POSTED BY HARRISON BERRY
The names of members of a wolf regulation panel charged with regulating wolf populations and tracking predation have been released.
Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter announced July 7 that the Wolf Depredation Control Board’s members include co-chairs Idaho Department of Fish and Game Director Virgil Moore and Department of Agriculture Celia Gould. The board will also include former Idaho Cattle Association president and rancher Richard Savage, representing the livestock industry; Leadership Idaho Agriculture-member Carl Rey of Meridian representing the general public; and former Idaho Fish and Game Commission member Tony McDermott representing sportsmen.
The board was created at Otter’s request by the Idaho Legislature with $400,000 from the general fund to manage wolves when they come into conflict with livestock and wildlife populations. The move was criticized by local and national groups, who dubbed the task force a “wolf-kill panel.”
According to a press release, the board will not perform its duties at the expense of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s wolf management responsibilities, which include a listing of wolves as a big-game species for hunting and trapping.