WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT -- Idaho Fish and Game biologists have  started a project to attach radio collars on elk in the St. Joe in order to get a better handle on the extent of wolf predation on elk in that area, says Jim Hayden, Panhandle region wildlife manager. 

"To date we have 21 cow elk on the air," he said.  "Most of these were collared via helicopter last week near Avery.  The remainder were collared using a corral-type trap set up near Calder.  Our hope is to have 25 collared elk per year over the next 4 years. 

"We will be following these elk monthly, mapping seasonal migrations as well as monthly survival.  We did a similar project in the Joe in the late 1990s, giving a solid comparison of how things have changed since then."

MEETINGS ON BIG-GAME HUNTING PROPOSALS

Proposed changes to Idaho's 2011 big-game hunting seasons will be presented in meetings throughout North Idaho this week, starting tonight.  Here's the schedule:

Tonight: Kellogg, Silver Valley Steel Workers Hall, 7 p.m.

Wednesday: Coeur d’Alene, IDFG Panhandle Region office, 7 p.m.

Thursday: Sandpoint,  Bonner County Fairgrounds, 7 p.m.

Saturday:  St. Maries, Eagles,  8 a.m.

Details of proposed changes are available on the Fish and Game website at or from regional Fish and Game offices.