Idaho extends wolf hunt by three additional months

By Associated Press

Summary

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game set a quota of 220 wolves for this year's inaugural hunt. So far, hunters have reached half that total, bagging 110 of the predators as of Thursday.

Story Created: Nov 20, 2009 at 9:35 AM MST

Story Updated: Nov 23, 2009 at 10:43 AM MST

Idaho extends wolf hunt by three additional months

This picture provided by Robert Millage shows his rifle with the first reported wolf killed in Idaho. Millage says he shot the wolf from 25 yards near a ridge along the Lochsa River in northern Idaho. (AP Photo/Robert Millage)

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Hunters will have three more months to hunt wolves in Idaho.

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission voted Thursday to stretch the season to March 31, 2010 in the Panhandle, Palouse-Hells Canyon, Selway, Middle Fork, Salmon, Southern, and South Idaho zones. Hunting in those zones had been set to expire Dec. 31.

Hunting could close before the March 31 deadline if hunters reach quotas set for each zone.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game set a quota of 220 wolves for this year's inaugural hunt. So far, hunters have reached half that total, bagging 110 of the predators as of Thursday.

Montana closed its wolf hunting season on Monday after nearing its quota of 76 wolves, or about 15 percent of Montana's total wolf population.

Idaho officials estimate the state's population between 800 and 900 wolves.

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