HUNTING AND MEXICAN GRAY FACT SHEET RECOVERY

The Mexican gray wolf has rebounded from near extinction in the 1970s to an estimated 163 in the wild at the end of 2019. Considerable effort is still needed to ensure a self-sustaining population, and the hunting community can play a valuable role.

Background The Mexican gray wolf was listed under the Act (ESA) in 1976 following years of preda- tor eradication efforts that drove this unique subspe- cies toward extinction. A few years later, the U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service (FWS) began a captive-breeding (CAPTIVE) PHOTOGRAPHY UCUMARI program with just seven remaining in hopes of 3C 2C 12 3B 2B reestablishing a wild population. 13 In 1998, FWS reintroduced wolves in New and 15 18 . This population has slowly grown, but setbacks 1 to recovery, including high numbers of illegal killings, 16E 24A 17 have continued due to real and perceived conflict with 16D Wolf-occupied Game hunters and other stakeholders. 16A Management Units 16C In 2015, FWS released a set of regulations—known as 27 21A the 10(j) rule—to guide Mexican gray wolf management. 22 16B Due to a recent court decision, FWS will rewrite this 20 rule, which will be finalized by the spring of 2021. 31 21B 28 24 23 Ecological Role of Wolves 32 The reintroduction of Mexican gray wolves in parts of AZ NM 33 27 19

Arizona and has raised concern from local 30A 26 CONTRIBUTORS OTHER AND NGDC NOAA GEBCO, GARMIN, ESRI, CREDITS: LAYER USFWS, SERVICE 29 25 communities about potential impacts to traditional ways Mexican34B 30B gray wolf range overlaps 10 Game Management of life. Some of this push back is rooted in the fear that Units, two in Arizona, eight in New Mexico. wolves will diminish hunting opportunities for big game species like elk and deer. An understanding of how wolves afflicts ungulates like elk and deer. So far, CWD has can benefit big game and other wildlife coupled with been detected in only one wolf-occupied county in New actual data on deer and elk hunting success rates in areas Mexico, but it could potentially spread to others. with Mexican gray wolves offer a different picture of the As for the impact of wolves on hunting, data from the relationship between these species. Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) and Wolves serve an important ecological role in keeping New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) elk and deer populations in check, which can prevent illustrates that as the wolf population in both states has overgrazing and help maintain healthy plant communi- increased, the success rates of deer and elk hunters have ties and intact river systems. Because wolves tend to hunt risen as well. The wolf population more than tripled older, sicker not typically targeted by hunters, over the last decade increasing from 52 wolves in the they may also help control the spread of deadly infectious wild in 2007 (29 in Arizona and 23 in New Mexico) diseases like Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which to 163 in 2019 (76 in Arizona and 87 in New Mexico). H 80% H 180 Over the same period, elk AZ elk hunters HunterNM elk successhunters rate 80% 180 70% AZAZ elkdeer hunters hunters NM deerelk hunters hunters 160 and deer hunting suc- Wolf population 70% AZ deer hunters NM deer hunters 140160 cess and harvests have 60% NUMBER OF WOLVES Wolf population 120140

improved or remained 60%50% NUMBER OF WOLVES stable in both states. 100120 50%40% In Arizona,1 harvest 80100 40%30% success for elk hunters 6080 30% increased by 10%—from 20% 4060

49% in 2007 to 59% in PERCENTAGE OF SUCCESSFUL HUNTS 20%10% 2040 2019—and harvest suc- PERCENTAGE OF SUCCESSFUL HUNTS 10%0% 020 cess for deer hunters 0% 0 tripled from 14% to 42%. H Hunter harvest Likewise, hunter harvests H for elk and deer nearly 2,500 AZ elk harvest NM elk harvest 180 2 AZ deer harvest NM deer harvest 2,500 160 doubled. In New Mexico, AZWolf elk population harvest NM elk harvest 180 2,000 harvest success remained AZ deer harvest NM deer harvest 140160 NUMBER OF WOLVES Wolf population 120 largely stable for both elk 2,000 140 hunters—36% in both 1,500 NUMBER OF WOLVES 100120 2007 and 2019 and deer 1,500 80 1,000 100 hunters—from 24% to 60 22%. Overall hunter har- 80 1,000 40 500 60 vest increased slightly, by NUMBER OF ANIMALS HARVESTED 20 22% for elk and 12% for 500 40 deer. These data indicate NUMBER OF ANIMALS HARVESTED 0 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 20 that wolves do not appear 0 YEAR 0 to affect hunter take. 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Hunter success rate (top) and harvest (bottom) of elk and deer in YEAR Arizona and New Mexico have increased or remained constant as wolf Hunters’ Role in Wolf Recovery populations have increased. Hunters have a deep connection DATA COURTESY OF FWS, AZGFD AND NMDGF; HARVEST DATA WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR ARIZONA IN 2018 DUE TO A CHANGE IN DATA COLLECTION METHOD. to the landscape that makes them Conclusion vital to effective wolf conservation and management. As Hunting is an economically and culturally important the Mexican gray wolf population continues to expand aspect of life in many parts of New Mexico and Arizona, into suitable habitat across its historical range, hunters and studies show that the reintroduction of Mexican can help with the recovery of this endangered species. gray wolves has not diminished it. Hunting remains a Since 1998, at least 96 wolves have been killed viable pursuit for outfitters and a reliable source of food either by accident or on purpose. By learning for hunters who depend on it. Mexican wolves moving how to distinguish between a wolf and a coyote into new areas should not be viewed as a threat but an and reporting all wolf sightings to state or federal integral part of keeping landscapes wild and ungulate wildlife managers, hunters can help reduce these populations healthy, ensuring that hunting remains a incidents and inform management decisions. treasured tradition for generations to come.

To report a Mexican wolf sighting, 1Arizona data is from Game Management Units 1 and 27. 2New Mexico data is from Game Management Units 15, 16A, 16B, 16C, call 1-888-459-9653. 16D, 21A and 23.

DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE For the latest updates visit 1130 17th Street, N.W. | Washington, D.C. 20036 defenders.org/wildlife/mexican-gray-wolf defenders.org 07/20