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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Republicans promoting Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's proposed $2 million taxpayer-financed fund to kill wolves hope the cash helps reduce Idaho's population of these canine predators by more than 500 animals, to just 150 wolves in 15 packs.
BOISE – Idaho would spend more than $2 million to eliminate problem wolves and set up a new state board to oversee the effort, under legislation that cleared the Idaho House on Friday.
The bill still needs Senate passage and the governor’s signature to become law. It calls for a one-time infusion of $2 million in state general tax funds for the new board, plus annual contributions of $110,000 each from the livestock industry and from hunting license funds.Rep. Ken Andrus, R-Lava Hot Springs, called for building a fence around Yellowstone National Park and putting all the wolves in there. “We could see how nature takes care of its own, and the more I think about it the more I think we should do this,” he told the House. “I think we would have donations from all over the United States and the world to build this fence.”
A bill that would create an Idaho Wolf Control Board was approved by the Idaho House Friday morning.The bill, which was drafted by hunter and livestock stock groups, passed 49-16 with five abstentions.The bill has the support of Idaho Gov. Butch Otter, who has proposed spending $2 million in one time funds to help start up the board. Its main task will be to fill in for budget cuts to the federal USDA Wildlife Services agency, which responds when wolves kill livestock.This bill makes cattle and sheep ranchers pay for half of the annual costs and sportsmen dollars the other half. But the sportsman dollars only go for reducing wolf numbers in areas where elk and other wildlife populations have been held down by wolves.
