Idaho panel seeks legalized wolf hunt

BOISE — The cost of a hunting tag to shoot a wolf in Idaho has been set at $26.50 for in-state residents and $256 for nonresidents, even though the animals are still under endangered species protection.

The prices — the same as for mountain lion and black bear tags — were set by the state Fish and Game Commission in anticipation that wolves would be removed from the federal list in time for hunting to begin this year. That's in addition to the expense of a hunting license, $12.75 for Idaho residents and $141.50 for nonresidents.

Commissioners also voted unanimously to ask the Legislature to legalize hunting as soon as wolves are off the list.

Since 1995, when 35 wolves were introduced in Idaho as part of a recovery program, wildlife officials say the population has grown to an estimated 650 wolves in 71 packs, including more than 41 breeding pairs.

It would be embarrassing if the state wasn't ready to accommodate hunters as soon as delisting occurs, commission spokesman Niels Nokkentved told The Spokesman-Review of Spokane.

Idaho has never before had a hunting season on wolves.

"Apparently they were wiped out before there was a Fish and Game" Commission, Nokkentved said.

Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter has said he would be eager to bid for the first tag and suggested that hunters be allowed to kill all but 100 of the state's estimated 650 wolves.

Decisions on seasons, how many wolves could be killed and other questions about how to manage the hunt will be made after a plan is drafted and public comment is received over the summer, Nokkentved said.

"They anticipate, if everything goes right, to be completed by November for ultimate commission approval at their November meeting," he said.

The commission did decide Thursday to reserve 10 tags that could be donated for fund-raising auctions and similar purposes. Officials noted that Idaho bighorn sheep tags go for tens of thousands of dollars every year at Foundation for North American Wild Sheep conventions.

"What they're going to do with the wolf tags they haven't decided yet, but they have the authority to do something," Nokkentved said.

Suzanne Stone, Northern Rockies representative for Defenders of Wildlife, said the environmental group is especially unhappy with the prospect that the panel could authorize the shooting of most of the wolves in the state.