Future Wolf Management In Idaho

Whereas, the federal government through the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service reintroduced Canadian wolves into central Idaho in 1995 and 1996; and

Whereas, wolf recovery has been very successful in Idaho, presently producing 16 packs with an estimated population of 264 (October 2001), exceeding the expectations of the federal government; and

Whereas, wolf recovery within the entire Northern Rocky Mountain Recovery Area which includes central Idaho, northwest Montana and Yellowstone can reasonably be considered recovered; and

Whereas, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service has stated its intent and belief that Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery is now focused on the delisting process; and

Whereas, state wolf management plans are in development; and

Whereas, the present Idaho Wolf Conservation and Management Plan (Draft 17) contains language relative to when wolves should or should not be hunted for a 5 year period after delisting; and

Whereas, draft 17 infers that where declines in ungulate populations are attributable to wolf predation, the preferred management tool would be "hunting" similar to other large mammalian predators; and

Whereas, technical reviews of "draft 17" suggest that hunting is a necessary management tool; and

Whereas, in specific areas the present wolf populations in conjunction with existing high predator densities have demonstrated an adverse impact on local ungulate populations and corresponding outfitting businesses; and

Whereas, the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board assigns licensed big game outfitters specific operating areas that does not allow an outfitter to arbitrarily move to another operating area; and

Whereas, small, family outfitting businesses attached to Idaho's rural economy rely upon repeat business that is focused on an experience that includes both viewing and harvesting of Idaho's ungulate populations; and

Whereas, limitations on wolf management where wolves occupy ungulate range may relate to the loss of a significant number of family businesses, resulting in a negative economic impact on corresponding rural communities; and

Whereas, the Idaho Outfitter and Guides Association is dedicated to the preservation of Idaho's natural resources and their related businesses attached to the rural economy; and

Whereas, further loss of the ungulate big game resources and the corresponding businesses is unacceptable to the Idaho Outfitter and Guides Association;

Therefore be it resolved, that the Idaho Outfitter and Guides Association seeks immediate action to delist the Idaho wolf population as soon as possible and to convey management responsibilities to the Idaho Fish and Game Department; and

Further, that these management responsibilities include full latitude for Idaho's Fish and Game Department to open a regulated hunting and trapping season for wolves any time populations are at levels that justify public taking according to sound biological data and customary professionalism in order to allow for prudent, responsible wildlife management relative to the mandate of Idaho's Fish and Game Department; and

Further, that steps be taken to establish wolf population management goals within every game management zone that will be commensurate with maintaining today's ungulate big game management goals and establishment of the means and the (federal) funding to maintain these wolf population goals; and

Further, that the Governor's Office of Species Conservation continue to work with the IOGA, IDFG and others to begin closer monitoring of prey populations now, so that better data will be available to managers to achieve proper predator/prey population dynamics; and

Further, every effort must be taken to complete these actions in the immediate future in order to prevent irreversible impacts in given areas on Idaho's wildlife and the rural economy of Idaho; and

Further, that the Idaho Legislature approve the Draft Idaho Wolf Conservation and Management Plan with provisions that:
1. emphasizes that decisions regulating wolves should be based on wildlife management goals instead of an arbitrary five-year moratorium.
2. the Legislature recognizes that the reintroduction of wolves causes negative impacts on ungulate populations which causes a corresponding negative impact on the value of the outfitting businesses that are dependent upon healthy ungulate populations and

Further, that the IOGA urges the federal government to fully fund the State Wolf Conservation and Management Plan and to formally begin the process immediately to de-list the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act; and

Further, IOGA will continue to pursue all available lawful means to protect Idaho’s big game resources and the small family businesses dependant upon those resources.