STORY BY KAREN BOSSICK

PHOTO BY SARAH MICHAEL

Wolves—and other critters—have been given a reprieve from trapping in the Wood River Valley, thanks to public outcry against the practice.

Units 48 and 49 near Sun Valley will not be included in a proposal to allow wolf trapping, said Idaho Fish and Game Officer Jim Hayden.

The proposal to initiate a trapping season on private land was eliminated after Blaine County commissioners expressed concern over the traps catching other species, including wolverine and lynx, pets, livestock and even people.

Other members of the public, including fifth-graders at Hailey Elementary School who staged a march against the practice, expressed similar concerns.

Hayden said the amended proposal does extend wolf hunting seasons to year-round on private land in 15 of Idaho’s 99 game management units. Wolf trapping will start 36 days earlier on Oct. 10 in 39 units. And wolf-trapping season will be initiated in 36 units.

Hayden said Idaho allowed both hunting and trapping in 2011, then reverted to no trapping in 2009. The state allowed neither hunting nor trapping in 2010 when wolves were again temporarily under federal management.

The harvest has averaged 286 wolves per year from 2011 to 2014. It has averaged 287 wolves per year since 2015.

For more information, visit https://idfg.idaho.gov/sites/default/files/_2019-2020-big-game-proposals-gray-wolf-3-6-19.pdf?dt2019-03-07.