Otter: ‘We support the decision’
Gov. Butch Otter, through spokesman Jon Hanian, had this reaction to the Fish & Game Commission's decision today to have hunters go after 25 percent of Idaho's wolves: "We support the decision that was made by the commissioners today, and the governor has supreme and utmost confidence in the ability of our professionals at the Department of Fish & Game to manage these predators responsibly and implement their plan." Incidentally, the 4-3 vote on which the wolf-hunting quota was approved was the reverse of the previous 4-3 vote that killed a more aggressive plan to have hunters target up to 49 percent of wolves. The three "no" votes on the final plan were from Commissioners Wayne Wright, of Twin Falls, the panel's chairman; Cameron Wheeler of Ririe, and Randy Budge of Pocatello. They were the same three who backed the more aggressive quota.