Just returned from Montana where I was reminded that the state's wolf management plan is tied up in court. I think it's important to note that both Montana and Idaho have wolf management plans that have been approved by the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Unfortunately a few environmental groups feel that USFWS doesn't know enough about wildlife management and doesn't want any wolf hunting allowed allegedly until wolves are recovered in all the western states. Seems kinda' weird in that no one complains about wolf management in Minn. and Wis. altho the species is extinct or ESA listed in every other state south of AK.

I was just thinking a couple weeks ago how cool it is that WA was ahead of the 8 ball for a change and has almost completed a wolf management plan even though we have very few wolves here. Now I'm concerned that the plan won't get a chance to be used if the same groups decide to manage WA wolves via the courts instead of letting wildlife managers do their thing. But since we manage fisheries in WA via politics and the courts, I guess we'd just be being consistent if we manage wolves the same way.

Sg