Posted: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 11:28:41 pm PDT
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By TOM GREENE
Staff writer 

Proposal calls for 25 animals to be harvested in Panhandle Region in 2008

COEUR d'ALENE -- Idaho Fish and Game officials heard wolf horror stories and pleas for restraint in managing the species Wednesday at the Silver Lake Motel and Convention Center.

In his 24 years in Fish and Game, regional wildlife manager Jim Hayden told the crowd of about 75 that the wolf issue was "undeniably the most controversial -- the most polarized."

Fish and Game held the meeting to seek public input on the 2008 wolf hunting season as part of the first Idaho Wolf Population Management Plan. The state took over managing wolves on March 28 after they were taken off the endangered species list.

With an estimated 87 wolves in the Panhandle Region, the proposed plan calls for allowing 25 wolves to be harvested in the area in 2008. Hayden pointed out that the wolf population is growing at a rate of 29 percent a year, so without a harvest the population would grow to 112 wolves.

"The difference is 25, which is the number needed to be taken to keep it at 87," Hayden said. "The objective is to halt the growth of the wolf population in the Panhandle zone in 2008; not to have any less, not to have any more."

When the limit is reached, hunting is closed.

Details for the fall hunting season are expected to be set in late May, with regulations available to the public in July.

Kayla Freeman of Rathdrum believes wolves "definitely need to be managed."

"My dogs actually got attacked out at hunting camp," said Freeman, who hunts in the Avery area. "There were seven dogs and five kids in camp. The wolves came in at 5:30. It's getting hard to hunt out there."

Fred Bardelli said the plan "allows wolves to be murdered and pups to be murdered," in cruel ways and people will be judged by how they treat their animals.

"When will the state of Idaho repeal the horrible policy of killing wolves?" Bardelli said.

Rathdrum's Wayne Hammond said a "huge 150-pound" wolf came through his camp with five others, then "sat on the other side of the (St. Joe) river and howled at me."

"I did nothing," Hammond said. "I have never seen the kind of predation that's taken place in the last two years in the St. Joe area."

Barry Rosenberg said he has lived in the Priest Lake area for 33 years and "I've never seen a wolf."

With poaching and wolf numbers that are impossible to ensure are 100 percent accurate, Rosenberg said he had concerns about how Fish and Game would keep the population where it needs to be.

"How do you know when you reach that magic number?" Rosenberg said.

The location for the meeting tonight at 7 in St. Maries on the wolf hunting season has been changed to the Eagles Lodge, 707 Main Street.