Guys- they became such a problem here in BC, that "The People" themselves had to take the law into their own hands with poisoning programs. The game branch had many environmentalists in their ranks, restricting the game branch preditor-control officer's work to the point their hands were literally tied.
; 10/80-laced grease balls spread on the ice of lakes, in the middle of fields and in 2 or 3 years, there's no further wolf ' problem' for another 15-20 years approx. Then, there has to be another 'program' done. We (BC) tried to eliminate the wolves back in the 50's with totally widespread indiscriminent poisoning programs. Stricknine, 10/80 and cyanide were used. Wolves are smart & learned - it took only a year or little more of this and the wolves wouldn't go anywhere near where a human had been - wouldn't touch a bait, only eating fresh killed and never going back to it for another meal. Their numbers were drastically reduced but they were smart - self preservation reigned - it was impossible to wipe them out - we found that - which is pretty much the reason there was still a small population of 'resident' Idaho wolves. You just can't wip;e them out, without the drives they had in Europe. That's different - our landscape won't allow that.
; Wolves are cool to see in the bush running free yeah, right - the flip side is 5 minutes or 5 days later they're pulling the uterus' out of your heffers, gutting your horses as they trt to run away, and coming right up onto your porch to eat your german shepherd or rottweiler. It's amazing what 5, 175 pound wolves can do - let alone a pack of 30. The odd one will push 200. 1st year pups will hit 80 pounds by Novemeber if fed on moose, caribou, deer or goats - probably faster on livestock due to the nice fat meat.
; As far as controlling them with hunting seasons - not going to happen.
: Just last fall at hunting camp, the 2 or 3 packs of wolves operating the area howled every night, all night, while chasing moose. 12 hunters over 3 weeks in the bush didn't so much as see one, let alone shoot any, yet they walked and ran through camp on at least one occasion. We did see 5 separate grizzlies, though. That was cool.
: BTW - if you do see a wolf, at any range, shoot it - anywhere - the others will kill it, THAT'S nature at it's best. This was the suggestion made to me by the guide I worked for back in the late 70's when the wolves ate most of the caribou in Spatzizi park, then travelled down the Stakine and then Skeena drainages to spread out in the populated Bulkley Valley, 150 miles South, to 150 miles West and 150 miles East along the river system. There, as their numbers exploaded due to the quantity and variety of game and livestock including horses, cattle, sheep and dogs, they reduced the ungulate population to almost zilch, while their numbers kept multiplying on a diet of livestock.
; I've been through all that once, and it's happening again today.
; Just WHAT was the Idaho Government thinking? When I heard of that maneuver, I thought - Bloody Hell!