It has been reported that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service received several hundred thousand comments by the May 9 deadline on their final plan to delist Rocky Mountain wolves, including those in Idaho, Montana AND Wyoming. IOGA executive director Grant Simonds submitted IOGA’s comments favoring delisting and also delivered a similar message during the March 6th public hearing held in Boise. It’s possible the USFWS will decide on delisting sometime in early 2008.
Idaho Fish and Game Department’s large carnivore manager Steve Nadeau has assembled a planning team that includes the Fish and Game wildlife managers and wolf specialists that in conjunction stakeholder groups are developing a wolf hunting and species management plan under the guidelines of the Idaho Wolf Conservation and Management Plan. The process will also include public surveys and meetings. It's premature to talk about numbers or how the animals would be hunted. But the goal of population management would be to reduce conflicts and stabilize populations. Fish and Game officials expect to have a final plan for hunting delisted wolves in Idaho ready for Commission approval in November. An actual hunting season on wolves could be months or years away depending on the outcome of the delisting process.
Idaho Fish and Game Department’s large carnivore manager Steve Nadeau has assembled a planning team that includes the Fish and Game wildlife managers and wolf specialists that in conjunction stakeholder groups are developing a wolf hunting and species management plan under the guidelines of the Idaho Wolf Conservation and Management Plan. The process will also include public surveys and meetings. It's premature to talk about numbers or how the animals would be hunted. But the goal of population management would be to reduce conflicts and stabilize populations. Fish and Game officials expect to have a final plan for hunting delisted wolves in Idaho ready for Commission approval in November. An actual hunting season on wolves could be months or years away depending on the outcome of the delisting process.
Here is what is posted on the Idaho Fish and Game web site:
wolf report: planning for wolf hunts
If changes in state law, recommended by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission, are enacted by the state Legislature, it would cost $26.50 for a tag to hunt wolves in Idaho once they are removed from the endangered species list.
The Commission will ask the Legislature to change state statutes to allow the commission to authorize wolf hunts, so if wolves are removed from the endangered species list the department would be prepared to set hunts and sell tags. The federal government has said it plans to initiate the delisting process this month. An actual hunting season on wolves could be months or years away depending on the outcome of that process.
Commissioners Thursday, January 25, approved recommended changes to three statutes that would authorize the commission to issue tags and set fees. The commissioners also agreed to ask for up to 10 special commissioners’ wolf tags, and to set the price of a resident wolf tag at $26.50 and a nonresident tag at $256.
Hunters also must purchase an Idaho hunting license.
In addition, the commissioners proposed an increase in the price of black bear and mountain lion tags to make them the same amount as wolf tags, and the same amount as lion tags were until 2000 - $26.50 for resident tags and $256 for nonresident tags.
For the changes to be approved this year in time for the possibility of wolf delisting this fall, the proposed changes must be submitted as proposed legislation by early February.
Meanwhile, Fish and Game officials are working on a wolf hunting and species management plan under the guidelines of the Idaho Wolf Conservation and Management Plan that would reduce wolf numbers in areas of conflict and try to stabilize numbers across the rest of the state.
Any hunting seasons must be approved by the commissioners.
Large carnivore coordinator Steve Nadeau has assembled a planning team that includes the Fish and Game wildlife staff members and wolf specialist. The public will be involved at various levels throughout the planning process.
Fish and Game officials expect to have a final plan for hunting delisted wolves in Idaho ready for Commission approval in November.
Idaho has never had a hunting season on wolves. They were killed off across most of their range in the lower 48 states by the early 1900s. By the time they were listed as an endangered species in 1974, they were reduced to a small population in the northeastern corner of Minnesota and Isle Royale, Michigan.
In 1995, a federal reintroduction program brought 35 wolves to Idaho. Today, officials estimate about 650 wolves in 71 packs, and 41 or more breeding pairs inhabit Idaho.
wolf report: planning for wolf hunts
If changes in state law, recommended by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission, are enacted by the state Legislature, it would cost $26.50 for a tag to hunt wolves in Idaho once they are removed from the endangered species list.
The Commission will ask the Legislature to change state statutes to allow the commission to authorize wolf hunts, so if wolves are removed from the endangered species list the department would be prepared to set hunts and sell tags. The federal government has said it plans to initiate the delisting process this month. An actual hunting season on wolves could be months or years away depending on the outcome of that process.
Commissioners Thursday, January 25, approved recommended changes to three statutes that would authorize the commission to issue tags and set fees. The commissioners also agreed to ask for up to 10 special commissioners’ wolf tags, and to set the price of a resident wolf tag at $26.50 and a nonresident tag at $256.
Hunters also must purchase an Idaho hunting license.
