Idaho sets prices on Wolf Tags.

[JoseCuervo]

Too bad old BigHoreRam can't afford to buy a tag to hunt wolves. Maybe he can just live vicariously thru those of us who can scrape up $26.50 and still buy good beer.

Idaho plans to charge $26.50 to bag a wolf

Animals will be removed from federal protection

08:30 PM CST on Thursday, January 25, 2007
Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho – For the price of a tank of gas, Idaho hunters may soon be able to kill a wolf legally.

Idaho plans to charge $26.50 per tag for residents who want to bag one of the predators in a public hunt – once federal Endangered Species Act protections are lifted. The cost would be $256 for out-of-state hunters.

The Fish and Game Commission also plans a special hunt outside a regular wolf season. Those tickets would be offered to the highest bidder or in a lottery.

The commission approved the plan Thursday at a hastily called special meeting on a package of changes that now must be approved by the Legislature.

Wolves were reintroduced to the northern Rocky Mountains – including Idaho, Montana and Wyoming – a decade ago after being hunted to near-extinction. More than 1,200 now live in the region, including about 650 in Idaho.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced plans to begin delisting the animals from federal protections in Idaho and Montana as soon as this month. Until then, Idaho can't hold a hunt.

"In anticipation of a delisting by the federal government, the Department of Fish and Game and the Fish and Game Commission want to set up wolf tags and a hunting season," Fish and Game spokesman Niels Nokkentved said. "All of this is contingent on whether wolves are delisted. This is moot until they are."

Wyoming still doesn't have a federally approved management plan for its wolves, so a delisting plan there remains in limbo.

Idaho Fish and Game plans to draw up wolf hunting seasons by November, Nokkentved said. The agency plans to manage wolves as it does cougars and black bears, for which there are legal hunting seasons now.

The number of wolf tags hasn't yet been made public, he said.

Public wolf hunting is allowed in Alaska, but is outlawed in the lower 48 states.

"It's part of a necessary process to change from an Endangered Species Act-managed species, which in our opinion is no management, to a state-managed species as part of a state-managed program," said Nate Helm, director of Idaho Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife. That group has championed wolf delisting in Idaho out of concern the animals are killing too many elk.
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[Washington Hunter]

That's way too much to sell a wolf tag for. No way would I pay $256 to kill a wolf. Why should I be paying the state, when I'd be doing them a favor???

 

[Bambistew]

Hasn't WY had a 'price' listed for grizzly tags for the last 5-6 years?

 

[BigHornRam]

Hosebag,

Plenty of mutts over here to kill first, before I have to spend your net worth on an Idaho wolf tag. I will have to kill one of your expensive Idaho dogs on the Stateline trail (thats sneaking over here to eat our elk) now....just to piss you off.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Mr. Cuervo,

Plenty of mutts over here to kill first, before I have to spend your net worth on an Idaho wolf tag. I will have to kill one of your expensive Idaho dogs on the Stateline trail (thats sneaking over here to eat our elk) now....just to piss you off.

I figured you didn't have enough money to buy a tag, either that, or you are just full of chit and when it comes to putting your money where your mouth is, you can't seem to find your wallet.

Meanwhile, Idaho adds another trophy game animal for hunters and more hunting opportunities. What is Wyoming doing???

 

[Washington Hunter]

Idaho should make it so a hunter can use a deer tag for a wolf if he happens to see one, same as they allow a deer tag to be used on a bear. (at least I think that's the rule) I personally wouldn't want to go hunting specifically for a wolf, but might shoot one if I had the opportunity, especially if the wolves had eaten or chased all of the deer out of the area I was hunting.

 

[AZ402]

Too bad old BigHoreRam can't afford to buy a tag to hunt wolves. Maybe he can just live vicariously thru those of us who can scrape up $26.50 and still buy good beer.

Tough day in the office?

 

[noharleyyet]

10:1 price ratio....NR to Resident

...sounds about right to we Texans. Gotta love your NF playgrounds. Guess buying the tag (Buzz quote, "It'll never happen you dumbasses"), beats carrying that damn shovel everywhere.

 

[BigHornRam]

Jose,

Wyoming is going to have a 365 day a year season in parts of the state at a modest $0.00 charge for non residents. And they'll have the hunt going before Idaho can put together their overpriced dog hunts. Sorry Idaho, Wyoming is a more attractive option to me!

 

[Washington Hunter]

10:1 price ratio....NR to Resident

...sounds about right to we Texans. Gotta love your NF playgrounds. Guess buying the tag (Buzz quote, "It'll never happen you dumbasses"), beats carrying that damn shovel everywhere.

Don't bury them NHY. That would be a waste. The coyotes have got to have something to eat.

 

[Cathunt MT]

That will never fly!!!!
they will have to do it on a lotto system...
Do you think the feds are just going to give them over and let the hunters have a free for all over the counter tag???? It would be nice but I dont think so.....

 

[sreekers]

I haven't heard anything on the wolf compromise lately here in Wyoming. Anybody got any links where I can get filled in?

 

[TheTone]

Season structures weren't set, just a price for what the tag will cost. I've heard from some reliable sources that it will more than likely be a draw tag the first year to see what success is like before its an OTC tag later possibly.

WH, no offense but I hope they don't do the same dumb thing they've done with non-resident deer tags and there use as a bear or lion tag if it presents itself.

 

[Washington Hunter]

WH, no offense but I hope they don't do the same dumb thing they've done with non-resident deer tags and there use as a bear or lion tag if it presents itself.

Why????

 

[379 Peterbilt]

Weather it is $26 in ID and/or free in WY, I say good either way. I would love to kill one of those woofs. Or a few..

And a special 1000 mile trip just to do it would be nothing for me.

 

[carbonarcher]

The tone, I'm with WH on this one, why is the idea "dumb" for the NR's to be able to use their deer tag for a bear or lion? Not trying to pick a fight, just wondering what your reasoning is.

 

[JoseCuervo]

The tone, I'm with WH on this one, why is the idea "dumb" for the NR's to be able to use their deer tag for a bear or lion? Not trying to pick a fight, just wondering what your reasoning is.

Because Idaho's F&G is funded by tags and licenses being bought. Idaho needs to do whatever maximizes the revenue to the Department AND meets the objectives of the BIOLOGIST in charge.

 

[Washington Hunter]

Because Idaho's F&G is funded by tags and licenses being bought. Idaho needs to do whatever maximizes the revenue to the Department AND meets the objectives of the BIOLOGIST in charge.

Yeah but how many non-residents are going to pay $250 for a wolf tag? If the wolf population get reduced, there will be MORE deer and elk tags to sell. More money! So, they should be giving away the wolf tags to anybody with a gun.

 

[cornfed]

a lot of talk about hunting them, but i would think that some of the trappers in Idaho would like to try their hand at catching a few of them.They are probably the ones doing the damage control now anyway.

 

[TheTone]

I don't like it for two reasons: 1. I'm selfish, I can't use my deer tag to shoot a bear or a lion. 2. It just makes no sense, I know the basis of it is to reduce lion and bear numbers in some units where they are believed to be impacting deer and elk herds; but isn't that why their are bear and lion tags in the first place? To use for those species?

We can't just give wolf tags out for free, thats stupid and would hurt the ability to get them off the list. How do you think those that will fight the delisting would look at free tags?