Colorado and Wyoming what the wolf packs do to their livelihood.

As this proposal moves through Congress, it will be interesting to see if a veto stops it if passed or if the wolves that sometimes travel through Missouri will become targets in a crosshair.