9-6 SS Wolf Trapping

 I got an e-mail stating that recent changes in Idaho Department Fish & Game regulations now make it possible for wolves to be trapped by those individuals who have completed a Department sponsored course. Regular trapper education has been offered on a voluntary basis for a number of years, but it does not fulfill the requirement for being able to trap wolves.   I called Idaho Department Fish & Game  spokesperson Greg Losinski.  “Give me an idea. If somebody wanted to learn how to trap with a kind of this course or is it just an effort to make people comply with the rules? Both. You need to complete it in order to be able to trap wolves but for a lot of folks who are maybe beginning trappers and contemplating trapping wolves, this turns out to be critical because it shows you how to do it the right way and not have a lot of problems as far as catching the wrong species or having your traps destroyed because you weren’t planning ahead for dealing with the wolves. They are definitely critical for anyone who is going to trap wolves.”

We are all painfully aware of the huge flap that was caused when a fish and game employee showed a  graphic picture of himself kneeling in front of a wolf in a leg trap on the Internet. There was outrage which led to my next question of Greg.  “Is trapping a legitimate outdoor activity for the sportsman? Definitely. Trappers are some of the folks who know the woods  better than anybody. They understand where animals go and what they need at various times so trappers  along with other sportsmen really are crucial to the future of wildlife management.”