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http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/10/19/1384406/otter-halts-idaho-wolf-management.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+IdahostatesmancomIdahoOutdoors+(IdahoStatesman.com+Idaho+Outdoors)
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Idaho Gov. Butch Otter has made sure Idaho hunters won’t pay for protecting wolves until the state has a hunting season again.

Idaho Gov. Butch Otter vented 15 years of frustration Monday over the loss of state sovereignty when the federal government reintroduced wolves to the state.

”All the promises that were made when they brought them (here) in ’95, like we would have a 150 wolves and (we would) delist, we wouldn’t have to worry about them, and the stories and the promises just go on and on,“ Otter said. ”And so far the federal government has not kept one of those promises.“

But Otter’s decision to back out of an agreement with the federal government has left another sovereign, the Nez Perce Tribe, uncertain what role it will have in the future for managing wolves.

The tribe had shared management with the state, but Brooklyn Baptiste, a tribal executive committee member in charge of its wildlife program, said Otter failed to inform them of his decision.

”I didn’t contact Montana. I didn’t contact Wyoming. I didn’t contact Saskatchewan,“ Otter said. ”We make these decisions in Idaho.“

The directive has left both the tribe and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service without an alternative plan for handling livestock depredation problems by wolves. The tribe took rancher’s calls before the state chose to take on that role years before the wolves were delisted.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials in Idaho said they were still waiting for a directive from Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on how to proceed. The tribe wants to make sure the state is satisfied with whatever is decided but would step up, Babtiste said.

”The tribe is still ready to take those burdens on, but we need the resources,“ Baptiste said.

Idaho Cattle Association President Carl Ellsworth of Leadore said he shares Otter’s frustration.

”Regardless of who holds chief management responsibilities for wolves, it appears that the livestock industry is the loser either way,“ Ellsworth said.

The federal wildlife agency will investigate illegal wolf kills. But state Fish and Game wardens will still take calls when dead wolves are found as they do on all endangered species, the agency said in a statement.

Otter directed the Idaho Fish and Game Commission to immediately refocus its efforts on protecting Idaho’s deer, elk and moose.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game will seek additional flexibility to kill wolves, Otter said ”so we can exercise our sovereign right to protect our wildlife.“

Fish and Game already has an application pending to kill wolves in its Lolo Big Game Management Zone in North Central Idaho, where elk numbers have plummeted for a variety of reasons including predation.

Fish and Game will continue to conduct research about wolf impacts on moose, deer and elk.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keith Allred said he shares Otter’s frustration but not his approach.

”Butch Otter just gave away more state power to the federal government,“ said Allred. ”We need to be asserting our sovereignty, not giving it away.“

Otter said the main impact of his decision is to redirect license fees paid by sportsmen now that they can’t hunt wolves.

”No more of that money will be spent on protecting those wolves,“ Otter said.

Interior officials said they could not meet Otter’s primary request, to resume sport hunting, because of a judge’s decision to return wolves to the endangered species list.

”We are committed to continuing to work with Idaho, Montana and Wyoming to address the wolf issue in a balanced manner that addresses the predation issue and conservation of the elk population,“ Interior Department press secretary Kendra Barkoff said.

Otter said he still is committed to finding a path forward for delisting and for the state to resume management of wolves under an agreement with the federal government. He said the state could live with wolves ”if we got back to 2005 levels,“ which was about 550 wolves in Idaho. That number has doubled.

”To that end, I am encouraged by the efforts of representatives from the three legislatures to see if there is a path forward for delisting and state management,“ Otter wrote to Salazar.

Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife, said Otter’s action was ”unnecessarily and irresponsibly escalating tensions over wolf management at a time when we are trying to bring level heads together to find a lasting solution.“

Rocky Barker: 377-6484

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http://Voices.IdahoStatesman.com/Barker

8First reported at IdahoStatesman.com


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