Wolf hunting opens in Boundary County

Brian Johnson isn’t sure what to expect from today’s opening of North Idaho’s first wolf hunting season.

“It’s a big experiment,” said Johnson, a senior conservation officer for Idaho Department of Fish and Game in Boundary County. “If you look at the rest of the state, certainly the slaughter some people were predicting has not happened.”

As of Sept. 25, nine wolves were harvested in parts of Idaho where seasons opened as early as Sept. 1, according to Fish and Game’s Web site. A total of 220 can be taken in Idaho.

A limit of 30 wolves can be harvested in the Panhandle Region, which includes Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai counties and portions of Benewah, Latah, Clearwater and Shoshone counties.

The season will close once the limit has been met.

As of last week, Fish and Game’s three Boundary County vendors had sold 284 wolf tags. Tags are $11.50 for residents and $186 for non-residents.

Hunters may have purchased tags elsewhere, said Craig Wiedmeier, license operations manager for Fish and Game in Boise.

“I have family in Priest River and buy my items here and visit and go hunting with them,” Wiedmeier said.

Greg Johnson, another senior conservation officer for Fish and Game in Boundary County, expects a quiet opening to the season, which ends Dec. 31.

“We don’t have any rifle season except for bear, but when the rifle elk and deer (season) starts Oct. 10, that’s when things will really pick up,” Greg Johnson said.

He has reservations about hunters meeting the 30-wolf limit.

“They’re spread all over,” he said. “You’re not going to drive and see a wolf on any given day. Wolves are not an easy animal to hunt You might bump one by chance and have a tag in your pocket. That’s were most of the harvest will come from.”

He said wolves can be found in all four corners of the county, which he guesses has four different packs.

“They travel great distances,” Greg Johnson said. “I don’t think you will find much at the lower elevations this time of year.”

Brian Johnson agrees more wolves could be taken during the deer and elk rifle seasons.

“They will be difficult to hunt,” he said. “It’s kind of like the guys who hunt lions without dogs. They take a few. I certainly don’t predict a slaughter.”

 A few things to remember:

• Wolves cannot be hunted with dogs.

• Either male or female may be taken. Evidence of sex must be left attached to the hide of any wolf taken.

• Once the limit has been reached, the hunt is over. To find out which hunt zones are closed due to limits being reached, call 1-877-872-3190.

• Wolf hunters are required to report kills within 24 hours and show the skull and pelt to Idaho Fish and Game authorities within five days. To report a wolf harvest, call 1-877-872-3190. Locally, Greg Johnson can be reached at 267-7629; Brian Johnson, 267-4085; and Fish and Game biologist Wayne Wakkinen at 267-3115.

• No person may trap, snare or otherwise capture or hold any wolf.

• No electronic calls may be used to attract wolves for the purpose of harvest.

• Baiting or hunting over bait for wolves is not allowed.

• Hunters are not required to retrieve meat from a harvested wolf.