MANAGED WOLF HUNTS OUT WEST ?????????

[repoman]

updated 2:58 a.m. PT, Sat., March. 29, 2008
BOISE, Idaho - Good news for gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains: They no longer need federal protection. The bad news for the animals? Plans are already in the works to hunt them.

Federal Endangered Species Act protection of the wolves was lifted Friday in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, giving those states management of the estimated 1,500 gray wolves in the region.

Even though environmentalists plan to sue the federal government next month to restore wolf protections, hunts are already being scheduled by state wildlife agencies to reduce the wolf population to between 900 and 1,250.

Story continues below ↓
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
advertisement

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘The world is watching’
Idaho hunters will be allowed to kill between 100-300 of the animals this fall under a plan approved by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission. The hunts are partly in response to increasing numbers of livestock being killed as the predators' population has grown.

"We manage big game for a living, we're good at it," said Steve Nadeau, who oversees large carnivores for the Idaho Fish and Game Department. "The world is watching and we know it."

Fish and Game estimates Idaho now has 800 gray wolves. Should the number of breeding pairs in Idaho fall below a target number, the animals could be brought back under federal protection.

After a series of public shouting matches between wolf advocates and opponents, comments from Idaho Department Fish and Game officials on Friday seemed largely designed to reassure both ends of the debate.

Cal Groen, director of the department, told reporters that his agency has already proven its ability to recover and maintain Idaho wolf populations. "We've exceeded all the goals the federal government set," Groen said.

But Doug Honnold, a managing attorney for the nonprofit environmental law firm Earthjustice, disagrees. Honnold said the wolf populations won't be fully recovered in Idaho and the northern Rockies until the animals number between 2,000 and 3,000.

Umbrella group plans lawsuit
Earthjustice, which represents 12 local and national environmental groups, plans to sue the federal government next month to continue wolf protections.

All three state plans to manage the wolves call for a reduction in their numbers, which will eventually lead to weaker breeding, Honnold said in a telephone interview from Bozeman, Mont.

"We think that would be a disaster," he said. "We've spent a lot of time, money and effort to promote wolf recovery."

Gray wolves were listed as endangered in 1973 after being hunted into near extinction, but the population has rebounded dramatically after restoration efforts began in 1995. The wolves were recently de-listed in the western Great Lakes, while the wolf population in the Southwest remains endangered.

Wildlife biologists estimate there are now 41 breeding pairs in Idaho, in 72 packs. If that number falls below 10 breeding pairs, or 15 during a three-year period, the wolves could be brought back under federal protection.

On Friday, Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter signed a bill to allow ranchers, outfitters and pet owners to kill wolves harassing livestock. The law gives owners up to 72 hours to report wolves they've killed after catching them annoying, disturbing or stalking animals or livestock


HMMM 

[Super Star!]

to bad that will never happen here... would be nice to get a wolf... to many antis and they have way to much money to toss around..

[Cody Gruchow]

in mn it would be nice but if someone really wanted a to shoot a wolf im sure it is easyier in canada.

[HD]

Looks like we might have to take a ROAD TRIP!!!!!!





Hunter

[repoman]

I THINK YOUR RIGHT     

[GRIZ]

I think in canada all it takes is a varmint lic. Not sure.

[HD]

I wonder with the new border crossing rules, if you would have a problem bringing your guns across.

And I wonder too, if there are any restrictons on bringing a wolf back across.

Do you know Griz?
Or anybody else?



Hunter

[GRIZ]

I don't know about the gun thing. With the wolf I've heard different points. One is you have to get it tanned or mounted up there then bring it acrossed. The other is as long as it's properly lic/tagged it's no problem. Would prolly want to look into it further before doing it.

[GRIZ]

You think they are watching the wolf hunt. We have a lawsuit going on in MN that every trapper in the country is watching. All trappers would be effected by this not just MN. Trappers associations and individuals have been donating funds to help with the legal fees. Some like pennsylvania and wisconsin in excess of $5000.

It is more complex than I can even understand. It deals with the canadian lynx. The antis are trying to stop trapping in MN in order to protect this animal. (they claim) While the canadian goverment considers them a varmint furbearer. The base population is in canada.

[rchaze60]

I was out at the sportshow yesterday and stop by both the US Border Patrol and Canadian Border Patrol and they both said that  if you do go hunting in Canada you have to fill out a bunch of paperwork to take your firearms across and if you do kill something in Canada you have to either tan it or stuff it ....if you dont you will not be able to bring it across and also if you do go up there all you need til the end of the year is a photo id and birth certificate I got this info from the US border Patrol

[HD]

That's what I was looking for! Thanks for the Info.   



Hunter

[GRIZ]

It is more to it than most would think. Most people won't be able to go after them. You will have to be a certified wolf controller. The state and USFWS put these on. The cost is a couple hundred I think?

Don't take my word for this but the way I understand it is if you are a certified controller, that doesn't give you the ability to keep the animal or any parts there of. Just the right to take problem animals causing damage ,when notified by authorities to do so.

[thunderpout]

I may be wrong on this but I was told that you have to have a permit to hunt/bring guns into canada to hunt, and ya have to renew them often....I also thought you could bring back from canada, any legally tagged/registered (Canada regs) if you have the papers... unless this has changed...

[GRIZ]

You can still trap them in MN if you are a state certified wolf controler. I don't think it will be a public type hunt for quit a time, if ever.

[22lex]

In reply to the wolf hunts that will be open in MT, ID.

I have had the experience to travel to MT numerous times to hunt. Talking to locals out there about wolves is a different experience in it's own. My uncle who is a resident of Bozemann said the predation on livestock is one thing, but what the wolves do to Moose is another.

He explained that in the generalized pockets where alot of the moose live, (which I believe they are Shiraz moose) the wolves will completely wipe them out during the winter one valley at a time. I was south of Anaconda, MT last year and only saw one moose the whole time where we were elk hunting. In previous years I had seen upwards of 25-30 in a general vicinity. A park ranger also told me in a round about politically correct way the same thing.

It's too bad millions of dollars that could be used for something worthwhile will be sunk on lawyers fees on both sides. Management is the best thing to do.

Grizzlies are the next on the list out there once populations reach a standard.