Hunters finding little success

It’s been a tough fall for Phil and Darlene Schneiders’ trophy hunting family.

“The boys (Travis, 21, and Tom, 19) took two months off (work) and hunted and hunted almost every day,” Darlene Schneider said.

Like many Boundary County hunters, the Schneider brothers and two more of their siblings are finding little success.

Some blame the apparent increase in the population of wolves, which prey on wild game. Last year’s record elk harvest followed by a near-record snowfall could be another reason.

“You’ve got to realize that with last year’s record harvest for elk, you would expect it (this year’s kill) to be (down) some,” said Greg Johnson, senior conservation officer for Idaho Department of Fish and Game in Boundary County.

Last winter was tough.

“When you go through a winter with 5 to 6 feet of snow on the winter range, you’ll lose some animals,” Johnson said.

“Wolves are certainly a big part,” he continued. “How big, there’s no indication.”

Brett Payne couldn’t agree more.

“The number of critters aren’t out there like they used to be,” said Payne, owner of South Hill Meat Lockers, where wild game processing is down by one-third. “People are saying they’ve seen a lot of wolf tracks and found kills from predators, probably wolves.”

In the past, Payne said he has taken in 75 elk and 150 deer. This year, he’s processed 50 elk and maybe 50 deer.

“I’m pretty sure it’s wolves,” he said. “You’re not seeing near the coyote sign, which is the first thing a wolf does, is to kill off the dogs. There’s a lot less bear sign.”

He also attributes to the lack of wildlife to less logging.

“The forest underneath the timber — there’s no new growth underneath to provide feed to wildlife,” Payne said.

At Far North Outfitters in Bonners Ferry, the number of pictures posted on the walls of animals taken by hunters is down by about 50 percent, said clerk Jack Bliss.

“It’s pretty slow,” Bliss said. “It could be the predator population. (People) have noticed a lot more wolf tracks this year. It could be they (elk, deer, moose) moved up higher from where they usually go.”

For Liermann Bug Cleaning in Naples, it’s been basically business as usual.

“It’s been a little slow, but we still have (more time in the season),” said owner Jenny Liermann.

She believes hunters like the European mounts because many don’t have room for full-head mounts. European mounts also cost less, ranging from as low as $40 for a bear and up to $80 for a moose.

Johnson by January will have a better idea on the harvest from mandatory reports filed by hunters.

“It’s probably off some from last year,” he said.