Another Wolf Hunt Closes in South Central Idaho

The wolf season has closed as of Saturday, January 2, in the Southern Mountains zone, where the limit of 10 wolves has been reached. The closure affects big game management units 29, 30, 30A, 36A, 37, 37A, 43, 44, 48, 49, 50, 51, 58, 59, and 59A. The zone reaches from the Bennett Hills to the continental divide in the Beaverhead Mountains. Four other zones already have closed. The wolf season closed December 18 in the Palouse-Hells Canyon zone, on November 17 in the Dworshak-Elk City zone, on November 9 in the McCall-Weiser zone in west central Idaho, and on November 2 in the Upper Snake zone in eastern Idaho. Elsewhere in the state wolf seasons remain open. Wolf hunters are reminded to check the harvest limit in the wolf hunting zones they intend to hunt. Idaho Department of Fish and Game set wolf harvest limits by 12 zones. The season closes in each zone when the limit for that zone is reached, or when the statewide limit of 220 wolves is reached, or on March 31, whichever comes first. As of Monday, January 4, the statewide hunter harvest was at 140 wolves. Harvest information is updated as soon as it is reported. To find out whether a zone is open, call 877-872-3190. The Fish and Game wolf harvest Webpage is updated less frequently, but provides a zone map and other useful information: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/hunt/wolf/quota.cfm. Wolf hunters are required by state law to report within 24 hours of harvesting a wolf and then must present the hide and skull to a Fish and Game conservation officer or regional office within five days. To report a wolf kill, call 877-872-3190 toll free.