12/21/06 wolf delisting

A year from now the state of Idaho should be managing the wolf population within its borders. The federal government released 35 captured Canadian wolves into central Idaho in 1995-96. The wolves which number more than 650 today will come off the federal Endangered Species List next year. US Fish and Wildlife is going to publish its delisting proposal before the end of January. It's about time! That's the reaction of many outfitters, hunters, cattle and sheep producers. Lloyd Knight is executive director of the Idaho Cattle Association. KNIGHT "You're looking at a wolf population that continues to expand, continues to grow with a lot of livestock losses across the state and all of those losses have yet to be tallied with a final number. And they're causing a lot of havoc, a lot of damage, a lot of heartache for a lot of livestock producers across the state." Many sportsman say wolves are responsible for declining elk herds. Opponents of delisting are expected to go to court in an attempt to stop Idaho from taking control out of fear that the state will reduce wolf numbers to about 100, the minimum allowed under the state management plan. Idaho Fish and Game plans to manage wolves through hunting permits similar to what it does now with mountain lions and black bears. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott