Glad you enjoyed your trip here to the Gem state. IMO the days of good hunting is very limited, and will soon be a thing of the past. Not because of the snow, or a bad winter, but because those killers that you heard howling. Believe me, there is at least twice as many as Fish and Game admits to. A few years ago six grown bear dogs weren't killed in a years time. Now we have lost that many in one day!! What is happening to the deer and elk herds? Ranchers tell of finding 400-500 pound calves standing in the road with their guts dragging between their hind feet, and we are told that they only kill for food?? Great Pyrenees sheep dogs, the 150# varity, are killed on a regular basis by howlers. Unless the critter is killed, or photographed in the deed, Fish and Game will blame it on something else. A grizzlie was killed in an area that reportedly contained no grizzlies. Fish and Game still denies any grizzlies in the area in spite of a carcase to prove otherwise.
Wolves are showing up from the Blues in Oregon to the area east of Salt Lake City. When they are being caught by trappers, it is hard to deny that they are there.
When visiting Idaho, please practice the 3 "s" law, shoot, shovel, and shut up.
When I asked a state representive if he had any pull with Fish and Game, he replied, " the anti's are the only one with any pull there"