The Department of the Interior allows the hunting of the gray wolf in Idaho. Familiarize yourself with the rules and restrictions each year. If you have not hunted this animal before, you may want to engage the services of an outfitter and guide who has been licensed by the Fish and Game Commission of Idaho.
In May 2009, the U.S. Department of Interior removed the wolf from the endangered species list. Wolves were reintroduced in 1995 and 1996 to Idaho and the Rocky Mountain areas south of Interstate 90. Today there are 12 wolf management zones in Idaho. Because wolves are territorial and social hunters, you will typically find wolves in areas with low human density.
In order to hunt in Idaho, you must have a license. For residents the fee is $12.75 (as of July 2010); for nonresidents the fee is $154.75. In addition, tags cost residents $11.50 and nonresidents $186. You may not take more than one wolf during a calendar year. Idaho Code, section 36-416 sets the fee, which must accompany each application and is not refundable.
The hours you may hunt are one-half hour before sunrise and one-half hour after sunset in designated areas. You may not pursue or hunt a wolf within one-half mile of any Department of Fish and Game feeding site or within 200 yards of any assigned sanitary landfill or dump ground. You may not hunt in state, national, historical parks or refuge centers. Check for a complete listing of restricted areas.
If you wound or kill a wolf, or any big game animal, it is your responsibility to make an effort to retrieve and possess it. In addition, you must report a wolf kill within 24 hours, and within five days you must present the skull and hide to a conservation officer or regional office. Although it is not illegal to harvest a radio-monitored wolf, try to avoid it.
You may only use motorized vehicles, including ATVs, on established roads. Any road that is not used for travel by full-sized automobiles may not be used by hunters. In addition, you may not use dogs, bait or electronic calling devices to hunt and kill a wolf. Know the difference between a coyote and a wolf. Wolves are larger than coyotes. Wolves can weigh between 50 pounds and 100 pounds, whereas coyotes usually don't exceed 45 pounds. It is easy to make a mistake from a distance, so make sure you know what you are hunting.
