Montana, Idaho consider wolf-control options with hunts shut down

Montana's Fish, Wildlife and Parks commissioners had just finished their meeting Thursday afternoon when the wolf returned to their door. The commissioners ordered FWP director Joe Maurier to appeal the ruling and look for other ways to reduce the state's wolf population - since the ruling canceled Montana's wolf hunting season. But fast decisions at the top may not translate into action in the woods this fall. "We're not going to sit on the sidelines," Sime said. "It looks like Idaho is pursuing their most readily available course, and we're pursuing options that are a better fit for Montana. Clearly the spotlight's on Wyoming right now. Wyoming has put a speed bump there in terms of Montana managing its own wildlife." Idaho plans to manage wolves under what's called the 10/J rule of the Endangered Species Act. That allows the state and private individuals to shoot wolves that threaten livestock or contribute to declines in big-game herds. "We have good estimates of the wolf population," Unsworth said. "We will make an estimation of the number of wolves we would like to reduce and move forward. We're put in a position of more active management, although we would have preferred to use hunters." That includes a near-term effort to reduce wolf numbers in Idaho's Lolo area from the current 75 to 100 animals down to 20 or 30 this year. Idaho's Lolo hunting districts cover 1.5 million acres roughly between the St. Joe River and the Lochsa River west of Montana's Lolo Pass. Idaho Fish and Game spokesman Neils Nokkentved said the state wanted to hold wolves in that area to the lower number for at least five years. The original plan was to use public hunters to do the killing. Now the state will apply for federal 10/J permission using government hunters...more