Wolf hunt ruling brings praise, criticism

While some local and state officials praised a federal judge's decision on Wednesday to allow wolf hunts to continue, environmentalists are still circling with litigation in their quest to restore protection.

U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy said the first organized wolf hunts in decades in Idaho and Montana can continue, rejecting environmentalists and animal welfare groups bid to stop the hunts.

“We’re pleased that the judge recognized Idaho’s ability to manage wolves in a way that ensures their continued existence,” Idaho Fish and Game Director Cal Groen said. “We intend to demonstrate that the Fish and Game will responsibly manage wolves like the other 10 big game species.”

Molloy said plans to kill about 20 percent of the two states’ estimated 1,350 wolves would not cause long-term harm to the population. He said federal biologists had shown the animal could sustain a 30 percent annual reduction without long-term harm.

But he added that by carving Wyoming out of the recent decision to remove wolves from federal protection, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service appeared to violate the Endangered Species Act by making its decision based on political boundaries.

“The Service has distinguished a natural population of wolves based on a political line, not the best available science,” Molloy wrote. “That, by definition, seems arbitrary and capricious.”

Molloy said that means environmentalists could ultimately prevail in their effort to restore protection.

Suzanne Asha Stone, of the Defenders of Wildlife in Idaho, the lead plaintiff among 14 groups that made the request, said the decision had mixed results.

"Of course we're disappointed that the court did not immediately halt the current wolf hunts," she said. "But, in the longer term and bigger picture, we're hopeful that this means the court will ultimately overturn the wolf de-listing to ensure a healthy regional wolf population.

"Certainly further litigation is planned. There's no reason to change the course."

Stone said no decision has made on what the next step will be for animal welfare groups.

Sen. Jim Risch said Malloy made the right decision.

“I am pleased that the judge has allowed wolf hunting in Idaho to continue, and I hope this brings an end to lawsuits opposing the hunt," he said. "Wolf numbers have far exceeded the recovery goals set when they were introduced into the state. It is time to let Idaho’s game managers do their job and manage wolves just as they do bears, cats and other species.”

Idaho Deputy Attorney General Clive Strong said the state will now have a chance to show the court that the USFWS’s decision to delist complies with the ESA.

Idaho’s wolf hunt opened in the Lolo and Sawtooth zones on Sept. 1. It opens Tuesday in the Selway and Middle Fork zones, and Oct. 1 in the rest of the state.

Hunters in Idaho have taken three wolves since the season opened. The state has a quota allowing as many as 220 wolves to be killed.

“Idaho’s hunters have acted responsibly and I want to commend them for doing so in the face of uninformed and undeserved criticism," Rep. Mike Simpson said.

Montana’s season is set to begin Tuesday, with a quota of 75 wolves.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.