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January 12, 2012

Wolf hunt closed in two zones

By Niels Nokkentved, IDFG

   Wolf hunting seasons have closed in the Beaverhead and Island Park wolf management zones. The seasons opened Aug. 30 and closed Dec. 31.

   Wolf hunting seasons remain open through March 31 in the Panhandle, Palouse-Hells Canyon, Dworshak-Elk City, Middle Fork, Salmon, McCall-Weiser, Sawtooth, Southern Mountains and Southern Idaho zones, and through June 30 in the Lolo and Selway zones.

   Wolf harvest is limited in only three of the zones still open. The season limits are 40 wolves in the Salmon zone, 60 in the Sawtooth zone and 25 in the Southern Mountains zone. There are no limits in the remaining eight wolf management zones.

   Hunters may buy two wolf hunting tags per calendar year, valid only in the year for which they are issued, and they may take only one wolf per tag. Wolf seasons are any-weapon seasons, electronic calls may be used statewide and wolves may be taken incidentally during fall bear baiting.

   Hunters must report killing a wolf within 72 hours, and they must present the skull and hide to an Idaho Fish and Game office within 10 days. Fish and Game will monitor the hunt daily. The seasons will close when the harvest limit for a zone is reached or by the season closing date, whichever comes first.

   Wolf trapping seasons opened Nov. 15 and continue through March 31 in the Panhandle zone, except for units 2 and 3; in the Lolo zone; in the Dworshak-Elk City zone, except Unit 10A; in the Selway zone; and the Middle Fork zone.

   All other zones are closed to trapping with the option of opening a trapping season in other zones upon commission review in January.

   Trappers who have completed the mandatory trapper class may buy up to three tags in the 2011-2012 trapping season with a trapping license; in addition unused hunting tags from the current calendar, 2012, may also be used to tag trapped wolves.

   Snares and foothold traps, with a jaw spread of no more than 9 inches are legal during wolf trapping season.

   Baiting regulations for trapping wolves are consistent with regulations for furbearers.

   Trappers must check their traps at least once every 72 hours; they must report a kill within 72 hours and bring the skull and hide to be checked with Fish and Game within 10 days.

   Wolf hunting and trapping seasons and rules are posted on the Fish and Game website at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/?getPage=266, and they will be available in a brochure.

Sportsmen's Report sponsored by John and Lorraine Weiland