sellis@journalnet.com

POCATELLO - Fifty-five wolves have been killed by hunters since Idaho's inaugural wolf hunting season kicked off Sept. 1, but the Southern Idaho zone is the only one of the state's 12 hunting zones that has yet to register a kill.

The Southern Idaho zone stretches across the entire bottom third of the state and is Idaho's biggest by far. The zone has a wolf kill quota of five.

There are wolves in the zone, but not in large numbers, which would-be wolf hunters know by now.

"I haven't talked to one person who has even seen a wolf in this area since wolf hunting season opened," said John Taylor, a fishing associate at Ace Hardware & Outdoor Sports, which has sold plenty of wolf tags.

But hunters are still excited about the prospect of killing a wolf, he added.

"There's definitely a lot of people that think they're going to go out and get a wolf," Taylor said. "But they're not the dumbest animals."

There have been wolf sightings in the Southeast corner of the state, but no documented packs, according to Idaho Fish and Game officials, who said it appears the wolves in this area are just moving through.

"We're really not the hotbed for wolf numbers and conflicts," said Jennifer Jackson, Fish and Game's regional conservation educator.

The state has set a total quota of 220 wolves for this year's hunt, which runs through Dec. 31 in all but two of the 12 zones. Each hunting zone has its own quota and wolf hunting in that area would immediately cease if it's reached.

As of Thursday, 14 of the animals had been killed in the Sawtooth zone, which has a quota of 55, the state's most by far. Ten have been killed in the McCall Weiser zone, which has a quota of 15, making that zone the most successful from a percentage standpoint.

There are two other zones besides the Southern Idaho zone that have a quota of five: Palouse-Hells Canyon and the Upper Snake. Two wolves have been killed in the Upper Snake and one in the Palouse.

The state's other zones, their quota and how many wolves have been killed there: Middle Fork (17 and 7), Panhandle (30 and 6), Dworshak-Elk City (18, 6), Selway (17, 3), Southern Mountains (10, 3), Lolo (27, 2), Salmon (16, 1).

Fish and Game Regional Supervisor Mark Gamblin said the total number of wolves killed statewide so far is about what officials expected: "Wolf hunting is very challenging and success is going to be marginal for most hunters."

Wolf hunting ends Dec. 31 in all zones except for the Sawtooth and Lolo zones, which have a combined quota of 82. Wolf hunting season ends March 31 in those two zones.

More than 23,000 wolf tags have been sold so far in Idaho.

Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said he believes there will be a substantial wolf harvest in Idaho.

"I don't think they'll reach the complete quota, but I think they'll come close," he said.

Many wolf experts and hunters believe wolves will become harder to kill once they realize they're being hunted. They also believe most of the wolves that are killed will be taken by people with wolf tags who are out hunting other big game and basically stumble upon one of the animals.

"I think that's the case with the bulk of them (so far)," said Bob Smathers, Idaho Farm Bureau Federation's North Idaho field manager. "I wouldn't even attempt to go out (just looking for a wolf). It would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. I think they will become very elusive once they realize people are hunting them."

Taylor said a tremendous number of people who purchased a wolf tag at the store also have purchased an elk or deer tag.