Last Jan. the IDFG got permission from the Forest Svc to use helicopters inside the Frank Church wilderness are to radio collar elk in a wolf predation study. While they were at it, they collared 4 wolves which they did NOT have permission to do. A lawsuit claimed that the FS didn't have the authority to allow the use of the helicopter. It ended up in court and a federal judge has ordered them to destroy all the data they collected from the entire study.


BOISE — A federal judge has ordered Idaho to destroy all information collected from collars placed on elk and wolves obtained illegally by landing a helicopter in a central Idaho wilderness area.

U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill in a ruling made public Thursday says it's such an extreme case that the only way to stop the ongoing harm is to order the destruction of data.
Winmill says the U.S. Forest Service in January 2016 broke environmental laws when it authorized Idaho Fish and Game to put collars on elk by making helicopter landings in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, where engines are prohibited.

The state agency collared about 60 elk, but it also put non-authorized collars on four wolves. The state agency blamed miscommunication with a helicopter crew.

WTF does a Federal Judge have to do with what a State does with their animals? That's bullshit.

Too bad, maybe the Wolf collars had the "self-destruct" mode installed...lol

Somebody probably feared the truth about how many elk the Wolves kill would come out.

Because they were inside a FEDERAL wilderness area.

BINGO!

"IDIOT" is being too king for this woman. She should be collared and dropped into the Frank.

Our Governor should intervene citing state sovereignty in the matter.

Well then....enjoy!

Judge winmill, the stupid is strong with this one....

Something tells me there's more to the story...

There's lots of privately owned and FS managed airstrips in the Frank Church. Maybe those are the only exemptions to the "no engine rule"...and landing a bird in a random area is not allowed, but it still does not make sense.

How can they not be allowed to collar wolves? The IDFG has complete control over their management.


Fishy.

They should play libtard, just ignore order.

This is not the first time they took whirlybirds into the Frank Church Wilderness on behalf of wolves.

I know for a fact that they will not fly a 'copter in to rescue an injured kid, but they will if a wolf gets hurt.

Steve.

She is obviously supporting the Wolf huggers. The data likely pointed to a parallel between wolf and Elk recruitment rates dropping drastically. Thus the lib beyotch says data must be destroyed.

Do that. Copies to Wikileaks.

Exactly what this is about!

Not a woman, Lynn Winmill is a man! Good judge as well!

He goofed....the landings might have been unauthorized, but destroying the data is just dumb.

mmmmmm.....Park Service a couple years ago allowed scientists to fly and land a helo in a Designated Wilderness located within Rocky Mountain National Park. I was suprised NPS allowed it.

The problem sounds like the IDFG exceeded the permission that was agreed on.

Casey

I would be interested to learn who brought the suit.

They are allowed to collar wolves and they do it all the time. When I was getting my wolf trapping license, the mandatory wolfer class was taught by one of their trappers who does all the wolf collaring for Idaho F&G.