"Open 'em year round. Hunt 'em, trap 'em, run 'em over," said Mike Popp, with a group called the Committee for a Safe and Wolf-Free Idaho. "Don't make a collared wolf illegal to shoot. Shoot 'em!".............It is truly sad that the "Mr. Popp's" of the World are at this moment in time bringing us back 150 years in attitude toward wolves, bears, cougars and the rest of the meat eaters that God put on the planet............How do the "Popp's" of the World reconcile their "kill baby kill" beliefs with their church going ways? It is tragic that in 2010 that a swath of our residents North, South, East and West are completely igonorant and narcisstic in their view of all life, save their own............Work harder we must not to let the lunatic fringe rule the day across the spectrum of issues that we face as a Nation

 

By ERIC BARKER

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission adopted a 10-month-long wolf hunting season in the upper Clearwater River basin Thursday and also increased the trapping season beyond what was recommended by Idaho Department of Fish and Game managers.

The commission, meeting in Salmon, lengthened the wolf season in the Lolo and Selway zones three months beyond what was proposed by wildlife biologists. Commissioner Fred Trevey of Lewiston recommended stretching the seasons in the two backcountry zones where biologists have documented wolves are the primary cause of elk mortality.

"We always have the option to truncate that if we need to," he said.

A wolf hunting proposal from the department recommended the statewide season open Aug. 30 and run through March 31. Commissioners approved those dates in most of the state. But in the two zones in the upper Clearwater basin, the season will run through June 30 so it stays open during the spring black bear hunt.

The department recommended a season without a harvest quota in most of the state, but it did propose them in the Beaverhead and Island Park zones along the Idaho-Montana state line near Yellowstone National Park. The quotas were recommended to promote genetic diversity by ensuring some wolves can migrate between Idaho and the park to mate.

At the request of new commissioner Kenny Anderson of Rigby, who represents the Upper Snake Region, the quota was increased to 10 in the Beaverhead Zone and to 30 in the Island Park Zone.

"I want more for my area; a better hunt and to take out more wolves," Anderson said.

The trapping season was lengthened by setting the opening date at Nov. 15, instead of Dec. 1, as recommended by the department. Commissioners also reduced the price of nonresident wolf hunting and trapping tags from $186 to $31.75, the same rate nonresidents are charged for mountain lion and black bear tags.

Hunters will be allowed to kill two wolves per year and trappers can take as many as five. Department Director Virgil Moore has said the state will manage the hunt to ensure the wolf population stays well above 150 - the number that could trigger relisting the animals under the Endangered Species Act. There are believed to be about 1,000 wolves in Idaho

Idaho Fish And Game Meeting Draws Crowd Of Wolf Foes

Jessica Robinson

SALMON, Idaho - The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will voted, yesterdaya(Thursday) on a plan to allow wolf hunting this fall without a cap on the number of wolves being killed in the state. And for the first time in the lower 48, trapping of the gray wolf would also be allowed. Correspondent Jessica Robinson was at a public meeting the Idaho Fish and Game held Wednesday on the proposal.

When the parking lot outside the Fish and Game office in Salmon, Idaho filled up, people started parking on the grass. Inside, members of the public hurled some harsh words against Fish and Game commissioners. Most speakers felt the panel isn't going far enough to rein in Idaho's wolf population."Open 'em year round. Hunt 'em, trap 'em, run 'em over," said Mike Popp, with a group called the Committee for a Safe and Wolf-Free Idaho. "Don't make a collared wolf illegal to shoot. Shoot 'em!"


Fish and Game estimates Idaho's wolf population now tops 1,000(many say 600 to 1000 depending on pup totals taken into accout--blogger Rick). And state wildlife managers don't expect hunters to make much of a dent in the population this year. Despite the ire the animal raises, the department isn't selling as many wolf tags as anticipated.

Meanwhile, conservation groups are contesting the way Congress de-listed the wolf this spring. Earlier this week, they made their case before a federal judge in Montana.