Wolves in Idaho

“Idaho Wolf Management
On January 29, 2007, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced its proposal to remove gray wolves in Idaho, and other parts of the northern Rocky Mountains from the federal endangered species act.

Deputy Secretary of Interior Lynn Scarlett and Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dale Hall announced the proposed delisting of gray wolves in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and parts of Washington, Oregon and Utah.

About 12 years ago, 66 gray wolves were reintroduced to central Idaho and Yellowstone National Park. Today those wolves number more than 1,200, Scarlett said. More than 700 of them are in Idaho, she said.

The delisting proposal will be open for public comment for 60 days. The agency also will conduct a series of public hearings on the proposal in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon and Utah. Fish and Wildlife officials will analyze the comments and expected to issue a final rule by the end of the year. The rule would become final 30 days after it is published.

For full text of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal and other documents, click here.

The process may take longer than a year, and litigation may delay the process. Until the process is complete, wolves in Idaho remain under the protection of the Endangered Species Act.

Since January 5, 2006, Idaho has had primary responsibility for managing wolves within the state under an agreement signed by U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton and Gov. Dirk Kempthorne. Pending federal delisting, Idaho Fish and Game will continue to:

Handle most day-to-day wolf management south of Interstate 90 in Idaho as the designated agent for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and under a separate special permit north of I-90.
Handle landowner, outfitter and livestock operator wolf problems, and used lethal and non-lethal methods to reduce or resolve wolf-livestock conflicts and in some cases to reduce impacts on wild ungulates, under provisions of the 10(j) rule.
Investigate wolf kills and depredation incidents in cooperation with Wildlife Services.
Issue wolf take permits for scientific research, to prevent conflicts with some human activities, to relocate straying wolves, to aid law enforcement investigations and for other specific reasons.
Conduct monitoring, research, outreach and agency coordination.
Memorandum of Agreement [PDF file] - Complete text.
Wolves in Idaho remain on the endangered species list and will be managed under the revised “10(j)” rule of the Endangered Species Act. Hunting will remain prohibited until wolves are removed from the list.

The “10(j)” refers to the section of the federal Endangered Species Act regarding wolf reintroduction in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. In early 2005, the Fish and Wildlife Service approved changes in the way reintroduced wolves can be managed in Idaho south of Interstate 90 and in parts of Montana.

Oh joy now it will only be like another five to ten years till we can kill them.”

“oh yeah and just in case you didn't know breeding season is coming up which means pups aren't far behind which means the wolves will be teaching their pups how to hunt which involves alot of "sport" killing of elk and cattle the wolves don't even eat half of what they kill during this time. and if the kill a pregnant cow elk they will just eat the fetus and leave the rest.

thanks Dirt (whoops that is supposed to be a "k")”

“Someone told me that wolf populations tend to expand and expand until they decimate their prey populations, and then there's a massive wolf die-off through starvation. When the prey populations increase again, the cycle repeats itself. If one is looking at wildlife management as a balancing game, then the wolves really screw it up big time.

Anyone confirm/deny that?”

“Same thing is going on in Wisconsin. Many locals shoot 'em on sight. It's no longer uncommon to see them in your yard.

Mutt, I think that's a pretty common predator/prey cycle.”

“Dirk Kempthorne, former Governor of Idaho is now the Secretary of the Interior. By the way, why is the Department of the Interior in charge of everything outside? He knows the Idaho wolf issue inside out. Whether or not you agree with him, he will not be acting from a position of ignorance. Ranchers don’t like wolfs killing their stock. Hunter don’t like the competition for prey. It is a big issue in Idaho. If it is left to the state to manage the wolfs, expect to see the population greatly reduced. There is certainly room in Idaho for wolfs, ranchers and hunters. We have wilderness areas were there is no stock and hunters only work the fringes (except those with professional guides). Wolfs however can not be contained in these areas were human interaction is minimized.”

“stupid animals...what are they doing on OUR land anyway”

“Did yall kno my reel daddy is a woof? I seen it on TB. My momma is a yeller lab bwt.”

“http://challismessenger.com/index.php?accnum=story-3-20080131

This is the paper in my Idaho Bro's town. They have wolf stories nigh weekly...”

“People just need to start shhoting at them even if you don't shoot them literally it will get them scared of humans, it will help move them away from our more common hunting grounds and cattle.”