1-2 SS Wolf Hunter

Idaho's Department of Fish and Game has hired Gus Thoreson, an extremely experienced hunter and trapper, to take out two wolf packs who live in an area around the middle Fork of the Salmon River. Needless to say, the move is controversial as are all things relating to hunting a species that has been called everything from nearly extinct to endangered. Add to that the fact that there has been a tremendous effort to achieve a total recovery of wolf populations on the part of environmental groups. But talk about a dream job. Mr. Thoreson rides on horseback with several mules way deep into the wilderness and gets to stay in a cabin that is owned by the Forest Service. His job is to try and locate and eliminate two wolf pack's. Jeff Gould, Idaho Fish and Game wildlife bureau chiefThere are some trappers who are building tradition and what we want to do is explore options with them to see if we can facilitate additional trapping. If there are ways that we can offset some of their costs and have them continue to trap until the end of the season we just want to begin those discussions. Those are two separate stories on how we are working with managing wolves in Idaho on the one hand, working with hunting and trapping, and on the other hand in areas where hunting and trapping are not doing enough, we are working with Wildlife Services when they are responding to livestock depredation, and we do not want to see them fall short on not having the resources to be able to address that situation, especially when we think it is going to benefit elk in that circumstance.