By PERRY BACKUS - Ravalli Republic | Posted: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 8:38 pm
The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission will decide Thursday whether it will ask for a federal permit that would allow the state to reduce the wolf population in the West Fork of the Bitterroot by half.
The five-year permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would allow the state to kill wolves in Hunting District 250 under Section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act.
The provision gives states with federally adopted wolf management plans, like Montana, the authority to kill wolves to protect threatened ungulate herds, such as elk and deer.
The commission gave FWP officials permission to gather public comments and seek a scientific peer review on its initial proposal in October.
The public comment period ended last week.
A total of 162 comments were received. Most came from Montana addresses. An FWP generated summary indicated comments were made on both sides of the issue.
The peer review was completed by biologists from Alaska, Michigan, Minnesota and Washington.
In general, the biologists agreed the proposed action was reasonable.
"Overall, the proposed course of action should allow managers to reduce impacts of wolves on elk to maintain sustainable hunting opportunity for ungulates while maintaining a viable and connected wolf population capable of sustained wolf hunting opportunity," said Bruce Dale, a wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
FWP's 30-page proposal said the West Fork elk population is "on the brink of a steep and unprecedented decline" that could be avoided only by immediately protecting the survival rate of elk calves through the first year of life.
State biologists have counted 10 calves for every 100 cows in the area over the last three years. The state's elk plan suggested a minimum of 25 calves per 100 cows for a sustainable population.
The state's proposal said the most likely reason for the sharp decline in calf numbers was increases in predation by a growing wolf population in the West Fork.
The proposal calls for reducing wolf numbers in HD 250 from the minimum number of 24 counted in 2009 to 12 over the five-year period that the 10(j) permit would be in place.
Idaho submitted a similar proposal in September to reduce up to 80 percent of the wolves in its Lolo region next year. No decision has been made on that proposal yet.
FWP spokesman Ron Aascheim said the department will recommend that the commission adopt the permit request.
"Our 10(j) proposal is solid," he said. "We will ask them to adopt it for Hunting District 250."
The commission meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Helena headquarters of FWP, 1420 E. Sixth Ave.
Reach reporter Perry Backus at 363-3300 or pbackus@ravallirepublic.com.
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