IDFG: Winter of the wolf

In response to Mr. Bartholdt’s article of Jan. 24 regarding the Idaho Department of Fish and Game moose and goat hunt reduction, I agree there is a need to reduce tags but take issue with the misdirection the IDFG regional biologist Ms. Wolf engages in with her comments solely focused on habitat, as if the lack of logging or a warm winter are what is causing the lack of moose or goats. Anyone who has spent any length of time in our national forests over the last 10 to 15 years can easily tell Ms. Wolf that wolves are overwhelmingly driving this need to reduce tags.

For example, I quit hunting in units 7 and 9 in 2011 as the only game one called in with elk or moose calls was wolves. An interesting sidenote is that in that time frame, the rationale given for all the winter kills of elk and moose was that it was “hard” winters!

As sportsmen and sportswomen, it’s clear we are not keeping up with the exploding population of wolves and I encourage hunters to do their part to manage the wolf population or Idaho will lose the distinction of being a sportsmen’s paradise, not to mention the revenue to that funds the salary of IDFG officials “managing” our wildlife plans.

MARK MECHLING

Cataldo