POSSIBILITY OF YEAR ROUND WOLF HUNTING IN IDAHO- A bill, introduced at the Idaho Senate Resources Committee hearing by a state senator, will allow residents to hunt wolves year-round. There will be designated “wolf-free zones,” which are located within big-game units south of I-84. In addition, any big-game unit in which wolf kills occurred in the past five years will be designated as “chronic depredation zones.” If passed, as long as residents have the proper hunting license, they may hunt all year round within these areas.
Update (2/21/2020)
Senator Bert Brackett joins me on the newscast today to discuss his new bill to allow year-round wolf hunting in Idaho. The bill is Senate Bill 1247. We discuss how this will be possible and the impact that this could have on the wolf numbers in Idaho.
Purpose
Along with protecting the ecosystem as a whole, another purpose of this bill is to help reduce such high numbers of livestock depredation. Wolves cause a significant threat to the ranching community, and a practical solution is far past due. Senator Brackett, the sponsor of the bill, believes hunting and trapping to be the most effective method of control.
Senator Brackett Comment
Reported by The Neighbor News:
“I want to make it clear. I don’t want to diminish in any respect the commission’s effort the past several years to try to get a handle on the program; but, the issue remains. I realize many of the efforts that have been made to control the wolves in high-depredation areas has been done incrementally through hunting. And especially in trapping, which is a very effective method.”
Population Threshold
This legislation is effective as long as there are at least 20 packs, or 200 wolves, in the state. By recent news, however, it is known that the wolf population of Idaho is significantly higher. With due diligence, hunters and trappers can make a difference throughout the state of Idaho. This legislation is like a “call-to-arms” for Idaho hunters. This could be the most important protective method for other big game populations.
What are your thoughts? Will this work?
