By Dave Ericson of The Ravalli Republic
A sportsmen’s group in Salmon, Idaho, is sponsoring a two-day coyote and wolf hunting “derby” geared toward kids, with two separate $1,000 prizes and trophies going to those who kill the largest wolf and the most coyotes. There will also be special awards for youth ages 10-11 and 12-14.
The rules for the Salmon Youth Predator Derby, which is sponsored by the Salmon chapter of Idaho for Wildlife, state that no trapping or spotlights are allowed in the contest and all Idaho Fish and Game rules apply. The derby will be held Dec. 28-29.
“It’s not a murder killing spree,” said Steve Alder, executive director of Idaho for Wildlife. “Hunting is a tool for us to go out and manage wildlife. And what people don’t realize is if you don’t manage wolves, you won’t have any of them. What people don’t understand is they will take the prey base down so low that they’ll wink out. You have to manage them. And this is an opportunity for these kids who don’t get out a lot to learn how to hunt.”
The contest, which costs $20 to register as a two-person team, will also give out awards for largest male coyote, largest female coyote and most female coyotes killed. There will be fur buyers available after the hunt.
Alder said he doesn’t actually expect any wolves to be killed during the hunt.
“One of our outfitters had 40 hunters this year and only saw one wolf,” he said. “And he missed. So the chances of getting a wolf are very low. We basically have these events occasionally and it’s going to be a youth hunting opportunity. We’ll have youth mentors on hand showing them how to hunt. It’s a good opportunity in the winter, instead of big game animals, you have a coyote. It’s a good way to learn how to hunt. It’s also a disease awareness campaign, and we want to educate the public about safety measures in high wolf density areas and how to take precautions.”
The disease Alder was referring to is a tapeworm, echinococcus granulosus, which showed up in Idaho game in 2006. The adult is carried by dogs, wolves, foxes and coyotes. The larval form is usually found in the lungs or liver of a herbivore.
The tapeworm requires two different animal species, a canid and an ungulate like deer, sheep, cattle or elk, to complete its lifecycle, according to the Idaho Fish and Game website. During intensive surveillance between 2006 and 2010, 62 percent of wolves tested were determined to be infected in central Idaho.
Idaho for Wildlife’s website states that the group is “dedicated to the preservation of Idaho’s wildlife.” Their motto is: “To protect Idaho’s hunting and fishing heritage. To fight against all legal and legislative attempts by the animal rights and anti-gun organizations who are attempting to take away our rights and freedoms under the constitution of the United States of America. To hold all government and state agencies who are stewards of our wildlife accountable and ensure that science is used as the primary role for our wildlife management.”