Kelley Weston's comments in the Dec. 14 issue on Idaho's Wolf Conservation and Management Plan were interesting and very much on the mark. However, Weston left out a factor that seldom is included in these discussions. My response is based on many years of hunting experience and a growing frustration with the attitudes of guides and outfitters and state big-game managers throughout the Rocky Mountain West.
Wolves temporarily scatter big-game animals from their herd concentrations. That makes them harder to hunt, especially for dudes with deep pockets who pay very big bucks for guides to "cue" a trophy bull. The animals are not always in the places guides have traditionally identified as hot spots, and that can be bad for business. It also translates, inaccurately, to claims that wolves are killing too many game animals, but managers too often buy into this false claim and set their policies accordingly.
Traditional "do-it-yourself" big-game hunters are also affected. Most of us relish actual hunting--scouting, climbing mountains, tracking and getting tired, wet and cold—but we do get testy when it seems that state big-game managers cater more to professional hunters and their wealthy clients than to those of us who simply buy licenses, take our chances on permit draws and rely on our own skills and experience to find our targets.
Hunter numbers nationwide are dwindling. That's also bad for the state game management business, but it's not the wolves' fault. They're just doing their job, and whether we like it or not, the job benefits everyone.
Malin Foster
Salt Lake City
