Revival of wolf hunting would help fund wolf management

HUNTING — My numbers were off in a previous post about the revenue the government loses by not being able to employ controlled hunting for managing wolves in the Northern Rockies.

Idaho took in $470,000 during the 2009-2010 wolf hunting season while Montana took in $325,935.

Court action prevented the planned 2010-2011 season before it started.  Meantime, the government spent $4.6 million on wolf management last year.

Read on for the breakdown of the numbers verified by Idaho Fish and Game.

Idaho wolf tag sales began in August of 2009, which was in the 2010 fiscal year. Here’s the numbers breakdown:

Fiscal year 2010

Resident $304,063
Nonresident $153,296
10 auction tags $19,000 (approx)
Total $457,359

Additional transactions through February 2011:
Residents $321
Nonresidents $-5,343

The low and negative amount in fiscal year 2011 is the result of wolf tags being issued in fiscal year 2010 then returned for a refund in fiscal year 2011 after a court ruling put wolves back under endangered species protections and the planned hunting season was cancelled.