A legislative victory for American Hunters: The Pet and Livestock protection act of 2025 passes congress
How Hunter Nation’s Unmatched Advocacy, Grassroots Power, and National Mobilization Led to a Landmark Win for Wildlife Management
Hunter Nation is proud to celebrate the passage of the Pet and Livestock Protection Act of 2025 (H.R. 845) on December 18, 2025– a decisive move to delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and return wildlife management authority to the states. Introduced by Congressman Tom Tiffany (WI-07) and Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-04), this bill is a historic win for hunters, ranchers, farmers, and rural communities across America.
The legislation directs the U.S. Department of the Interior to remove the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and requires the agency to reissue the November 2020 delisting rule, which was vacated by a federal court in 2022. This action finally restores science-based wolf management and returns authority to the states where it belongs. This victory represents far more than a policy correction: it is the culmination of years of advocacy, education, and mobilization by Hunter Nation and hundreds of thousands of American hunters, sportsmen, ranchers, and conservation-minded citizens.
By 2024, the wolf issue had reached a breaking point.
- Great Lakes wolf populations had climbed to 4,000–5,000 – 10X recovery goals.
- Ranchers were losing livestock at unprecedented rates.
- Elk, deer, and moose populations were suffering measurable impacts.
- Federal agencies refused to acknowledge the science or the voices of rural communities.
Hunter Nation recognized early that no other national hunting organization was prepared or positioned to take on the federal establishment, the anti-hunter activist lobbyists, and the misinformation being spread about wolf recovery.
So the organization got to work.
As Hunter Nation CEO & Founder Keith Mark put it:
"This is a policy change that we have been fighting for since our founding. The recovery of the gray wolf is an incredible conservation success story that should be celebrated. This legislation allows each state to manage the now recovered wolf population just as they manage all other wildlife within the state. The best part of this legislation is the provision that prevents judicial review of the legislative action which will preclude anti-hunting groups from interfering with sound, science-based conservation in court.”
How Hunter Nation Led the National Movement to Pass H.R. 845
Hunter Nation’s campaign to delist the gray wolf was multi-year, multi-state, and multi-platform – combining federal advocacy, scientific testimony, state pressure, digital mobilization, and grassroots organizing on a pivotal scale in the hunting community.
Hunter Nation’s campaign was driven by three main pillars:
1: Building Vital Influence in Washington, D.C.
Hunter Nation made a bold decision early in the campaign to be one of the only hunting and conservation organizations in America with a registered, full-time federal lobbyist dedicated exclusively to wolf delisting.
This strategic investment accomplished several things:
- Ensured hunters had a permanent, credible voice in federal policy discussions
- Opened doors for further conversations in congressional offices, with committee staff, and with agency officials
- Allowed Hunter Nation to counteract misinformation in real time
- Elevated wolf delisting from a niche issue to a national conservation priority
On March 25, 2025, Hunter Nation supported expert wildlife biologist Dr. Nathan Roberts in delivering powerful testimony before the House Natural Resources Committee. His key findings, including that wolf numbers were 10x recovery goals and sustainable harvests up to 29% posed no long-term risk, became the backbone of congressional justification for the bill.
This testimony was cited in federal deliberations and used to educate members of Congress on both sides of the aisle.
It is no exaggeration to say that without this scientific foundation, H.R. 845 would not have become law.
2: Strategic Partnerships with Congressional Leaders
Hunter Nation’s partnership with Congressman Tom Tiffany and Congresswoman Lauren Boebert transformed the delisting effort into a broad national campaign.
These political leaders:
- Introduced and championed the Pet and Livestock Protection Act
- Amplified Hunter Nation’s messaging and expert testimony
- Hosted briefings and educational sessions for colleagues
- Advocated publicly and privately for restoring state management
Hunter Nation’s ability to unite lawmakers, hunters, farmers, and conservationists behind a single mission marked a turning point in the debate.
3: The Game-Changer: Nationwide Grassroots Mobilization of American Hunters
While policy strategy shaped the bill, Hunter Nation’s grassroots movement delivered the pressure needed to pass it.
The grassroots campaign spanned two years and mobilized hunters like no organization ever has in the wolf management arena.
Key components included:
- Digital Storytelling & National Messaging
Hunter Nation’s media team produced dozens of videos, infographics, expert interviews, and member spotlights – reaching hundreds of thousands of supporters across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, and email.
These stories exposed the real human cost of unchecked wolf populations, showed the science behind sustainable predator management, countered misinformation from anti-hunting groups, and most importantly empowered rural Americans to speak out.
Hunter Nation also leveraged the voices of nationally recognized figures — including Ted Nugent and NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre — to amplify the urgency of delisting the gray wolf and restoring state authority over wildlife management. Their appearances in Hunter Nation videos helped cut through the noise, energize supporters, and communicate in plain terms why science-based regulation must return to the states. By engaging trusted, influential messengers, Hunter Nation ensured that millions of Americans heard the truth about wolf overpopulation and the need for immediate action.
Email, Text Message, and Social Media Action Alerts
Hunter Nation’s advocacy channels drove:
- Tens of thousands of messages to Congress
- Hundreds of thousands of petition signatures
- Viral engagement among hunter networks nationwide
These coordinated mobilization waves reached members of Congress directly and persistently, ensuring they could not ignore the groundswell of support for H.R. 845.
