State panel addresses wolves

KELLOGG - Idaho's Fish and Game Commission said it was committed to finding the right number of wolves that should be in Idaho and will work with communities to find that number.

The group wrapped up two days of meetings with a barbecue Thursday night in Osburn. It was the first time the commissioners made a stop in the Silver Valley since the mid-1950s.

Discussing the next wolf hunting season was just one of many items on the agenda, but Fish and Game spokesman Mark Taylor said the public hearing included a lot of people who like wolves and a lot of people who don't like them and not many in between.

"People's emotions run high when you talk about wolves," said Taylor, adding that he thinks it's a positive thing and would worry if people were lackadaisical about the issue, and others involving wildlife.

"It's good as long as we're civil," said Taylor.

The commission said Wednesday it will allow trapping and the use of electronic calls in this year's wolf hunt to help reduce the state's wolf population. The decision comes the same week that Montana more than doubled its quota for this year's wolf hunt.

Idaho's population is estimated at a minimum of 835 wolves, while Montana had at least 524 wolves at the end of last year.

The commission will set quotas for Idaho's fall wolf hunt in August.

Idaho Fish and Game Director Cal Groen said he was also glad to see a variety of opinions at the meeting, but that once Fish and Game is allowed to manage wolves like other big game, much of the anxiety surrounding them will disappear.

"We want to manage them. We're good managers, but they're tied up in court," said Groen, adding that in his opinion the last wolf season was a good, orderly season, and hunters reported their harvests right away.

"We've played by the rules, and we need a balance," said Groen, "There shouldn't be one species that we can't manage effectively."

Shoshone County Sportsmen's Association Director and Treasurer Larry Jennings said that he thought the meetings were very positive. His main concern, along with many others, is the loss of elk due to wolves.

Jennings said it was good that pro-wolf people came to the meeting, but that they were outnumbered by sportsmen. Jennings thought overall, the debate was a good thing.

"Nobody got too crazy," Jennings said.