Skeletal remains in the snow of a deer killed by a wolf in Idaho.

Animal remains from a fresh wolf kill in Idaho. Wolves were taken off the endangered species list in 2008, passing management over to state wildlife agencies in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. In a controversial move, the Idaho Fish and Game gave the green light for the state’s first wolf hunting season to begin mid September, 2008. Fish and Game wants to maintain a population of just over 500 wolves, down from today’s estimate of over 1000. When wolves lost their federal protection, Idaho lost more than $700,000 in federal money. The wolf-hunting season should raise just over $300,000. Opponents of the plan feel that halving the population of wolves is too precipitous a drop.