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July 19, 2008 Special FYI

IOGA Members:

 

A federal judge in Montana has ordered gray wolves in the Northern Rockies be returned to the endangered species list. U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy granted a preliminary injunction Friday, July 18, 2008, restoring federal protections for the wolves.

 

Apparently, 1,400 documented wolves in the tri-state region of Idaho Montana and Wyoming, of which Idaho is home to at least 800, is not good enough for the court nor the plaintiffs, when 300 wolves was the bar set by the federal government originally for delisting. This bar was originally supported by the plaintiffs. I cannot print what I would really like to say and what I assume many are thinking!

 

The Rocky Mountain wolves were delisted from the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service earlier this year. Wolves were reintroduced into Idaho and the region beginning in 1995. According to federal requirements for delisting, they were eligible for such action beginning in 2002. This ESA experiment has been successful beyond belief to the detriment of many IOGA land based members. Wolf packs move elk. Idaho outfitters are assigned specific areas of operation. The name of the game for successful outfitter businesses is repeat business. Right? If an outfitter or guide is unable to show clients elk during their outfitted hunt, repeat business suffers. Son Jess and I experienced this first hand last October while in hunting camp with one of our members.

 

IOGA has had a very measured position on wolves that includes support for state management and delisting. This has been a topic of discussion at every IOGA annual meeting, and more, for the past 13 years. IOGA and its members have responded at every opportunity in this long process. Now we, and other reasonable proponents of playing the game, get kicked in the teeth.

 

What's next? The federal court at some indeterminate time will make a decision on the merits of the Defenders suit. Hunting as a management tool is negated for this fall. IOGA is working with the Safari Club International to seek intervention status in the Defenders lawsuit. We have gathered harm statements to strengthen our ability to join SCI in their intervention status. We thank members Scott Farr, Mike Scott and Louise Stark, Ken Smith, Travis Bullock, Dave Melton, Frank Schmitz, Harlan and Barb Opdahl for providing statements. I have attached these statements. Check them out.

 

I want to thank member Scott Farr for organizing two well attended June workshops in which outfitters and guides learned from other professionals more about wolf ecology and methods for wolf hunting in preparation for what we thought at the time was going to be a wolf hunting season. Member Travis Bullock videod  these educational sessions and made them available to the membership.

 

Here are some links that include the judge's decision regarding yesterday's decision.

 

  http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/446338.html

 

 http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/446410.html

 

http://media.idahostatesman.com/smedia/2008/07/18/18/wolf_ruling.source.prod_affiliate.36.pdf

 

Grant Simonds, Executive Director

Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association

P.O. Box 95

Boise, ID 83701

208.342.1438; 208.343.9548 home office

cell 208.867.2138

fax 208.338.7830; 208.344.8194 home office

www.ioga.org