Shooting wolves in prime recreation country near Boise, ID-
Although wolves have inhabited the the foothills and mountains north of Boise for a decade now, this is the first time they are known to have killed livestock (8 lambs, 3 ewes). The two wolves are not part of a pack.
Hopefully Wildlife Services is taking precautions not to hit bikers, joggers, etc. in the Hulls Gulch area. The sheep belonged to Frank Shirts of bighorn sheep fame. 😉
Here is the story in the Boise Weekly. Boise Foothills Wolf Hunt Underway. Posted by Nathaniel Hoffman
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My story on wolves near Boise from way back in 2000. Strong Evidence of Wolves Near Boise, Idaho. Ralph Maughan’s wolf report. Jan. 14, 2000
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
oh man, I hope someone films it and it is all over the news. They could maybe mention grazing on public lands…
Let’s hope so.
Did anyone do a search on Frank Shirts?
Now I’m suspicious about every small plane I see flying over the foothills. I went running near the area where this supposedly happened yesterday and only saw one plane that could have been on approach to the airport. A friend reported that on her run the on Saturday, mountain bikers in the vicinity reported seeing wolves and she saw scat. I hope for their sake the wolves high-tail it over the ridge and into higher ground.
This is really, really upsetting. The idea that sheep trump wildlife & recreation in the BOISE FOOTHILLS is insane. We should be celebrating that wolves are present so close to a city. Instead we get a kill order.
Once again, has anyone bothered to do a search on the Shirts Brothers or Frank Shirts?
A lengthly bio on Frank
http://www.rangemagazine.com/features/fall-07/fa07-sheepman.pdf