Two More Wolf Hunts Near Limits

Wolf harvest is nearly at the limits in the Palouse-Hells Canyon and the Southern Mountains wolf zones - each zone has one wolf left until they close. As of Monday, December 7, wolf hunters have taken four wolves, in the Palouse-Hells Canyon zone in north Idaho where the limit is five wolves, leaving one wolf until that zone closes. And in the Southern Mountains, with a limit of 10, nine have been taken, leaving one wolf in that zone. In addition, in the Middle Fork zone, with a limit of 17, hunters have taken 14, leaving three more wolves until that zone closes. Three other zones already have closed. The wolf season closed November 17 in the Dworshak-Elk City zone November 17, 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 wolf season has been extended to March 31, 2010. Hunters who pursue wolves after December 31, however, need a 2010 wolf tag and hunting license. Seasons remain open until March 31 or until the limit for a wolf management zone is reached, or when the statewide limit of 220 wolves is reached, whichever comes first. As of Monday, December 7, the statewide hunter harvest was at 119 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 Web page 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. The information on the report is essential to Idaho wolf management.