[Vision2020] Mixed news for Wolves

[Paul Rumelhart]

Matt Decker wrote:

> Who has said "they want the extermination of wolves"? As far as I know 
> Mr. Otter is talking about a hunting permit, and I would assume one 
> that is like the Moose tag in Idaho, once in a lifetime. Even if it is 
> not a lifetime tag Im sure that the F&G will not allow too many tags 
> to be filled. I doubt that hunting wolves can be compaired to hunting 
> coyotes. Thats my take on it at least.
>

Mr. Otter, if I remember the number correctly, wants the population to 
be reduced to 150 wolves.  Since 100 is the magic number that triggers 
their standing on the endangered species list and there are currently 
somewhere between 650 and 1200 wolves in Idaho, I read this to mean "as 
close to extermination as we can get before we bring the Feds down on 
us, with some small number left in case of errors".

If wolves are impacting livestock significantly, and this can be backed 
up with studies, then perhaps we should take a less hasty road and try 
reducing them by some small amount first and see if it has an impact?

Paul