Feds study Idaho wolf management plan

Ithaca 37

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Maybe this will help clear up some of the looney tune ideas about wolf management I've read in the elk forum.

"Feds study Idaho wolf management plan

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has begun an environmental review of whether the Idaho Department of Fish and Game should be allowed to take over management of wolves in northern Idaho.

Officials say the change would not affect how the wolves are managed, but simply change who manages them.

"It's a wonderful idea," Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator with the federal service, said Thursday.

"It's good for the wolves and it's good for the people who have to live with them," said Bangs.

"For the wolves and the people there really should be no difference in what's going on," said Steve Nadeau, statewide large carnivore manager for Idaho Fish and Game.

The review period ends July 3, and Fish and Wildlife officials are accepting public comments up to that time.

Idaho already manages wolves south of Interstate 90 in northern Idaho that are listed as "experimental, nonessential" under the Endangered Species Act. That population of wolves were reintroduced into the area, starting in 1995.

Wolves there can legally be killed under a greater range of circumstances, including by private citizens, without first getting permission from Fish and Wildlife, which is required for wolves north of I-90.

Those wolves are considered to be naturally occurring and are classified as an endangered species. Killing one of them must first be approved by the federal agency. If Idaho's request is approved, Fish and Game officials would take over that responsibility.

It is legal to kill any wolf in self-defense, officials said.Nadeau said part of the reason behind the proposed change is Idaho has more resources to manage wolves than the federal government.

"We have a wolf management program and a plan in place," said Nadeau. "We have people on the ground, we have experts in the field, and all the equipment and gear and airplanes, everything that's required in wolf management.

"The Fish and Wildlife Service currently doesn't have that." "

http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060602/NEWS06/606020347/1056
 
Does anyone have any real numbers for the wolves north of I-90? IMO it would only make sense to have Idaho in charge of those wolves as well, plus I'm sure there has been some interaction between those naturally occuring wolves and the reintroduced wolves. Hopefully this goes through. I'm also curious if this mangement change does occur will Idaho be able to include the northern wolves in the counts with the reintroduced? Realistically it is more or less one population now.
 
It's always been one population in the north here. I think it would be a good idea, but I'm not holding my breath.
 
I'm waiting to see the wolf huggers response to this. So far they've been quiet.

Funny that the USFWS doesn't have any "experts in the field, and all the equipment and gear and airplanes, everything that's required in wolf management." Budget and focus must have been switched over to the endangered Hawaii fly crisis.
 
I'm waiting to see the wolf huggers response to this. So far they've been quiet.

I don't see why the wolf huggers would respond to the different entity managing the wolf north of I 90, their status would stay the same.
 
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