Idaho Wolf Management - Proposed 90% Population Reduction

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Rzrbk

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IDAHO BILL ALLOWING KILLING OF 90 PERCENT OF STATE’S WOLVES AWAITS GOVERNOR’S DECISION TO SIGN​

MAY 7, 2021​

As of today, Idaho Gov. Brad Little has not said whether he will sign a bill passed by the Idaho Legislature last week that would allow the killing of 90% of the state’s wolf population.
The bill would allow the hiring of private contractors to kill up to 90 percent of the state’s 1,500 wolves. In addition, Senate Bill 1211 would allow hunters and trappers to kill an unlimited number of wolves on a single hunting tag, run down wolves with ATVs and snowmobiles, and trap year-round on all private land across the state. The bill would also increase annual funds for wolf killing by the Idaho Wolf Depredation Control Board from $110,000 to $300,000.
The measure also allows, on private land, the killing of newborn pups and nursing mothers.
Bill proponents assert that wolves kill too many elk and livestock. Opponents say wolves kill less than a fraction of 1% of Idaho’s livestock annually, and elk population numbers are above management objectives in most of the state.
The Associated Press reported that nearly 30 retired state, federal and tribal wildlife managers sent a letter to Little asking him to veto the bill backed by agricultural interests.
The former workers at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Nez Perce Tribe, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, University of Idaho and U.S. Forest Service say the methods for killing wolves allowed in the measure violate longstanding wildlife management practices and sportsmen ethics.
“Sportsmen and wildlife managers in Idaho and around the world have long opposed unethical practices like these, since they violate ‘fair-chase’ principles giving hunters an improper advantage over wildlife,” the group wrote in the letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press.
“If this horrific bill passes, Idaho could nearly wipe out its wolf population,” said Andrea Zaccardi, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Unless we can stop this from becoming law, decades of progress towards wolf recovery will be lost.”
If the bill is signed into law, the Center will be considering next steps to protect Idaho’s wolves and wildlife, which may include legal action, she said.
“Governor Little must veto this cruel and disastrous bill,” said Zaccardi. “Idaho’s state wildlife agency should be allowed to continue to manage wolves, not anti-wolf legislators dead set on exterminating the state’s wolves. We’re going to do everything we can to fight for the survival of wolves in Idaho.”
The retired wildlife managers also said the measure undermines the Idaho Fish and Game Commission because it removes wildlife management decisions from the commission and its experts, placing the decisions instead with politicians. The commission opposes the measure.
Finally, the letter states that the proposed law threatens an agreement Idaho officials made with the federal government to manage wolves in 2002.
Idaho’s 2002 wolf conservation and management plan calls for at least 150 wolves and 15 packs in Idaho. Backers of the measure have said the state is allowed to increase the killing of wolves to reach that level, said the Associated Press.
IDFG’s annual wolf population estimate documented the population was stable from 2019 to 2020, indicating that a similar number of wolves were added to the population and removed from the population between the two estimates. The 2020 estimate was 1,556 wolves, 10 fewer than the 2019 estimate of 1,566.
The estimates are made in August at a time of the year when the wolf population is near its annual maximum. Tracking human-caused mortality and adding estimated natural mortality through the year allows biologists to estimate the minimum population size, which occurs just before the addition of pups in March and April.
Human-caused mortality of wolves between the two August estimates was documented at 583 — 53 percent higher than 382 during the previous year. Documented human-caused mortality coupled with IDFG’s estimate of natural wolf mortality allows biologists to describe the annual population cycle and estimate the annual minimum population at approximately 900 wolves.
“It is important to be able to describe both the annual population cycle and longer-term population trend from year to year,” IDFG Director Ed Schriever said. “Idaho has a commitment to maintain a population of at least 150 wolves. The Idaho Fish and Game Commission is responsible for managing the state’s wolf population, and it has established an objective to manage for a smaller wolf population to reduce conflicts with livestock and managing the state’s wildlife to keep a healthy balance between predators and prey.
“The population estimate is a valuable tool to both measure the effectiveness of the commission’s management and provide the public with a clear understanding of that management,” he said. “Although the population was stable from 2019 to 2020, the estimate did measure lower wolf occupancy in areas where wolf mortality was highest.”
Gray wolves were delisted from the Endangered Species Act last year by the U.S. Department of the Interior, which said the population had sufficiently recovered to no longer warrant protection.
 