In addition, the commissioners proposed an increase in the price of black bear and mountain lion tags to make them the same amount as wolf tags, and the same amount as lion tags were until 2000 - $26.50 for resident tags and $256 for nonresident tags.
For the changes to be approved this year in time for the possibility of wolf delisting this fall, the proposed changes must be submitted as proposed legislation by early February.
Meanwhile, Fish and Game officials are working on a wolf hunting and species management plan under the guidelines of the Idaho Wolf Conservation and Management Plan that would reduce wolf numbers in areas of conflict and try to stabilize numbers across the rest of the state.
Any hunting seasons must be approved by the commissioners.
Large carnivore coordinator Steve Nadeau has assembled a planning team that includes the Fish and Game wildlife staff members and wolf specialist. The public will be involved at various levels throughout the planning process.
Fish and Game officials expect to have a final plan for hunting delisted wolves in Idaho ready for Commission approval in November.
Idaho has never had a hunting season on wolves. They were killed off across most of their range in the lower 48 states by the early 1900s. By the time they were listed as an endangered species in 1974, they were reduced to a small population in the northeastern corner of Minnesota and Isle Royale, Michigan.
In 1995, a federal reintroduction program brought 35 wolves to Idaho. Today, officials estimate about 650 wolves in 71 packs, and 41 or more breeding pairs inhabit Idaho.
Jackson Hole Star Tribune
AVERY, Idaho (AP) -- A wolf pack killed two hunting dogs and seriously injured another before being driven off by gunshots, an Avery man says.
Jamie Parker said he and some friends were hunting a mountain lion in the hills about a mile from Avery last Sunday when his three Plott hounds were attacked.
Parker said the hunters knew something was wrong when the dogs stopped barking. The hunters climbed to where the dogs were and found blood and a pack of wolves running toward them.
The men fired several shots and the wolves ran away, Parker told KYLY TV of Spokane, Wash.
"I don't know how to describe it," Parker said. "It tore my heart out. Wouldn't compare it to losing a child, but it's got to be closest thing to it."
Wolves were reintroduced to the northern Rocky Mountains, including Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, a decade ago after being hunted to near-extinction. More than 1,200 now live in the region, including about 650 in Idaho.
"I'm frustrated by the people that have shoved these wolves down our throat," Parker said.
The Idaho Fish and Game Department would manage gray wolves when they are taken off the federal endangered species list.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last month began the process of delisting the animals from federal protections in Idaho and Montana, and some say hunting could start within the year.
A plan drafted by Idaho's wildlife agency and approved by the Legislature and the federal government requires maintaining at least 15 packs of about 10 wolves each.
AVERY, Idaho (AP) -- A wolf pack killed two hunting dogs and seriously injured another before being driven off by gunshots, an Avery man says.
Jamie Parker said he and some friends were hunting a mountain lion in the hills about a mile from Avery last Sunday when his three Plott hounds were attacked.
Parker said the hunters knew something was wrong when the dogs stopped barking. The hunters climbed to where the dogs were and found blood and a pack of wolves running toward them.
The men fired several shots and the wolves ran away, Parker told KYLY TV of Spokane, Wash.
"I don't know how to describe it," Parker said. "It tore my heart out. Wouldn't compare it to losing a child, but it's got to be closest thing to it."
Wolves were reintroduced to the northern Rocky Mountains, including Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, a decade ago after being hunted to near-extinction. More than 1,200 now live in the region, including about 650 in Idaho.
"I'm frustrated by the people that have shoved these wolves down our throat," Parker said.
The Idaho Fish and Game Department would manage gray wolves when they are taken off the federal endangered species list.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last month began the process of delisting the animals from federal protections in Idaho and Montana, and some say hunting could start within the year.
A plan drafted by Idaho's wildlife agency and approved by the Legislature and the federal government requires maintaining at least 15 packs of about 10 wolves each.
15/02: Wolves Taking Down a Moose
These photos were taken on 2/12/06 by John Vucetich, a biologist who follows the wolf packs and records activity, etc. of Isle Royale. Isle Royale is an island of the Great Lakes, located in the northwest of Lake Superior. The island and the surrounding smaller islands and waters make up Isle Royale National Park and is part of the state of Michigan. These photos were taken from a Helicopter during ariel observations.
Looking further at this web site, Isle Royale wolves are the only predator of moose, and moose are nearly the only prey for wolves. (About 10% of a wolf’s diet is comprised of beaver and snowshoe hare.) Moreover, humans do not harvest wolves or moose. The wolves and moose of Isle Royale essentially represent a single-prey-single-predator system. Makes for a pretty interesting and unique place.
(Photo credit: www.isleroyalewolf.org)
