FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 24, 1998
CONTACT: Mark Brownell  202/225-2165

Washington, D.C.  - Congressman Collin C. Peterson (DFL-7th District) presided over a first of its kind policy forum sponsored by the National Sportsmen's Foundation and the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus yesterday on Capitol Hill. The forum, focusing on the Endangered Species Act and Minnesota's current wolf situation, showed a new direction for the Caucus which previously held only an annual breakfast meeting and dinner banquet in conjunction with the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation.  "We are breaking new ground by coming together here, and we hope that this event will be as successful and popular in the future as the annual breakfast and banquet are each year," said Peterson.

Peterson introduced the day's discussion topic and said a few words about efforts in his District to deal with Minnesota's growing number of timber wolves and the interaction of community groups with the state government as the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service considers removing the timber wolf from the endangered species list.  "The management of wolves in Minnesota has been a shared experience," said Peterson. "We hope that our experience can provide insight on improving the federal-state partnership."

Director Roger Holmes and Mike DonCarlos of the Minnesota DNR spoke at the forum, giving lawmakers practical insight on the transition of timber wolf management duties from federal oversight to state control.  Groups attending the event included the American Sportsfishing Association, Safari Club International and the National Trapper's Association.

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