The law, known as Act 169, specifies the season dates (Oct. 15 to the end of February), allows the use of bait, allows night hunting and allows the use of dogs to hunt wolves.
All of these points have attracted substantial opposition, including from the hunting community.
The last half of October is prime time for ruffed grouse hunters. Many grouse hunters are unhappy that their flushers, retrievers and pointers will be, in their view, unnecessarily exposed to traps.
William Andrews hunts for grouse and woodcock near Clam Lake.
“Please do not allow the use of leg traps for wolf hunting during grouse and woodcock hunting season,” Andrews said. “I can’t imagine the possibility of a beautiful bird hunting dog having a leg caught in a wolf trap.”