[Vision2020] Schroeder sponsors wolf hunting bill

[Mark Solomon]

Not only is the price reduced, but the hunt will be a blood hunt with 
no carcass recovery required. No mention yet as to how many tags 
might be offered. To add insult to injury, the article seems to be 
implying that the tag fees collected, including auction tags, will 
not offset the cost of managing the program at the level the federal 
government has done through state delegation. That means the wolf 
"management program" will be subsidized by money collected from other 
hunting tags. So know ahead of time when you purchase your hunting 
license and big game or upland bird tag that some portion of that 
money is going to help Idaho kill wolves whether you believe in it or 
not.

And our Senator Schroeder helped lead the way.

Mark

*******
Idaho reduces cost of wolf tags
Hunters to pay $9.75; same for bears, cougars

Parker Howell
Staff writer
February 6, 2007

BOISE - A tag to hunt wolf in Idaho will cost about $10 - less than 
state wildlife officials initially planned.

If wolves are removed from the federal list of endangered species as 
proposed, gray-wolf tags will cost in-state hunters $9.75, the same 
price the Department of Fish and Game charges for bear and cougar 
tags, according to a bill introduced Monday. Moose tags cost $165, 17 
times more.

The Fish and Game Commission originally set the price of a wolf tag 
at $26.50 for Idahoans.

Advertisement
The Senate Resources and Environment Committee unanimously voted to 
introduce the bill authorizing wolf hunting in preparation for 
federal action revoking wolves' protected status - a process that has 
already begun. A Fish and Game spokesman has said wolf hunting could 
begin this year.

Sen. Gary Schroeder, R-Moscow, a bill sponsor, said wolves will be 
treated like other big-game carnivores, and the state has "done a 
very good job of managing those species over the years." Officials 
collect statistics about where bears and cougars are killed and set 
seasons to maintain animal populations.

"I want to take the opportunity to assure the American people that 
Idaho is going to be very responsible in the management of its 
wolves," he said. "We're not going to eliminate them; we're not going 
to try to eliminate them."

Tags will cost $150 for non-residents. Fees would help offset about 
$720,000 in federal wolf management funds that the state will lose 
once the species is delisted, according to the legislation.

The commission initially proposed that wolf tags pay for the 
wolf-management program, suggesting the larger fee for wolves and 
raising the bear and cougar fees. But those proposed higher fees 
caused concern, and commissioners decided to keep prices stable, said 
Rep. Fred Wood, R-Burley, another bill sponsor.

The sponsors estimate that wolf tag sales could mirror those of other 
predatory animals. Bear tag sales total about $301,000 a year, and 
mountain lion tags bring in about $67,400.

As many as 10 wolf tags would be available for special auctions or 
lotteries. Auction sales could net as much as $100,000, according to 
the bill.

Schroeder said moose, sheep and goat tags cost much more because of 
consumer demand. Wolves, while popular at first, likely won't have 
high long-term demand, he said.

Idaho law would not require hunters to use or remove wolf carcasses 
as they must do with noncarnivorous animals and bears.

Schroeder said hunters will "take ownership" of wolves to make sure 
they aren't overhunted. Wolf populations will remain robust in the 
state's more remote areas, while wolves near cities, where they may 
prey on livestock and pets, will be hunted, he said. "I suspect the 
wolves are going to become very wary and very difficult to get," he 
said.

The committee will have a hearing on wolf hunting next week, Schroeder said.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20070206/540ca4d8/attachment-0001.html