Wolf hunt gets off to a slow start in Idaho

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

The prospect of wolf hunting in the Northern Rockies has been the subject of fraught court fights and emotional public hearings, but the second legal wolf hunt in the region in this century has gotten off to a lackadaisical start in Idaho.

A backcountry hunt started Tuesday in 13 zones across the state, where there are an estimated 1,000 wolves. Quotas have been established in many parts of the state, but there’s no overall limit on the number of wolves that can be killed this season.

Officials do want to maintain a population of at least 150 wolves in that area with 15 breeding pairs.

But only 7,774 Idaho residents had purchased hunting tags for wolves by Tuesday, along with 571 out-of-state hunters -- less than a third the number sold during the 2009 hunt, which was the first since wolves were removed from the protections of the federal Endangered Species Act.

Idaho ranchers have welcomed the hunt, citing an increase in livestock depredation by wolves of 17% over last year, with at least 87 confirmed killings of cattle, sheep and dogs since July, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Idaho hunters shot 188 wolves during the 2009-10 season, which had a quota of 220. The hunts in Idaho and neighboring Montana were suspended last year after new lawsuits were filed arguing that wolves had not yet recovered enough to begin killing them again.

Conservationists unsuccessfully sought a last-minute stay while their case remains on appeal, leaving the door open to Tuesday’s season, which for the first time will also permit trapping of wolves.

Montana’s season opens Saturday. Hunters in that state will be allowed to shoot up to 220 wolves, which would leave the state with an estimated 425 wolves.

RELATED:

Anti-wolf pack in Idaho is ready to hunt

Montana wolf hunt is stalked by controversy

Emergency order is sought to halt wolf hunts in Idaho and Montana

-- Kim Murphy in Seattle