August 24, 2009: Idaho Wolf Tags Sale Brisk as Judge Considers Hunt

BOISE, Idaho —It was the first day Idaho wolf tags went on sale for a hunt slated to start next Tuesday. By mid-afternoon, the state was reporting about 4,000 tags sold, as hunters motivated by curiosity, novelty - and in some cases frustration with predators' impact on wildlife and livestock - shelled out $11.50 for a wolf tag…

The federal government lifted Endangered Species Act protections from most wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains in May and now Idaho and Montana are gearing up for first open gray wolf hunts in the lower 48 states since delisting. Idaho last week approved a 220-wolf hunt, about a quarter of the state's estimated 1,000 wolves, with limited hunting due to begin on Sept. 1. Montana approved the shooting of up to 75 wolves starting in mid-September…

Idaho officials have estimated as many as 70,000 wolf tags might eventually be sold for the hunt that in some areas runs through next March 31. -Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times