Wildlife Callers

Idaho Gov. Butch Otter plans to be one of the hunters bidding for a wolf tag for Idaho’s wolf hunting season set this fall.

The season is limited to 200 wolves, but it’s not stopping the governor who previously endorsed a wolf hunt in 2007 by saying, “I’m prepared to bid for the first ticket to shoot a wolf myself.”

He told reporters on Wednesday, that he will buy a $11.75 tag along with the rest of the state’s wolf hunters.

The state’s wildlife commission limited the number of wolves available to hunt out of fears that the Defenders of Wildlife group would push an injunction to U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy that would stop the wolf hunt altogether.

Wolf numbers exceed 1,000 in Idaho.

“I understand the commission’s conservative and thoughtful action that they took because obviously we want to demonstrate we can manage them,” Otter said. “We also want to find out if we can manage them with our hunter community.”

Source:  Idaho Statesman -