SB 1340: Incentivizing wolf hunts — 2024
ICL's position: Oppose
Current Bill Status: Senate Committee
Issue Areas: Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Recreation, Wildlife
Sen. Okuniewicz (R-Hayden) introduced SB 1340 in the Senate Resources & Environment Committee. The bill would provide an opportunity for hunting outfitters that successfully fill a wolf tag while outfitting to purchase an additional tag for bighorn sheep, mountain goat, or moose, provided that those populations can sustain the additional hunting pressure.
In this instance, the bill attempts to give out coveted wildlife tags that are appropriately limited because of the small populations of bighorn sheep, mountain goat, and moose. Currently, IDFG offers a total of 98 bighorn sheep, 41 mountain goat, and 517 moose tags statewide via a lottery. While there are a few exceptions, hunting tags for these species are once-in-a-lifetime, meaning that if you are lucky enough to draw one, you are restricted from receiving a tag in the future.
The bill is yet another example of the Idaho Legislature interfering with the work of the Idaho Fish & Game (IDFG) Commission to set wildlife policy. Instead of deferring to the science-based management from IDFG, and the independent IDFG Commission, the legislature has increasingly sought to compel certain wildlife decisions that should be left to the Commission.
In 1938, 76% of Idahoans agreed with an initiative that established professional management of wildlife via IDFG and their independent Commission. They were concerned because they saw the negative effects of political influence over fish and game management.
It was the right decision in 1938 to insulate wildlife management from political meddling and it’s the right decision today. We already see too much legislative interference when it comes to IDFG budgets (even though they are funded entirely from fees, without any state “General Funds”), management of predators, and changes to bag limits and access. Opening the commission to increased legislative influence undermines the intent of an independent and balanced commission to protect and preserve the fish and wildlife that belong to all Idahoans.