Rule changes will ease killing of WY, ID and MT wolves

U.S. agency not willing to move much on Wyoming wolf plan

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Story Published: Jan 17, 2008 at 11:14 AM MDT

Story Updated: Jan 17, 2008 at 11:14 AM MDT

By Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) _ Changes in federal wolf management rules due out by January 28th will likely make it easier for state trappers in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming to kill predators that eat elk.

Under the current U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan, states can only kill wolves that prey on elk when the predators are the primary cause of the big-game animals' decline in a given area.

After the changes, however, wolves would only have to be one of the major causes for low big-game numbers.

In Idaho, that could clear the way for a plan to kill up to 43 wolves in northcentral Idaho's Lolo area.

That plan stalled in 2006, when officials determined habitat was the primary reason elk populations hadn't met state goals, and wolves were only contributing to the lower numbers.

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