1-29 SS ID F & G

 Like so many other states in the Northwest,  Idaho as a huge problem with wolves preying on the ungulate population. But there are also coyotes. Jeff Gould is Chief of Wildlife for Idaho Fish and game. I called him up to comment on wolf trapping and he told me there were all kinds of issues that his department was trying to tackle.  “ I have been talking to many reporters and there seem to be 2 storylines that they are tracking and they are not the same. One of the things that Fish and Game is doing here is directing $50,000 towards wolf control in elk management zones that aren’t meeting population objectives. Each year the Fish and Game Commission direct’s $50,000 towards a specific wildlife management  activity carried out by Wildlife Services. Since 2005 the commission has asked Wildlife Services  to reduce coyotes in Southeast Idaho in order to benefit mule deer. In this case we are asking the commission to consider our recommendation that they direct $50,000 towards wolf control in areas where it will benefit help the most. That is one thing on the agenda. Another is how the department is working with wolf trappers in specific areas like the LoLo, like the Selway, these are areas in North Idaho that are difficult to access, the population has been impacted by wolf predation.