Attention: The Idaho Department of Fish and Game Commission

We, the undersigned, residents, visitors, and American trustees of our federal public lands in Units 48 and 49 of the Sawtooth National and Salmon-Challis National Forests and Bureau of Land Management federal lands, oppose the Foundation for Wildlife Management (F4WM) proposal to expand wolf trapping and snaring on our public lands in this region. Thanks to the Blaine County commissioners and residents' firm opposition to F4WM's past attempts in 2019 and 2021, these are the only national forest lands in Idaho where wolf trapping and snaring are prohibited.

Thousands of locals and tourists camp, hike, and play on our public land trails and campgrounds with our children and pet dogs each year. These traps and snares threaten our safe use of these lands, especially  threatening our dogs, which can be severely injured or even killed by these unmarked traps and deadly snares. Hundreds of wolves have died in these lethal devices, many left to suffer for days only to be shot by bounty hunters.  Additionally, F4WM is seeking approval to kill wolves using hunting dogs and shooting them from snowmobiles and ATVs, which we also oppose.

When the state of Idaho asked to take over the management of gray wolves from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the state committed to managing wolves as it does black bears and mountain lions. Indeed, the 2002 Idaho Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, the only plan adopted by the Idaho State Legislature, states:

“In most instances, wolves can be managed similarly to how other large native mammalian predators (black bears and mountain lions) are traditionally managed… If it can be shown that wolves can expand their range without causing unacceptable conflict, they will be allowed to do so… In general, regardless of their location, wolf packs that are not creating conflict will be allowed to persist.”

More than 5,000 mountain lions and 25,000 black bears are estimated in Idaho but fewer than 1,500 wolves statewide with the state’s goal of killing all but 500 or less. Thankfully, there is no bounty or open season on mountain lions or black bears, yet annually they kill more livestock, elk, and deer than wolves. Idaho’s management of wolves appears to be based solely on politics and propaganda, not peer reviewed science, fair chase hunting, or responsible wildlife management.

The Wood River Wolf Project has operated for 17 years in Blaine County. Of the 20,000 sheep present annually during the Spring to Fall grazing period, fewer than five sheep are lost to wolves annually in the project area. This is accomplished due to nonlethal, proactive sheep and wolf protection measures funded in partnership with the Blaine County Commission. Over the last two years, no sheep losses to wolves were documented in the project area. Allowing more aggressive trapping, snaring, and use of dogs and snowmobiles threatens the stability and success of our livestock and wildlife protection measures. Current peer-reviewed research shows that wolf packs that split up due to the loss of alpha wolves are more likely to prey on livestock than stable packs. Livestock losses will likely increase if the packs in the Wood River Wolf Project project area are destabilized, as random individual wolves desperate for survival are more difficult to deter from preying on livestock.

The use of traps, snares, and hunting dogs and snowmobiles to chase and kill wolves is unacceptable and inhumane. Wolves are not creating unacceptable or significant conflict and should be allowed to thrive in Idaho on our national public lands. The State of Idaho should adhere to its commitment to managing wolves across the state as it does black bears and mountain lions and to consult with the area Tribes on wolf management.

Lastly, we applaud the Blaine County Commissioners for their commitment to coexistence with all native wildlife and for establishing the Wood River Wolf Project as a model of successful wildlife and livestock management for other communities to adopt.

Citations:

Cassidy, K. A., Borg, B. L., Klauder, K. J., Sorum, M. S., Thomas-Kuzilik, R., Dewey, S. R., Stephenson, J. A., Stahler, D. R., Gable, T. D., Bump, J. K., Homkes, A. T., Windels, S. K., & Smith, D. W. (2023). Human-caused mortality triggers pack instability in gray wolves. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 21(8), 356-362. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2597

Santiago-Avila FJ, Cornman AM, Treves A (2018) Killing wolves to prevent predation on livestock may protect one farm but harm neighbors. PLoS ONE 13(1): e0189729.

State of Idaho Post-delisting Wolf Management Plan Idaho Legislative Wolf Oversight Committee, as amended by the 56th Idaho Legislature, Second Regular Session March 2002.