In the first year that wolf trapping was allowed in Idaho, trappers captured a total of 123 wolves.
But
according to a survey by the Idaho Fish and Wildlife Department, those
same trappers in 2011-2012 also inadvertently captured 147 other
animals, including white-tailed deer, elk, moose, mountain lions, skunks
and ravens.
Trappers reported that 69 of those animals died as a result. Montana
Fish, Wildlife and Parks wildlife management chief George Pauley said
his office is currently gathering similar information about the state’s
first wolf trapping season. He doesn’t expect the numbers of non-targeted species to be anywhere near that high in Montana. The difference may center on the use of snares.
Idaho allows trappers to use wire snares that collapse around an animal’s neck as it struggles to free itself. Montana
officials have considered snares for wolf trapping, but so far have
opted not to allow the use of that method, Pauley said.
Jon
Rachael, Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s state wildlife game
manager, said the survey sent to his state’s trappers didn’t require
them to identify if the non-targeted animal was captured by a foothold
trap or a snare. “My guess is those animals caught in snares are
typically the ones that end up dead,” Rachael said. “White-tailed deer
will kill themselves. They’re high strung and they’ll struggle.”
Rachael
said all wolf trappers in Idaho are required to complete a one-day
course that offers ideas on how to avoid capturing non-targeted animals. A similar course was taught this year in Montana.
The
course included directions on how to set wires in front of snares that
would divert elk and moose as well as instructions on building
break-away devices and other methods.
White-tailed deer seemed to be the main challenge facing Idaho’s wolf trappers. Trappers reported capturing 45 deer. Twelve of those died. They also captured 18 elk and four moose. One of the elk died. The
same number of coyotes ended up in traps as deer. Trappers reported
that 38 were killed. Mountain lions also took a hit. Nine were captured
and six died. “It’s been a challenge,” Rachael said. “Trappers are
talking with each other about ways to mitigate that. No one wants to
catch a deer. It costs them a lot of time. They don’t want to kill deer,
moose or elk.”
Montana trappers are required to report the capture of any non-targeted species as well, Pauley said.
So far this season, 45 dogs have been captured in traps. Only three of those were caught by wolf trappers, he said. “There
are a heck of a lot of people out there trapping furbearers,” Pauley
said. “And there also are a lot of people trapping coyotes, which aren’t
even regulated.”
The FWP office in Helena is currently collecting
information from around the state about non-targeted animals caught in
wolf traps. I’m aware of a couple of mountain lions, but right
now that’s all I know about,” Pauley said. “We’re probably not going to
have elk or moose. They are big enough to pull out of a wolf trap. There
probably will be a small handful of deer that were caught.”
Pauley expects to have those numbers summarized in the next two or three weeks.
Montana’s wolf season ended last week. As of Friday afternoon, hunters had killed 128 wolves and trappers caught another 97. The wolf harvest was up about 25 from the previous year – before trapping was allowed in the state.
In Idaho, Rachael said the wolf harvest was down about 25 percent. “There
are probably multiple factors that have caused the decline,” Rachael
said. “There are less wolves and certainly less naïve wolves. After a
couple of years of being hunted, wolves clearly exhibit avoidance
behavior when it comes to people.”
While there’s always a new crop of young ones that are more vulnerable, Rachael said they tend to learn quickly. “The naïve ones get picked off early,” he said.
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