Seen a wolf or grizzly bear lately?

Each year tens of thousands of hunters scour the woods of Idaho in search of game, and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game is seeking their help.

Fish and Game is asking sportsmen and others who may be in the field and observe wolves and grizzly bears to report the sighting.

According to regional wildlife manager Daryl Meints, observations reported by sportsmen have always contributed important information to the agency's wolf and bear monitoring efforts.

"Those observations are as valuable now as they ever have been," Meints said. "We are asking that anyone who has specific information about wolf or grizzly bear sightings to contact us."

Because documenting breeding pairs of wolves - defined as an adult male and adult female with at least 2 pups that survive through Dec. 31 of each year - is a critical component of the wolf monitoring program, Fish and Game is especially eager to hear from hunters who have seen packs of wolves with pups, or who have recorded groups of wolves or wolf pups on their trail cameras.

As part of ongoing recovery and management of grizzly bears Fish and Game is also encouraging people to report any grizzly sightings.

Observations can be made directly to the Upper Snake Regional Office at (208) 525-7290, or reports about wolf or grizzly sightings can be made using the online reporting form on the Fish and Game website.

The user-friendly, step-by-step form takes only a few minutes to complete.