The McCall-Weiser wolf zone was closed to hunting on Sunday after the limit of 15 wolves was reached. It was the second wolf zone to close in Idaho, with the Upper Snake zone hunt, on the eastern edge of the state, ending Nov. 2 with a quota of five wolves killed.
The number of wolves shot in the state reached 98 Tuesday, approaching half of the 220 allowed for the hunting season, which ends Dec. 31 in 10 of the 12 zones. The hunt will continue to March 31 in the Sawtooth and Lolo zones.
On Saturday, a sixth wolf was shot in the Southern Mountains zone, which includes the Wood River Valley and extends east across the Pioneer, White Knob, Lost River, Lemhi and Beaverhead mountain ranges to the Montana border. The quota for the zone is 10 wolves.
Idaho Department of Fish and Game spokesman Ed Mitchell said the wolf was killed in big game Unit 44, northwest of Fairfield in the Smoky Mountains.
Mitchell said the gray male was not likely part of the Phantom Hill pack because it was killed well out of the pack's home range, which stretches from the Trail Creek area north over Galena Summit, and because the pack is known for having black fur.
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"A Phantom Hill wolf would have had to cross a lot of ridges to get there," Mitchell said.
Mitchell said the increase in wolf kills since elk and deer hunting seasons opened in mid-October could slow with the onset of winter.
"As we thought might be the case, there was a steady take of wolves during the elk season," Mitchell said. "However, this could slow down because hunters are starting to come out of the woods. With snow, it could be easier [to track and hunt wolves], but the person has to be willing to take on that task."
Harvest limits are being approached in several other zones, including the Palouse-Hells Canyon zone, where the quota is five and hunters have taken two, and Dworshak-Elk City zone, where 13 wolves been killed, leaving five before the quota is reached.
Jon Duval: jduval@mtexpress.com
