• By ELI FRANCOVICH Spokesman-Review
• Oct 16, 2022 Updated Oct 16, 2022
• https://www.bigcountrynewsconnection.com/idaho/idaho-wolf-population-stable-one-year-after-looser-hunting-trapping-rules-started/article_3ba411f4-2856-526b-b24b-88bb45cad8d5.html

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Print
• Copy article link
• Save

Idaho’s overall wolf population has remained stable despite liberalized hunting and trapping laws that went into effect last year. That was Idaho Department of Fish and Game Director Ed Schriever’s message to Gem State lawmakers last week.

“What I do know is that human-caused mortality and natural-cause mortality is very similar to what it was the previous years,” he said during an Oct. 6 meeting of the Natural Resources Interim Committee.

In 2021, the Idaho Legislature passed Senate Bill 1211, which established a year-round trapping season for wolves on private property, allowed for unlimited purchase of wolf tags, and allowed for any method used for taking any wild canine in Idaho (foxes, coyotes) to also be available for taking wolves, among other things. An ongoing lawsuit is challenging the trapping and snaring portion of the new rules.

During the 2021-22 season about 50,000 hunters and trappers killed 389 wolves. Only 72 hunters and trappers killed more than one wolf, Schriever said. The majority of those wolves were killed in North Idaho. While Idaho’s annual wolf estimate won’t be published until January, Schriever characterized the state’s population as stable.

“I think the best way to describe Idaho’s wolf population is that it’s fairly stable and it’s fluctuating around 1,250,” he said. “Part of the year, it’s below that. Part of the year, it’s above that.”

Generally speaking, wolf populations are highest in the spring when wolf pups are born and lowest in late winter following harsh winter months and human trapping and hunting.

Schriever also explained how Idaho’s wolves came to be federally delisted while other wolf populations, the western two-thirds of Washington for instance, remain protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. In 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service attempted to delist the northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf population, including Idaho and Eastern Washington. That delisting was blocked by a federal judge, but in 2011 the delisting was approved by Congress. The original 2009 rules set a wolf population of about 500 for Idaho.

“I think there are a whole bunch of us that would be happy if we could get to what’s described in the federal delisting rule as a population fluctuating around 500,” Schriever said.

Per federal rules, if the population falls below 150 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will take over management.

In addition to expanded trapping and hunting, the state can also offer wolf bounties. Supporters of the law believe those changes will reduce attacks on livestock and help elk and deer herds.

Opponents argue there are scientifically backed nonlethal methods for reducing wolf-livestock conflict. They also point to some studies suggesting that killing wolves doesn’t ultimately reduce conflict.

“Idaho Fish and Game should be exploring ways to help livestock producers use proven methods to reduce wolf and livestock conflicts, not resorting to ineffective and antiquated bounty programs,” said Eric Clewis, senior representative with Defenders of Wildlife in a statement. “The science demonstrates that wolf hunting simply does not reduce conflicts with livestock; a decade-long study that explored wolf predations on livestock in Montana established that public harvest did not reduce recurrent predations.”

The Idaho Conservation League, which is based in Boise and has offices in North Idaho, believes IDFG is best-suited to manage wolves. Jeff Abrams, a wildlife program associate for ICL, characterized wolves in Idaho as recovered and said wolves should be managed “just as other predators are.”

Those management decisions, however, must be made using evidence-based science. Abrams hopes IDFG continues to tweak its population estimate model (which is derived from analyzing millions of remote camera images). That model “potentially has some flaws in it,” he said. He also urged the state to build a publicly accessible wolf database. While that information is available it often has to be obtained via a public records request.

“There is no central database and there is no clearing house,” Abrams said. “The absence of that is lending itself to an environment of suspicion on all sides and of accusations.”

Another concern for ICL is the way in which the liberalized wolf rules came to be.

Instead of originating from the state wildlife management agency, the change was pushed through by politicians. That flies in the face of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation; a model that intentionally relies on hunting and fishing license sales and taxes to fund state wildlife agencies, largely buffering biologists from the whims of politicians.

