From Steve Alder--As of May 4th, IDFG had full authority to begin removing wolves to save our elk and deer herds. We just spoke with Jim Unsworth and he indicated the dept. doesn’t have helicopters and staff ready to go and this is the reason they are using for not being in the air. Please contact your IDFG commissioners and encourage them to follow-through with their promises of exercising direct wolf control measure as soon as they had the green light.

From Steve Alder>IDFG contracted the wolf control to the USDA>IDFG is in the air! Just got the following email: In my opinion, it will be almost impossible until next winter to be effective because the wolves are down out of the snow with the elk.

I just got word they were able to fly the last couple of days---------do not have a count-------however it is tough, as we predicted it is not like the open country down south. The elk are following green up with wolves right behind so not able to chase in open on snow-----very expensive and dangerous flying. I understand a news release with more details is planned for later today.

I wish all you wolf hunters the best.

Save the Elk.

PS- I remember thinking $300 for a wolf tag was way too expensive in 2009, then there was no season in 2010 and remember thinking, guys who bought a tag and hunted and were successful in 2009 were really smart.

I assume the success rate isn't that high, even amongst serious wolf hunters, vs. guys who just bought a wolf tag to have/frame, or just in case they saw one.

I just heard today that the fish & game has killed 5 wolves out of the helicopter in the Lolo unit so far. I hope all 5 were pregnant females!

We can only hope.

Any word on if or when MT will offer tags? I have seen three wolves in the past two weeks & have heard many more. I just got back from a snow shoeing trip to Smith Mtn. (MT/ID border) & we found 4 dead moose; all were killed by wolves & only one was ate on... so messed up.

-South

Montana is supposed to be offering tags, I am not sure when but the quota is supposed to be the same as here in Idaho, 220, in my opinion thats not nearly enough.

Not even close to enough! The "estimated" wolf population that F&G posts every year is so inaccurate it isn't even funny...

-South

Yeah the F&G say we have a estimated 750-1000, that is grossly underestimated. The removal of only 220 isnt going to do crap to help our wolf situation here. Out of 1000 wolves, how many of those are females and out of those female wolves how many cubs are they going to have? Even though we are going to get to hunt them this year, we will have more wolves here next year than we do now! All I have to say is you only have to tag the one that you keep! SSS!

Being that I look at things from a more agrarian perspective, the only good wolf is a dead wolf in the lower 48.

Biker