BigGameHoundsmen.com

from the Salt Lake City Tribune

http://www.sltrib.com/themix/ci_8334707


Plan may allow Idaho hunters to kill as many as 300 wolves
The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 02/22/2008 07:17:37 AM MST

BOISE, Idaho - Idaho hunters would be allowed to kill somewhere between 100 and 300 gray wolves this fall under a plan proposed by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game after Thursday's federal decision to remove the animals from the endangered species list.
The plan next goes to the Idaho Fish and Game Commission for approval.
The commission is scheduled to meet March 6 to vote on the Idaho Wolf Population Management Plan 2008-2012.
Idaho had an estimated 732 wolves at the end of 2007, said Steve Nadeau, large carnivore coordinator for the department. He predicted the population will increase about 15 percent to 20 percent by this fall.
He said the department's goal for the next five years is to keep the Idaho population between the 518 counted in 2005 and 732.
"We're going to manage for a viable, healthy population," Nadeau said. "We've managed big game for a long time, and we're good at it."
Still, he said the department planned to take a conservative approach the first several years while it learns how to manage wolves.
A 13-year restoration effort has seen the animals' population soar in the Northern Rockies, and an estimated 1,500 wolves now roam Idaho, Montana and Wyoming after the predators were largely exterminated in the U.S. outside of Alaska in the early 20th
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century.
Federal officials said plans submitted by the three states indicate the states will likely maintain between 900 and 1,250 wolves for the foreseeable future.
If the wolf population in Idaho were to fall below 10 breeding pairs, or 15 over a three-year period, wolves could again come under federal protection.
"The state of Idaho does not want to see these animals relisted," said Virgil Moore, the department's deputy director.
Nadeau said the department's plan for this fall allows traditional hunting methods for wolves, including rifles, muzzleloaders, shotguns and archery equipment.
Wolves would be hunted from October through December under the plan, with the dates and lengths of wolf hunts varying based on the area and the type of weapon being used.
The Fish and Game Commission will determine those details in May, Nadeau said.
Idaho wolf hunting tags will cost $11.50. Nadeau said more tags will be sold than the number of wolves allowed to be killed, a system the department uses for other big game species.
Officials said Idaho hunters with wolf tags will be allowed to kill either males or females as it would be too difficult to tell them apart. Also, they said pups born in the spring will be adult size by the time fall hunting begins.
Nadeau said hunting wolves with dogs, bait or traps will not initially be allowed, although that could change in future years.
The plan has a quota system designed to stop the hunting when a certain number of wolves has been killed. The plan requires hunters to report the killing of a wolf within 24 hours to make sure quotas aren't exceeded.
Nadeau said wolf hunts might be more intensive in areas where wolves are preying on livestock.
"We will allow hunting to help control some of those livestock conflicts," he said.
But some other areas might be kept off limit to hunters.
"It's a process of us seeing how things go," Moore said.
A survey of Idaho hunters found 56 percent plan to buy a wolf tag, Nadeau said.
Environmental groups said Thursday they will sue the federal government to try and maintain wolf protections.

Emily I don't know how you find the info but thanks. I will be standing in line for my tags.

You're welcome.

I just check this site now and then:
http://www.carnivoreconservation.org/news/

glad to hear no one has to eat their wolf!
http://media.www.isubengal.com/media/st ... 3258.shtml

Wolf hunting in Idaho
Sarah Kalkwarf

Issue date: 3/12/08 Section: Outdoor
This fall, while students are beginning their new school year, the first hunting season for wolves in Idaho will begin.

The population of wolves is currently being managed in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. Each state has its own set of management plans, but the population of wolves will be counted together.

Ralph Maughan, Ph.D., who taught in the Political Science Department for 36 years at ISU, and is also the President of the Wolf Recovery foundation, has an interest in wildlife, specifically in the wolves that were reintroduced in 1995.

Maughan says that his opinion of the hunt depends on what regulations each state plans to follow. He says that if the plan is to which increase the hunt on wolves to be like regulations for deer and elk, with a plan to keep a substantial amount of the population, then he can tolerate the wolf hunting.

According to Idaho Fish and Game representative Gregg Losinski, the plan to hunt wolves was part of the original plan that the Federal Government, working with the states created. The plan was created to help build local acceptance of the reintroduction of wolves. The belief is that hunting gives people an active roll in wildlife management.

Losinski estimates the current population of wolves (in Idaho) to be around 700. According to Losinski, the estimated tags the Idaho Fish and Game plan sell in Idaho will be around 105. This estimation is based on a wolf population of 700. This plan would allow hunting of about 15 percent of the population of wolves.

"It will be interesting to see what will happen," said Losinski.

This will be the first time a hunt will be allowed for wolves in this area, and it is difficult to judge how regular hunters will do at hunting wolves. According to Losinski, Idaho Fish and Game plans to set a mandatory 24 hour check-in and they will not initially allow hunters to set traps for the wolves.

Idaho Fish and Game will not require hunters to take the meat. Losinski says that this is because eating the meat of wolves is not a culturally accepted practice. Hunters will be required to take the skull and the pelt will probably be required for tagging. Losinski says that most hunters will be after the pelt of the wolves because it is legal to sell pelts in Idaho. He says that a pelt is worth about 300 dollars.

Both Maughan and Losinski agree that there is an irrational fear among people toward wolves. There is a misunderstanding brought on by cultural upbringing that wolves are vicious predators of humans. Losinski admits that there have been no reports of wolves attacking people in Idaho.

"As long as the wolves are not fed by humans, they will typically stay away," said Maughan.

Losinski plans to educate the public about wolves by holding workshops that will encourage a realistic understanding of wolves. This is part of his job in Regional Conservative Education.

"This is an experiment in wildlife management as well as human management," said Losinski.

If one is interested in seeing a wolf in person, Maughan says that the best thing is to practice.

"Once you get good at seeing them, you will see wolves everywhere," said Maughan.

Because wolves eat deer and elk, Maughan says that anywhere deer and elk graze wolves are probably lurking in the shadows. Maughan also says that wolves are definitely present in the outskirts of communities if there is food for them.

"If you run across a wolf stand and watch them," said Maughan, "I regard it as a good day."