It is not a record Idaho ranchers want any part of. For the second consecutive year, wolf depredations on livestock hit an all-time high in the Gem State.
According to the Idaho Farm Bureau, 264 investigations conducted by Idaho Wildlife Services from July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019, confirmed 175 wolf depredations. That compares to 140 confirmed attacks the previous year.
The Idaho wolf control board is responsible for funding the lethal removal of problem wolves.
“They will have the resources they need,” Idaho Governor Brad Little, told the Farm Bureau during a recent interview. “Fish and game is doing a pretty good job of managing them but … I talk to ranchers all over the state and there are areas where they are causing huge problems.”
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation supports the state-based management of wolves just as it supports the state-based management of elk, bears, deer, mountain lions and other wildlife.
(Photo source: Idaho Department of Fish and Game)