TODAYFollow

View Profile

David K. Li – 2h ago

React1 Comment|39

Awildfire burned out of control near the Washington-Oregon border Monday as thousands fled from the blaze fueled by warm conditions unusual for the Pacific Northwest.

The Nakia Creek Fire, ignited near Vancouver, Washington, on Oct. 9, broke containment lines on Sunday and has charred about 2,000 acres, the officials said.

By Sunday night, residents of more than 2,900 homes were issued a “Level 3 Go Now” notice, telling them to evacuate, according to the Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency.

Another 5,017 homes were under “Level 2 Be Set” notices, urging residents there to be ready for evacuation, officials said.

The high temperature in Vancouver was 86 degrees on Sunday, in stark contrast to a typical mid-October day when the mercury rarely climbs above the low 60s. It’s expected to cool down to 68 degrees on Monday.

Those lower temperatures have firefighters hopeful they’ll make progress on Monday as long as people — and their drones — steer clear.

“Stay out of area if you don’t need to be there,” the Clark County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “Weather is improving and will allow more aerial firefighting opportunities, but can’t if drones are up.”

Kate Hudson’s Plunging Ruched Dress Is so 2010

View on Watch

Approaching flames forced Shaun and Lorrie Conway to quickly round up their 50 goats and sheep, but abandon other possessions.

$199 Expert Website Builder – Fastest Web Design Experts

Adwebsitenationllc.com

“It’s just stuff,” Lorrie Conway told NBC News on Monday, about 20 miles away from their home. “I mean we got the animals out, and grabbed pictures and important documents and the house plants, in case we got to build it again.”

With their life’s work on the line, Lorrie Conway said she and her husband had to make hard choices on Sunday.

“Things don’t always go to plan and you go through the motions and do what you have to do,” said Conway, 57.

Even though this is the first time Stephanie Faith Warren and her family have had to evacuate, wildfires are not new to the region, so they’ve been prepared for an event like on Sunday.

They had to move eight goats, two miniature pigs, three dogs, two miniature donkeys, an African tortoise, a desert burro and a mule.

“We’ve had fire pretty close (in the past) so this feeling isn’t strange to me,” Warren, 35, said Monday in La Center, about 30 miles away from her home.

“I’m a mom, I’m a farmer and you just got to keep a level head when you’re doing this stuff. If you’re stressed, the animals feel it, the kids know it.”

This article originally appeared on NBC News.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com

Cat Ellis – 6h ago

React2 Comments|23

Ahiker has shared a video of herself being attacked by a bison, warning others to be more careful and give the animals plenty of space. Rebecca Clark was hiking alone in Caprock Canyons State Park when she passed too close to a group of the animals.

null© Getty

In the clip, which you can watch below, Clark speaks calmly to a small herd of bison as she approaches, explaining that she doesn’t want to walk through the bushes. She seems to have passed without incident when one animal begins to snort and then charges, knocking her to the ground.

In a Q&A posted later, Clark explained that she is on the road to recovery after the incident. She also urged other hikers not to take the same risks around bison.

“They are beautiful creatures protected by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) and are a part of the Texas State Bison Restoration Project where the park has restored the historic Charles Goodnight Bison herd (the official Texas State Bison Herd) to a portion of its former range in the park,” she wrote. “I am posting to support safety while enjoying Texas State Parks.”

Texas Parks and Wildlife  asks visitors to “observe bison etiquette” at Caprock Canyons, and explains that they need a lot more personal space than a human does in order to feel safe and comfortable.

$159 Custom Website Design – Affordable & Reliable

Adartisticwebstudios.com

The organization recommends staying at least 50 yards away at all times, and recommends using your thumb to help gauge if you are at the right distance. If you hold your arm out and cover one eye, you should find that you can hide the bison behind your thumb. If not, you are too close and should back up.

Visitors are also advised to watch out for any changes in a bison’s behavior. If it acts differently as a result of your presence, again, you are too close.

“Agitated or anxious bison will raise their tails up in a question mark,” says TPW. “Other signs of agitation or disapproval are pawing the ground and lowering its head.”

For more advice, see our guide how to avoid being gored by a bison.