Bill to kill up to 90% of Idaho wolves heads to governor

[TexasTowelie]

BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho House on Tuesday approved legislation allowing the state to hire private contractors and expand methods to kill wolves roaming Idaho — a measure that could cut the wolf population by 90%.

Lawmakers voted 58-11 to send the agriculture industry-backed bill to Republican Gov. Brad Little. The fast-tracked bill that allows the use of night-vision equipment to kill wolves as well as hunting from snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles, among other measures, passed the Senate last week.

Backers said changes to Idaho law could help reduce the wolf population from about 1,500 to 150, alleviating wolf attacks on cattle, sheep and wildlife.

"We have areas of the state where the wolves are having a real detrimental impact on our wildlife," said House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, one of the bill's sponsors. "They are hurting the herds, elk and deer. This allows the Wolf (Depredation) Control Board and others to control them, also, which we have not done in the past."

Read more: https://www.startribune.com/bill-to-kill-up-to-90-of-idaho-wolves-heads-to-governor/600050946/
(Minneapolis Star Tribune)

[Duppers]

1. Please, please post this in other forums.

Such as GD, Environment & Energy, Pets, Animals Rights, etc.

I gave a chunk of $$ yesterday to "Defenders of Wildlife," a lobbying group to help fight this. I'm so furious that these beautiful beings will be slaughted.

There should be a LOUD public outcry...for many reasons. Besides their intelligence, their beauty, their being the ancestors of our pets, their loving family groups, these wolves actually HELP the environment immensely.

Thank you for posting this.

[TexasTowelie]

2. You're welcome and per your request I've posted this article in GD and E&E. nt

Thanks for your financial contribution as well.

[Duppers]

3. Thank YOU, TT.

[yonder]

4. Republican Gov. Little comes from an old Idaho family

of sheep ranchers. House Majority Leader Moyle is directly tied to an agriculture background as well. I don't see the Governor vetoing this and if he did do the right thing, a swift and sure override effort would follow.

With a projected slaughter rate of up to 90%, using most any method they can think of, passage of this into law will not only affect wolves but the long term health of big game populations too.

In the 35? years or so since reintroduction hunters have found they actually have to hunt healthier animals because of wolves - they think healthy game means easy game - the ability to effortless blast and harvest overpopulated animals while using ATV's from easily accessed, old hunting camps in beat-down riparian areas. Wolves have changed that dynamic resulting in healthier populations of both the hunted and (hopefully) the hunter.

This is another typically short-sighted legislative effort from the short-sighted legislature of my home state.

Goodbye Wolves, hello Chronic Wasting Disease.