BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- Idaho wildlife officials are investigating whether a gray wolf hunting season is still possible, even after a federal judge restored Endangered Species Act protections.

Jim Unsworth, a Department of Fish and Game deputy director, said Friday his agency will talk with Montana and others to see if the states can salvage a hunting season under a listed framework.

Unsworth compared such a hunt to fishing for some salmon and steelhead -- even though those migratory fish in Idaho are also protected under the federal law.

Unsworth says, "There may be some rock out there we haven't turned over."

Hunting tag sales in Idaho were suspended Thursday after U.S. District Judge Donald Malloy's ruling.

Idaho will offer refunds to the 6,000 hunters who purchased wolf tags since Jan. 1 if they haven't used them.

Copyright 2010 The AP.