Federal judge rules in favor of controversial wolf hunts in Montana, Idaho

By MATTHEW BROWN , Associated Press

September 9, 2009 - 10:35 AM


BILLINGS, Mont. - A federal judge said Wednesday that gray wolf hunts in the Northern Rockies can go on, denying a request by environmentalists and animal welfare groups to stop the first organized wolf hunts in decades in Idaho and Montana.

U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy said plans to kill about 20 percent of the two states' estimated 1,350 wolves would not cause long-term harm to the population. He said federal biologists had shown the animal could sustain a 30 percent annual reduction without long-term harm.

But Molloy added that by carving Wyoming out of the recent decision to remove wolves from federal protection, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service appeared to violate the Endangered Species Act by making its decision based on political boundaries.

Molloy said that means environmentalists could ultimately prevail in their bid to restore endangered species protection for the animals.

"The Service has distinguished a natural population of wolves based on a political line, not the best available science," Molloy wrote in his 14-page opinion. "That, by definition, seems arbitrary and capricious."

Doug Honnold, the Earthjustice attorney who had argued the case on behalf of 14 groups opposed to the hunts, had a mixed reaction to the ruling.

"If they violated the endangered species act, then this population eventually is going have to go back on the (endangered) list," Honnold said. "Obviously we're disappointed he did not issue an injunction."

He added that he "took no comfort" in Molloy's statement that the population could withstand this year's hunt.

Representatives of the Fish and Wildlife Service could not be reached immediately for comment.

Hunters in Idaho have so far taken three wolves since wolf season opened there Sept. 1. The state has a quota allowing as many as 220 wolves to be killed. Montana's season is set to begin Sept. 15, with a quota of 75 wolves.

Jim Unsworth with Idaho Fish and Game said his state's hunt so far has gone smoothly.

"Everything is working just like we planned, which shouldn't be a surprise since we've done this for years with other critters," Unsworth said.

Last year, Molloy sided with environmentalists in a similar case. As a result, the federal government kept about 300 wolves in Wyoming on the endangered list but in May took them off the list in Montana and Idaho.

Strictly as a "tenderfoot" New Yorker I'm asking - Is the gray wolf the same as the Canadian timber wolf? Would appreciate any responses.

The wolves in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho areCanadian wolves. They are decendants from wolves that were live trapped in Canada and released in Yellowstone National Park in the mid to late 90's. After they decimated the Northern Yellowstone elk herd they multiplied and spread well beyond the Yellowstone boundaries. Northwestern Montana and northern Idaho also have a more than healthy wolf population from Canadian wolves that spread south from Canada.

Hunting them will be something like finding that proverbial needle in the haystack, but with a Montana wolk tag in my pocket, I'm eager to do my part for elk preservation.

Given the expected low sucess rate for hunting them is there any talk of allowing wolves to be trapped?

And then.....

Wolf Poaching Citations Issued

An Eagle man has been cited by Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers Tuesday, September 8, in connection with a poached wolf.

Two citations were issued: shooting a wolf in a closed season and shooting from a public road. Witnesses told officers he shot the wolf while standing in the road at the back of his pickup truck.

The wolf was shot about 6 p.m. Sunday, September 6, in the McCall-Wieser wolf zone, which is closed to wolf hunting.

He called the 24-hour wolf harvest reporting line Tuesday morning and reported the wolf killed in the Sawtooth wolf zone. Later that day he checked in the wolf at the Fish and Game office in the Nampa. He later told officers he thought he was in the Sawtooth wolf zone until he looked at a map back in camp Sunday evening.

An illegal take would be charged to the harvest limit of the zone in which it occurred. In this case, the wolf will be taken out of the McCall-Weiser wolf zone harvest limit.

The wolf is a small female, still a pup. Officers seized the wolf hide and skull, a rifle, camera and tag.

The investigation is ongoing and the charges have not been filed with the court.

That is very good news! There has to be some control put on these wolves.

I bear hunted in Idaho unit 12 in June. There were elk and deer skeletons throughout the hunting area but no elk or deer. I saw over 400 of each on my last bear hunt in 2005 before the wolves. I heard the wovles howling at sundown or a bit after. Tracks and scat were seen several times on the horse trail to the stand. There seem to be plenty of them for a season.

buffybr:

Thanks for your informative response. You mentioned that wolves "decimated" elk herds in Yellowstone. Strictly as an Easterner who never hunted elk - why are wolves so successful in hunting elk -and doesn't that mean that elk just are not that successful (as a species) in staying alive against wolves? So does that mean that Mother Nature is not particularly interested in preserving elk? (You don't have to answer that one?) Bunch of questions but I really would like to read whatever you want to say. (Not arguing - I want to know from someone who knows more than me)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Gerrypeters375:
So does that mean that Mother Nature is not particularly interested in preserving elk?
QUOTE]


Are you serious?

Finally the judge ruled for the wildlife and not out of state interest. Everyone that I know and then some will buy a tag ,if they have not yet done so, just in case they spot one out but it will be pure luck to harvest one, like hunting a lion without a dog. The quota of 75 will not last long in some areas,hell the feds shoot that many every year that chew on livestock so it will not hurt the population. We will have to wait and see....

www.african-montana-taxidermy.com

Oakman,

Unfortunately, it ain't over until the fat lady sings.

This recent ruling by Molloy ONLY permitted the hunts to go on for now until he makes a final ruling.

I'm only guessing here, but me thinks once he looks at everything overall, including WY's plan that the USFWS won't approve, he will put the wolves back on the ESA.

Reason: it's difficult to keep them off in some states, while they are still listed in others.

It's extremely annoying that these so called animal rights morons want to control Wolf hunting, at the expense of Elk, Moose, and livestock calves that are slaughtered by Wolves.
Why aren't they clammoring about Elk Calves being killed, indiscriminately, by Wolves?
It doesn't pass the sanity test!!!

They don't have any sanity!

quote:

It's extremely annoying that these so called animal rights morons want to control Wolf hunting, at the expense of Elk, Moose, and livestock calves that are slaughtered by Wolves.
Why aren't they clammoring about Elk Calves being killed, indiscriminately, by Wolves?
It doesn't pass the sanity test!!!

The explanation is that in the world of the vegetarian rights fanatic the whole point of wolves is to take the place of hunting. They are not thinking in terms of resultant damage to what we call game animals (they can't stand that term).

If convinced their policy will result in the extermination of wild animals of prey, to them that is an acceptable cost in furtherance of what they see as the greater good. In their eyes it would be far better for there to be no animals at all than have hunting or what they call "human persecution" of animals. They apply that same thinking across the board to all animal husbandry.

And as a result of the last election they now have friends in high places.

One thing I have been wondering.Can one call wolves in like other varments? Just thinking.Good Luck