Lawsuits filed over wolf-hunt derbies

Environmental groups on Tuesday filed lawsuits in Idaho and Washington, D.C., seeking to force the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to reveal whether it will allow a wolf- and coyote-hunting contest on public land in east-central Idaho this winter.

The lawsuits contend the agency is violating the Freedom of Information Act by withholding records sought by the Center for Biological Diversity and Western Watersheds Project.

However, Steve Alder of Idaho for Wildlife told The Associated Press on Tuesday the group isn’t holding its Predator Hunting Contest this winter due to not killing any wolves the previous two winters.

The group held the events on private land and U.S. Forest Service land.

The BLM issued the group a permit for last winter’s event but withdrew it following lawsuits by environmental groups.