State-Level Advocacy & Public Pressure
In states like Wisconsin, where wolf conflicts are most acute, Hunter Nation:
- Testified in legislative hearings
- Directed grassroots opposition to CR 23-047
- Organized county-level hunter and rancher coalitions
- Mobilized turnout at informational hearings and rallies
- Secured majority legislative opposition to anti-management rulemaking
This work demonstrated overwhelming public support for state authority—not federally imposed mandates.
In-Person Events & Hunter Outreach: A Movement Built on Face-to-Face Mobilization
Throughout 2024 and 2025, Hunter Nation staff, board members, and state and local elected officials hosted in-person events to meet hunters where they live. These in-person engagements became one of the most powerful engines behind the national push to delist the gray wolf.
These events allowed hunters, ranchers, and young sportsmen to learn firsthand:
- Why gray wolf delisting matters to hunters and wildlife conservation
- The science behind sustainable predator management
- How legislation moves through Congress
- How local voices can overpower national activist networks
- How they could take action at the local and federal level
This direct engagement created real political momentum—momentum Congress could not ignore.
Among all of these engagements, one standout example was the Green Bay Town Hall — hosted on November 15, 2025, just days before Wisconsin’s rifle opening day — which became a pivotal turning point in the fight to delist the gray wolf. The event featured Congressman Tom Tiffany and Hunter Nation Founder & CEO Keith Mark, joined by state leaders, county-level stakeholders, and members of Wisconsin’s vibrant sporting community. Hunters shared firsthand stories of livestock losses, big-game declines, and the impact wolves were having on rural life. The energy in the room was unmistakable: Wisconsin hunters were ready to be heard.
Voices From the Movement
Donald Trump Jr., Hunter Nation Board Member, celebrated the victory:
“The passage of the Pet and Livestock Protection Act is a massive win for America’s hunters, ranchers, and every rural community that has been ignored for far too long. Wolf populations recovered years ago, yet bureaucrats and activist courts kept blocking the science and hurting hardworking families. Hunter Nation refused to back down, and today proves what happens when we stand together and fight.”
Ted Nugent, Hunter Nation Board Member, added:
“The mighty wolf is neither threatened nor endangered and is now finally delisted. Thank you to all members of Congress that voted YES on the Pet and Livestock Protection Act and put this sacred beast back in the conservation asset column where it belongs! I am proud to be part of Hunter Nation as we are the most powerful and positive force for real conservation and wildlife balance in America today!”
What This Victory Means for America
The passage of H.R. 845 affirms what hunters and wildlife professionals have known for years: wolf recovery is complete, and states are ready to manage these predators responsibly.
This law ensures:
✔ States regain full control over wolf management
✔ Livestock producers can protect their animals from escalating depredation
✔ Big-game populations can recover and stabilize
✔ States & Communities—not Washington—decide the future of their wildlife
This is conservation as it was meant to be: driven by science, sustained by hunters, and managed by the states.
Hunter Nation: Continuing the Fight for America’s Outdoor Heritage
Hunter Nation will continue working at the local, state, and federal levels to defend the American hunter in every arena — legislative, political, and cultural. Our mission is bigger than any single bill: we will fight for leaders who stand with us and oppose those who threaten our God-given freedoms, our country, our Traditional Values, and the Hunting Way of Life.
Hunter Nation remains committed to:
- Supporting legislation that protects hunting, wildlife management, and rural communities
- Holding elected officials accountable — and supporting those who champion the American hunter
- Engaging in the political battles that shape the future of our lifestyle, including upcoming elections
- Mobilizing hunters to ensure their voices influence policy at every level
Defending against anti-hunting activism, misinformation campaigns, and attacks on traditional American values
This movement is proof that when hunters unite, get organized, and refuse to back down, we can change the direction of this country. Hunter Nation will continue leading that fight every single day — in the field, in state capitals, in Washington, and at the ballot box.
The passage of the Pet and Livestock Protection Act of 2025 was not just a legislative win—it was the direct result of American hunters standing up, speaking out, and refusing to be sidelined.
Fantastic news!!! I’ve found 5 deer krill’s in the last 2 months on my property and took pictures off the massacre they leave, I have 3 fawns left abandoned which will not make it thru the brutal Upper Michigan winter. My deer population has decreased significantly over the last 20 years. Thank god for this great news!!!
I own 40 acres in Forest County Wi and have maintained and cultivated my land for deer and other wildlife I’ve deer hunted for 51 years there and in the last 10-15 years the deer population has plummeted to near zero, I have many game cameras all which show a heavy wolf presence day and night, putting in 40 plus hours in my deer stand during gun season and only seeing the same 3 does every day is extremely discouraging all the other hunters in my area say the same thing so how can I possibly convince my grandkids to take up the sport mainly because of an overpopulation of wolves
Thank you Hunter Nation! I will be signing up to be a member to day. thanks again!
Great news! Elk heards in the property we manage in southern Cascades Mountains of WA state have seen significant mortality due to the presence of wolves in the Saint Helens hunting units.
It’s a SMALL START
Unfortunately giving the control back to the “states” without the demand that actually using good science is required
In many cases will be worthless, many of these are the states run by the foolish that have pushed the reintroduction of predators
There needs to be control