Dare I say that the Wolf reintroduction process is still FAR to young to have reached an Environmental equilibrium? I’m not “pro-wolf” per se but I am “pro nature” and I greedily would love to have a Million Elk in our state! But, that is not realistic, and they would literally just eat themselves to death! So, If we can do reasonable predator control, keep Wolf populations under no more than 1000 annually, the ecosystem will find balance. Mother Nature ALWAYS finds balance. Lastly, dare I also say that the Elk that were present from the time of Wolf reintro and during the first decade or so have list their natural defenses toward Wolves. Thus, the number of Elk killed via Wolf predation has been skewed toward an artificially high percentage of the population. The Elk are now learning how to behave like Elk again in an environment that has its original members present! This will balance and find the natural state IF we can properly “manage” the scenario. In my opinion, little “nudges” back toward healthy equilibrium is the answer, not go kill %90 of the Wolves or not artificially boost Elk populations. If we invest time energy and money toward healthy habitat, both humans and wolves will be able to eat Elk while not wiping out the Elk herds. I’m probably going to be blasted for saying this but Nature wants balance. I, as an Outdoorsman want what Nature wants, a healthy ecosystem for ALL!!
 
Grepgaston said:
Dare I say that the Wolf reintroduction process is still FAR to young to have reached an Environmental equilibrium? I’m not “pro-wolf” per se but I am “pro nature” and I greedily would love to have a Million Elk in our state! But, that is not realistic, and they would literally just eat themselves to death! So, If we can do reasonable predator control, keep Wolf populations under no more than 1000 annually, the ecosystem will find balance. Mother Nature ALWAYS finds balance. Lastly, dare I also say that the Elk that were present from the time of Wolf reintro and during the first decade or so have list their natural defenses toward Wolves. Thus, the number of Elk killed via Wolf predation has been skewed toward an artificially high percentage of the population. The Elk are now learning how to behave like Elk again in an environment that has its original members present! This will balance and find the natural state IF we can properly “manage” the scenario. In my opinion, little “nudges” back toward healthy equilibrium is the answer, not go kill %90 of the Wolves or not artificially boost Elk populations. If we invest time energy and money toward healthy habitat, both humans and wolves will be able to eat Elk while not wiping out the Elk herds. I’m probably going to be blasted for saying this but Nature wants balance. I, as an Outdoorsman want what Nature wants, a healthy ecosystem for ALL!!
Click to expand...
Dare I say that headline is totally misleading? No matter how liberal the seasons get we will never reduce our current population by 90% through just hunting and trapping. Old article and Little already signed the bill. It expands current seasons and IDFG already neutered the bill with how they plan to manage it. Really almost nothing expanded that much beyond trapping on private land which in northern Idaho is not where most if any of the wolf packs hang out. If you want equilibrium of 200 years ago you would need to remove 1.6 million people from the state. If you like that idea I say "you first". Have you trapped or killed a wolf by hunting? If not, do that a few times and then decide if we can eliminate 90 percent of our wolves with these new rules. I guess some people have lived in cities so long they don't realize we are part of the whole circle of balance in nature. Its part of our role to manage all wildlife to create balance in the current world which just has lots more people than 200 years ago. Again-go trap or kill a couple wolves under the new rules and report back how fast we will eliminate 90 percent. Unless you are WAY better than me and everyone I know, reducing wolves by 90 percent is not going to happen even with expanded methods and seasons. The media took the minimum of 150 and extrapolated that to reducing wolves by 90%-NO where did it suggest the goal was to reduce total wolf population to 150 total. Its a typical bull crap news headline and article. I like having wolves but they need to be reduced from current numbers and this is a step in that direction.
 
Grepgaston said:
Dare I say that the Wolf reintroduction process is still FAR to young to have reached an Environmental equilibrium? I’m not “pro-wolf” per se but I am “pro nature” and I greedily would love to have a Million Elk in our state! But, that is not realistic, and they would literally just eat themselves to death! So, If we can do reasonable predator control, keep Wolf populations under no more than 1000 annually, the ecosystem will find balance. Mother Nature ALWAYS finds balance. Lastly, dare I also say that the Elk that were present from the time of Wolf reintro and during the first decade or so have list their natural defenses toward Wolves. Thus, the number of Elk killed via Wolf predation has been skewed toward an artificially high percentage of the population. The Elk are now learning how to behave like Elk again in an environment that has its original members present! This will balance and find the natural state IF we can properly “manage” the scenario. In my opinion, little “nudges” back toward healthy equilibrium is the answer, not go kill %90 of the Wolves or not artificially boost Elk populations. If we invest time energy and money toward healthy habitat, both humans and wolves will be able to eat Elk while not wiping out the Elk herds. I’m probably going to be blasted for saying this but Nature wants balance. I, as an Outdoorsman want what Nature wants, a healthy ecosystem for ALL!!
Click to expand...
I am guessing you recently moved to Idaho? Not being disrespectful and a lot of people have in last few years and I don't blame them. Just really curious as this is a viewpoint most often shared by newcomers. Most change after a while if they avidly hunt elk. No offense intended but serious question as I don't hear Idaho natives (who avidly elk hunt) express this viewpoint very often.
 
