ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Opponents of wolf hunting are going before a Minnesota Senate panel to call for a five-year moratorium on future wolf seasons.

The Senate Environment and Energy Committee will hear from both sides Thursday on the contentious issue. Hunters and trappers killed 413 wolves during the state’s recent wolf season, which was the first since wolves in the western Great Lakes region came off the endangered list early last year.

The anti-wolf hunting group Howling for Wolves says Minnesota’s original wolf management plan called for a five-year wait after wolves came off the list until the resumption of sport hunting. The Legislature canceled that moratorium last year when it authorized the first season. Wolf hunting supporters say the years of court battles that held up “delisting” made further delays unnecessary.

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