Feedback is sought on wolves in Utah

There are roughly 700 wolves now living in three Western states — Idaho, Wyoming and Montana.

Craig McLaughlin, mammals coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, said that as numbers increase, "We can expect they will travel in this direction . . . and it can be expected that some will set up shop here in Utah."

The question is: What to do when they come?

To help in making that decision, the 13 members of the Wolf Working Group are interested in learning more from the public. The group has scheduled 10 statewide public forums in early March and is asking for public input on the issue.

The group will ultimately decide Utah's future management strategy. It is a subject some consider the most controversial wildlife issue in the state's history.

Consensus is that there are few people holding the middle ground, that most Utahns are split between welcoming or evicting the animals when they arrive.

Obviously, the more input the group has, the better chance it will have in coming up with a management strategy that will have the most public support, McLaughlin concurred.

The meetings will begin at 7 p.m. (see box) and will last no longer than two hours.

"We will not be giving out a lot of information about wolves at these meetings. Mostly, we'll be looking to get responses from the public before we decide on a management plan," he added.

The reintroduction of wolves was initiated in 1995 and 1996 when 66 wolves were released in the Yellowstone National Park area.

One of those wolves migrated into Utah and was caught in a trap in December 2002. The wolf later was returned to the park.

There was a reported sighting in January of two wolves spotted near Vernal. Game officers believe the two were actually hybrids or a mix of dog and wolf that were raised in the area.

The two primary concerns against having wolves in Utah are centered on depredation of livestock and big game, mainly deer and elk.

"Wolves do prey on livestock and big-game animals. What they found in states like Minnesota, however, is that livestock depredation can be controlled. It's not an insurmountable problem, but it is an issue," said McLaughlin.

He said he will give a brief wolf update at each meeting, after which those in attendance will be invited to share their views and concerns about wolves in Utah and provide suggestions for future wolf management

The Wolf Working Group was assembled by the DWR in October 2003. The group's draft plan is expected to be completed by May 2005. The plan will then be reviewed and policies will be set.

E-mail: grass@desnews.com

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