Hunting season for Idaho’s biggest predators started today. The state’s wolf hunt is getting the most political attention, but bear and cougar tags are both out-selling wolf tags by about 2-to-1.
Most of the buyers are Idahoans. State hunting officials say they’ve seen a dramatic decline in the number of people from other states making hunting trips to Idaho. Mike Keckler is with the state department of Fish and Game.
“It’s not just occurring in Idaho. Other Western states are seeing the same phenomenon. And a lot of it I think has to do with the economy,” he says. “These are tough times. People are making choices and many are choosing not to hunt, to make that trip out West to go hunting.”
A recent hike in fees by the Idaho legislature is also discouraging non-resident hunters. And headlines about wolves preying on deer and elk populations are also having an effect.
A survey by Fish and Game found that out-of-state sportsmen are worried there wouldn’t be enough big game left for them to hunt.
On the Web:
Hunting in Idaho:
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/
(Originally reported by Northwest News Network.)
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