Conservation groups, Wolf Depredation Board at odds over wolf control funding decision

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - The Idaho Wolf Depredation Control Board recently approved over $100,000 to control wolves across Idaho. Some conservation groups are not pleased with the decision.

According to the Western Watersheds Project, the Wolf Depredation Board approved allocating over $140,000 to private contractors who submitted proposals. They claim three of the submitted proposals call for aerial gunning of wolves.

We reached out to the Idaho Wolf Depredation Board for comment. They told us they are not paying private contractors, but pursuing contracts with livestock producers, saying "The decision by the board was to pursue contracts with livestock producers for the purposes of reimbursing those producers for wolf control activities in areas of chronic depredations of livestock."

The Wolf Depredation Board went on to say "The contracts are with the producers themselves, not with any hunters or trappers whose services they may utilize or who may have presented proposals to the board."