Idaho Wolf Lawsuit

[BuckSmasher]

IDFG has increased the wolf season lengths, tag numbers, and methods of take in each and every regulation cycle. It was done incrementally to ensure that Idaho would maintain control of wolf hunting. Given a few more regulation cycles, I'm pretty sure that many of these legislative actions would have worked their way in to the wolf seasons. And that would have been the right way to do it.

The legislators who proposed and passed the new law don't care about elk or hunting in Idaho. They are politicians and they care about re-election and power. They knew that they could use the wolf issue and appear sympathetic to ranchers and get influence for their next campaign.

Realistically, the new methods of take allowed in the law will do very little to increase wolf harvest. Allowing hunters to purchase an unlimited number of tags will do nothing when the vast majority can't even fill one tag. There are a handful of guys out there that are filling multiple wolf tags and trapping their limit, most others never see or hear a wolf.

The first problem is that the legislators will now feel emboldened to pursue other pet projects that they have been pushing for years. Increased numbers of Landowner tags, selling/auction Landowner tags, point systems, additional auction tags for Bighorns, Moose, Mtn Goats, Elk, Deer, Antelope. They have gotten a taste for wildlife management that benefits themselves and their big rancher and farmer friends. The principle and purpose for the creation of the IDFG Commision was subverted. When a principle is compromised it is not cause for celebration, regardless of whether or not we like the outcome.

The second problem and the topic of this thread is the lawsuit. Politicians don't do anything quietly. They have to grandstand and make bold often half true statements to get attention. They did this with the wolf legislation. They bragged about how they would reduce the wolf population by 90%, (even though the legislation had no language to support their claims). They did it to draw attention to themselves and create power and influence for their re-election campaigns. They made this a newsworthy topic and drew attention to it. They might as well have filed the lawsuits themselves.

idelkslayer for Governor!

Awesome post.

 

[sneaky]

Any snare could catch a griz especially since a wolf snare would likely not have a break away. You'd think most bears are underground during the snaring season

Ummm.... EVERY snare used in Idaho has to have a breakaway device installed on it to avoid bycatches of deer, elk, or moose.

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[sneaky]

No, I cannot.

If you aren’t able to figure that out on your own then I can’t help you at all.

Fish and Game commissioners are appointed by the Governor, if you aren't able to figure that out on your own, I can't help you.

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[sneaky]

Also, if you think the Commissioners aren't political figures... then why did the Governor replace two commissioners at the behest of some of his bigger financial backers? The state of Idaho has enough wolves, on its own, to satisfy the entire delisting requirements for the entire northwest region. That still won't stop lawsuits, wolves are THE fundraising generator for the environmental groups. Their meal ticket.

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[Wolf_trapper]

Ummm.... EVERY snare used in Idaho has to have a breakaway device installed on it to avoid bycatches of deer, elk, or moose.

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Break aways that work for deer but not wolves... Ummm I might have some beach front property you'd be interested in.

 

[sneaky]

Break aways that work for deer but not wolves... Ummm I might have some beach front property you'd be interested in.

I run deer stops inside my loop, same as every trapper I know in Idaho. I also don't set on deer trails. Anything else?

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[BwanaKubwa]

I really don't agree with the deer stops or break away laws. It's kind of like the cable restraint rule in Wisconsin. If you are trying to kill a wolf, make it the most lethal way rather than giving them time to chew out and live with a cable collar