Published 2:39 pm Wednesday, June 12, 2024
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission on June 12 voted to substantially reduce the recreational trapping of wolves in response to a federal court ruling that aims to protect grizzly bears.
The state’s year-round wolf trapping season on all private property was enjoined by U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy W. Dale’s March 19 ruling.
The judge also enjoined the commission and state Department of Fish and Game from authorizing recreational gray wolf trapping and snaring for 2024-25 on public or private land in grizzly habitat, except during the Dec. 1-Feb. 28 denning period.
Grizzly habitat includes the northern panhandle and the Clearwater, Salmon and Upper Snake river regions, according to the ruling.
The commission on March 28 amended 2023-24 private-land wolf trapping seasons for 19 counties, closing them for the rest of the season, April 1 to June 30.
Idaho has requested a judicial reconsideration of the ruling, but the request has not been resolved, according to Fish and Game information included with the June 12 meeting agenda.
Proposed changes to 2024-25 wolf trapping seasons “are intended to align with a cautious interpretation of that injunction,” said Rick Ward, state wildlife manager.
Commissioner Don Ebert of Weippe said he supports “strict adherence to the ruling” and “being extra cautious” even though grizzly habitat and bears are not found everywhere in the counties that the ruling identifies.
The commission June 12 voted to close wolf trapping in the entirety of the 19 counties that encompass the panhandle, Clearwater, Salmon and Upper Snake regions for the 2024-25 season — July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, except from Dec. 1 to Feb. 28.
Commissioners stated the move does not amount to a designation of grizzly bear habitat, since the counties have significant areas not occupied by grizzlies.
The approved season change “may result in a reduction of about 30% of trapper harvest compared to the last couple of years” statewide, Jon Rachael, Fish and Game deputy director for operations, said in an interview.
The department expects to hear about the proposed reconsideration of the federal ruling in coming months, he said during the meeting. Part of the reconsideration request pertains to locations of grizzly bears and habitat, significant in that Fish and Game sets hunting seasons by game management units rather than counties.
The legislature in 2021 substantially increased the allowed wolf harvest and methods of take, which prompted legal actions by environmental groups.
