Idaho Senate Approves Bill to Hunt and Kill Up to 90% of Wolf Population in the State

An estimate of about 1500 wolves have reportedly been overpopulating the state of Idaho. According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Games, their number have grown rapidly for the past two years. This finding has led to passing of a bill which allows killing wolves up to 90% of its number. The bill garnered 26-7 vote from the Idaho Senate, in favor of wolf-killing.

Reason for Wolf-Killing

According to one of the primary sponsors of the bill, Republican Sen. Mark Harris, the Idaho Department of Fish and Games calculation of the wolf population, which was made possible through remote camera surveys and other monitoring efforts, was too much. These wolves have compromised livestock and life in farms, and reducing the number to 5 packs - 150 wolves is necessary.

This was supported by Republican Sen. Van Burtenshaw, also a sponsor of the bill, who in his defense, assured that killing wolves serves the purpose of controlling their population and not endangering them.

In order to reach the 150 number of wolves, increasing the killing rate should be implemented.

(Photo : Photo by Thomas Bonometti on Unsplash)

Once the number has reached its limit, wolf killings will be reduced. Burtenshaw did not miss to cite that this number was indicated in the 2002 Wolf Conservation and Management Plan. Democratic Sen. Grant Burgoyne also added that they will maintain an agreement with the 2002 Wolf Conservation and Management Plan to stop the wolf-killings at 90%.

On the other hand, the Idaho bill has garnered multiple hates and oppositions from some organizations in the state of Idaho. The Humane Society of United States study confirmed that wolves have negligible effect on cattle and sheep industries.

According to the study, ranchers lose nine times more cattle and sheep to health, weather, and birthing theft problems than all predators combined. They justified that the bill should be vetoed by the State's Mayor as this was unethical and a shame to the state.

Also read: Can Wolves Communicate with their Eyes?

Changes in the Legislation

After thorough debate and discussion, the Idaho Senate agreed on hiring private contractors for the killings and increasing the fund to send to the Idaho Wolf Depredation Control Board from $110,000 to $300,000.

Wolves are known to create an ecology of fear, which makes them more difficult to hunt. Which is why in the new legislation, there's no limit on the number of wolves every hunter is allowed to kill. Better hunting equipment are also taken into account and some modifications to wolf hunting and trapping are being worked on.

In addition, the legislation also extended the wolf-hunting seasons and legalized some hunting methods like the use of snares, ATVs, snowmobiles and traps in private lands. Even other state agencies outside of Idaho who like to participate are allowed to hunt.

The Idaho Senate stresses out that the legislation's aim of reducing the wolf population will also reduce the detrimental effects of wolves on agricultural economies.

Also read: The Fox and the Wolf: an Unlikely Duo