Three hunters in Idaho’s northern panhandle killed a dozen wolf pups on April 25, a single day in spring, and each was reimbursed up to $2,000 by the state’s Wolf Depredation Control Board.
The program, funded by taxpayer money, hunting licenses and the non‑profit Foundation for Wildlife Management, requires hunters to submit a wolf’s skull and hide to prove the kill. Once verified, the hunter receives the payment and the state records the kill for its annual quota.
Brooks Fahy, director of Predator Defense, blasted the scheme as an "abomination," accusing the state of using public money to pay for the deliberate killing of newborn animals.
Experts argue the records’ description of the kills as "stalks" is dubious. Carter Niemeyer, a former federal wildlife official, noted that modern trail cameras make it easier to locate dens; he questioned whether 12 pups could be killed that way in a single day.
Idaho Fish and Game biologist Cory Mosby said the state aims for a wolf population of about 650 by spring 2024. To reach that target, the state would need to kill more than a third of the existing 1,100 wolves each year, a figure that has pushed the program into the spotlight.
The fallout has prompted state officials to review the payment scheme ahead of a legislative session, with lawmakers calling for stricter oversight and potential reforms to the depredation program.