The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) reintroduced fifteen wolves into Idaho in 1995. At that time, the Idaho Legislature strictly limited Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) involvement with wolves and wolf recovery. The USFWS proceeded with recovery and contracted with the Nez Perce Tribe to implement wolf management in Idaho. In 1996 an additional 20 wolves were reintroduced. Since that time, the number of wolves in Idaho has increased, and in 2003 we have approximately 362 wolves, 25 verified breeding pairs and approximately 33 documented packs well distributed from the Canadian border south to I-84. 

In April, 2003, Governor Kempthorne, Fish and Game Director Huffaker, and the Idaho Legislature negotiated and passed a bill into law that allows the State to participate in wolf management. The bill, H0294, allows IDFG to assist the Governor's Office of Species Conservation (OSC) in implementing the State of Idaho's Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, as well as participate in wolf management with the USFWS and the Nez Perce Tribe. Wolves are still listed as threatened and as an "experimental non-essential population" in central Idaho, and therefore are under management authority of the Federal Government. Idaho cannot conduct management that is not in coordination with and under the authority of the USFWS while wolves are still federally listed. Federal management of wolves in Idaho remains essentially the same even though they have been reclassified. The only difference is that IDFG may now legally participate in management activities.

What does down-listing mean?

Wolves reached the Federal biological recovery goal in December 2002, that is "30 breeding pairs of wolves well distributed throughout the 3 states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming for 3 consecutive years". 

Recently, the USFWS has reclassified, or down-listed wolves from endangered to threatened in north Idaho and northern Montana, and everywhere within the western Distinct Population Segment (DPS) (see Down-listing Rule, PDF file). 

This change does nothing to change wolf management in Idaho except in the upper Panhandle region north of Interstate 90. 

The next step is delisting wolves in the western DPS. 

The DPS includes Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, Northern Utah and Northern Colorado, Nevada and California. 

A recovered population in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming means the entire western DPS has achieved recovery. 

When will the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service delist wolves? 

Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) the USFWS will delist wolves when the combined policies of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming provide an "adequate regulatory mechanism" to govern wolf management. 

To be "adequate" means to assure that if the states took over management, the wolves will be protected and maintained as a viable population sufficiently distributed among the 3 states. 

The USFWS interprets the ESA to mean that the 3 states have to provide wolf management plans and establish state laws that satisfactorily provide these protections. 

Currently, the states of Idaho and Montana have completed their plans and they were deemed acceptable by the USFWS. 

Wyoming's plan was not acceptable to the Service, therefore delisting will be delayed until Wyoming makes adjustments to their plan. 

Other legal delays are anticipated as well. It will take at least a year to delist once Wyoming's plan is accepted. 

What does state management mean for wolves?
The state wolf plan requires that a minimum of 15 packs of wolves be maintained in Idaho. 

Currently Idaho has about 40 packs well distributed across the state. 

The state has begun planning and coordinating with the USFWS, the Nez Perce Tribe, and Wildlife Services to transition into the primary management role. 

Once delisted, wolves will likely be managed similar to black bears and mountain lions. 

The state will likely propose hunting wolves to provide opportunity for harvest of wolves, as well as to attempt to reduce problems with livestock and to maintain a balance between wolves and their prey. 

(However, if the state allows hunting of wolves, they will be managed at a level that allows a harvestable surplus, which will likely be higher than the minimum required for delisting). 

What will the other agencies be doing?
Once wolves are delisted, the USFWS will be monitoring wolf management in the 3 states for 5 years. The states will be required to verify and report wolf pack activity. 

Wildlife Services will be the primary agency responsible for wolf depredations. They will be working closely with IDFG and livestock operators to assure wolf problems are minimized. 

The Nez Perce Tribe and the State are in negotiations and hope to sign an MOU [Memorandum Of Understanding] that would outline a significant role in wolf related activities for the Tribe in North central Idaho, as well as provide the Tribe with a wolf harvest agreement. 

Land management agencies like the Forest Service and BLM will be responsible for their regular land management duties, but IDFG will request their assistance in monitoring and management of wolves. 

Other states will be implementing their state wolf plans and assuring a minimum of 15 packs of wolves survive in each state. 

Please report wolf sightings!

Part of the requirements for cooperators is to assure the public is well informed and populations are well monitored. This website is a repository for the latest information regarding wolf recovery in Idaho and in the Western DPS. We've also made a wolf observation report form available that will immediately be sent to Idaho Fish and Game, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nez Perce Tribe. Biologists may follow up with questions, so please fill out the report form as fully and accurately as possible. 

We are particularly interested in information regarding wolf pack activity, reproductive activity, and wolves frequenting new areas. If you believe you have a wolf related incident, depredation, wolf mortality, or other incident that requires immediate attention, please contact your local Fish and Game Officer, Fish and Game Regional Office, USFWS, or the Nez Perce Tribe at the following links and phone numbers. 

• Idaho Department of Fish and Game Regional Offices

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Boise Field Office: 208-378-5243

• Nez Perce Tribe, McCall Wolf Recovery: 208-634-1061

• Citizens Against Poaching (To Report Wildlife Crimes): 1-800-632-5999

• Idaho Fish & Game Wolf Policy

• House Bill No. 294

• Wolf Reintroduction and Recovery Timeline

• Gray Wolf News, Information and Recovery Status Reports.
  
  • To view the recovery status reports, including the most current, select from the list approximately half way down the page.
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• Idaho Wolf Conservation and Management Plan (PDF file)

• Wolf Observation Report Form

• 2002 Nez Perce Tribal Wolf Report (PDF file)