Idaho again wants to land choppers in wilderness

Idaho again wants permission to land helicopters in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness to dart wolves and outfit them with radio collars. The U.S. Forest Service resisted a similar request in 2006 to allow choppers into the federally protected wilderness outside of established airstrips. That didn't stop the Idaho Department of Fish and Game from landing a helicopter in the wilderness without federal permission after darting a wolf on April 12, 2009, when it was still considered an endangered species. Federal officials labeled the landing "an incursion." Environmental groups have argued that such landings disrupt the pristine wilderness. They also fear information from tranquilizing and collaring wolves here could lead to more-aggressive wolf killing across Idaho. Idaho Department of Fish and Game wildlife managers insist trapping wilderness wolves on foot has been only marginally successful. By combining wolf-collaring missions with helicopter big game counts that occur every winter, they hope to more successfully track packs that roam some of the nation's most-remote territory. "We don't even land, really. We put a toe in. It takes about 15 minutes, once you've got a dart in them," Deputy Fish and Game Director Jim Unsworth said. "We do believe we have the legal authority" even without permission, Unsworth said Friday. "The reason we want to work with the Forest Service is, because we're partners and we'd like to do things within their process, if we can." His latest plan calls for choppers to touch down up to 20 times in the 2.4-million-acre area to collar up to 12 wolves...read more