Grepgaston said:
the ecosystem will find balance. Mother Nature ALWAYS finds balance. I’m probably going to be blasted for saying this but Nature wants balance. I, as an Outdoorsman want what Nature wants, a healthy ecosystem for ALL!!
Click to expand...
Grepgaston there is no balance of nature, does not exist, no longer taught in university level ecology courses. Nature is in flux, only reaching temporary homeostasis. Left to their own, in this human dominated landscape, populations don't always fluctuate in ways we like. As humans, and hunters, we appreciate steady and predictable populations, and our F+W departments do a pretty good job of keeping numbers at a predictable level.

90% Wolf population reduction I'd think is pretty much impossible. David Mech the world's preeminent wolf researcher once remarked that without the use of poison, it's doubtful humans can put a serious dent in wolf populations in the west.
 
Rzrbk said:
wolf-face.jpg

IDAHO BILL ALLOWING KILLING OF 90 PERCENT OF STATE’S WOLVES AWAITS GOVERNOR’S DECISION TO SIGN​

MAY 7, 2021​

As of today, Idaho Gov. Brad Little has not said whether he will sign a bill passed by the Idaho Legislature last week that would allow the killing of 90% of the state’s wolf population.
The bill would allow the hiring of private contractors to kill up to 90 percent of the state’s 1,500 wolves. In addition, Senate Bill 1211 would allow hunters and trappers to kill an unlimited number of wolves on a single hunting tag, run down wolves with ATVs and snowmobiles, and trap year-round on all private land across the state. The bill would also increase annual funds for wolf killing by the Idaho Wolf Depredation Control Board from $110,000 to $300,000.
The measure also allows, on private land, the killing of newborn pups and nursing mothers.
Bill proponents assert that wolves kill too many elk and livestock. Opponents say wolves kill less than a fraction of 1% of Idaho’s livestock annually, and elk population numbers are above management objectives in most of the state.
The Associated Press reported that nearly 30 retired state, federal and tribal wildlife managers sent a letter to Little asking him to veto the bill backed by agricultural interests.
The former workers at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Nez Perce Tribe, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, University of Idaho and U.S. Forest Service say the methods for killing wolves allowed in the measure violate longstanding wildlife management practices and sportsmen ethics.
“Sportsmen and wildlife managers in Idaho and around the world have long opposed unethical practices like these, since they violate ‘fair-chase’ principles giving hunters an improper advantage over wildlife,” the group wrote in the letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press.
“If this horrific bill passes, Idaho could nearly wipe out its wolf population,” said Andrea Zaccardi, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Unless we can stop this from becoming law, decades of progress towards wolf recovery will be lost.”
If the bill is signed into law, the Center will be considering next steps to protect Idaho’s wolves and wildlife, which may include legal action, she said.
“Governor Little must veto this cruel and disastrous bill,” said Zaccardi. “Idaho’s state wildlife agency should be allowed to continue to manage wolves, not anti-wolf legislators dead set on exterminating the state’s wolves. We’re going to do everything we can to fight for the survival of wolves in Idaho.”
The retired wildlife managers also said the measure undermines the Idaho Fish and Game Commission because it removes wildlife management decisions from the commission and its experts, placing the decisions instead with politicians. The commission opposes the measure.
Finally, the letter states that the proposed law threatens an agreement Idaho officials made with the federal government to manage wolves in 2002.
Idaho’s 2002 wolf conservation and management plan calls for at least 150 wolves and 15 packs in Idaho. Backers of the measure have said the state is allowed to increase the killing of wolves to reach that level, said the Associated Press.
IDFG’s annual wolf population estimate documented the population was stable from 2019 to 2020, indicating that a similar number of wolves were added to the population and removed from the population between the two estimates. The 2020 estimate was 1,556 wolves, 10 fewer than the 2019 estimate of 1,566.
The estimates are made in August at a time of the year when the wolf population is near its annual maximum. Tracking human-caused mortality and adding estimated natural mortality through the year allows biologists to estimate the minimum population size, which occurs just before the addition of pups in March and April.
Human-caused mortality of wolves between the two August estimates was documented at 583 — 53 percent higher than 382 during the previous year. Documented human-caused mortality coupled with IDFG’s estimate of natural wolf mortality allows biologists to describe the annual population cycle and estimate the annual minimum population at approximately 900 wolves.
“It is important to be able to describe both the annual population cycle and longer-term population trend from year to year,” IDFG Director Ed Schriever said. “Idaho has a commitment to maintain a population of at least 150 wolves. The Idaho Fish and Game Commission is responsible for managing the state’s wolf population, and it has established an objective to manage for a smaller wolf population to reduce conflicts with livestock and managing the state’s wildlife to keep a healthy balance between predators and prey.
“The population estimate is a valuable tool to both measure the effectiveness of the commission’s management and provide the public with a clear understanding of that management,” he said. “Although the population was stable from 2019 to 2020, the estimate did measure lower wolf occupancy in areas where wolf mortality was highest.”
Gray wolves were delisted from the Endangered Species Act last year by the U.S. Department of the Interior, which said the population had sufficiently recovered to no longer warrant protection.
Click to expand...
Anyone wanting to teach me some wolf hunting skills for unit 4, HIT ME UP!!!
 
Jackleg13 said:
Anyone wanting to teach me some wolf hunting skills for unit 4, HIT ME UP!!!
Click to expand...

I have not spent any time intentionally hunting wolves but have talked to a few guys that spend a lot of time there and in other panhandle units. Basically comes down to knowing where wolves regularly travel. Listen for howls at night or howl to locate packs. And usually electronic calls set out in a shooting lane or clearing where you can call them in for a shot. Or just happen across one while wandering around wondering where the elk are at.
 
Grepgaston said:
Dare I say that the Wolf reintroduction process is still FAR to young to have reached an Environmental equilibrium? I’m not “pro-wolf” per se but I am “pro nature” and I greedily would love to have a Million Elk in our state! But, that is not realistic, and they would literally just eat themselves to death! So, If we can do reasonable predator control, keep Wolf populations under no more than 1000 annually, the ecosystem will find balance. Mother Nature ALWAYS finds balance. Lastly, dare I also say that the Elk that were present from the time of Wolf reintro and during the first decade or so have list their natural defenses toward Wolves. Thus, the number of Elk killed via Wolf predation has been skewed toward an artificially high percentage of the population. The Elk are now learning how to behave like Elk again in an environment that has its original members present! This will balance and find the natural state IF we can properly “manage” the scenario. In my opinion, little “nudges” back toward healthy equilibrium is the answer, not go kill %90 of the Wolves or not artificially boost Elk populations. If we invest time energy and money toward healthy habitat, both humans and wolves will be able to eat Elk while not wiping out the Elk herds. I’m probably going to be blasted for saying this but Nature wants balance. I, as an Outdoorsman want what Nature wants, a healthy ecosystem for ALL!!
Click to expand...
Mother Nature always finds a balance? That might have been true at one time but once there are humans hunting elk and wolves there will no longer be even the possibility of a "natural" balance.
 
Randy said it best a long while back... I'd have to find the quote though it was not the hunt aspect of wolves, elk, etc, rather, it revolved around human population pre "civilization". There is no, natural balance within wildlife.

Humans are the Gods (and Devil's) of wildlife.
 
1,500 wolves? Really, I think the first thing wolf management needs is a fair and balanced population study. Not one of greenies who want to preserve wolves, not one from trophy hunters who just one for their trophy room, and not one from cattlemen who want them all dead. Everyone gives you a different number based on what they want.
 
Gellar said:
1,500 wolves? Really, I think the first thing wolf management needs is a fair and balanced population study. Not one of greenies who want to preserve wolves, not one from trophy hunters who just one for their trophy room, and not one from cattlemen who want them all dead. Everyone gives you a different number based on what they want.
Click to expand...
first-time-really.gif
 
Sounds like the Center of Falsified Biodiversity vs a clown in a van.

One is an organization fully funded and backed by rich tardheads such as Yvon Chouinard. (Save the Griz, etc)
The other? Is a tardhead who drives a mini van...

Biologists are not Political Scientists - yet the Cannabis knuckleheads (CBD for those lacking humor) create fundraisers to promote wolf cute puppies, Grizzlies are Teddy Bears, etc...

What a cluster. Here we are in the middle. A political scat-storm pendulum swinging Red to Blue and Blue to Red.
If nutters believe conservation is the only element when selecting the crappiest the Red and Blue open to their sheep, then lost they will forever be.
 
jump on Google earth and look up Stryped and look south and match up the images. You will see exactly where, my friend. I hope nobody was hurt.
 
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