The reintroduction of Canadian gray wolves into Idaho, Wyoming and Montana is arguably one of the most successful projects of its kind ever undertaken. In just over 12 years, these incredibly efficient predators multiplied over 15 times the number reintroduced, far exceeding what the top federal biologists predicted.

In spite of the fact that the top federal wolf biologists agree the population is recovered, 11 environmental groups are mounting a logic-defying legal challenge, arguing the wolf population is not yet sustainable. This lawsuit could stall the delisting process for several months or even years, while the wolf population continues to escalate exponentially. According to FWS estimates, Idaho’s wolf population has grown by 20 percent in each of the last two years.

The wolf population achieved its recovery goal of 30 breeding pairs and 300 total wolves in the three-state region over five years ago. Today’s numbers stand at over 100 breeding pairs and over 1,500 total wolves, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

In the beginning, FWS promised to remove wolves from protection of the Endangered Species Act as soon as the population reached the recovery goal. Part of the reason for the delay is Wyoming state officials were reluctant to submit a management plan that was acceptable to the feds, which held up delisting in the entire region. A clear majority of the rural residents in the region didn’t want wolf reintroduction in the first place and in pushing for unrestricted predator status Wyoming probably did a better job of representing their rural constituents than either Idaho or Montana. That’s water under the bridge now, but our bet is that after living with wolves for the last 12 years; most rural residents in the region would want them gone if given the option today. We know that’s not an option, and we believe it was mainly environmentalists in faraway cities that wanted wolves in the northern Rockies. They got their way, but it’s time the people who live here have a say in how these predators are managed.

Idaho livestock operators and our elk and deer herds have borne the brunt of wolf reintroduction. Wolf depredation on livestock and decreased hunting opportunities has created a drain on our rural economy that isn’t an issue to environmentalists in those faraway cities. They don’t know that only one in ten cows or sheep killed by wolves ever gets confirmed as a wolf kill. They don’t know what it’s like to sit up all night, night after night during calving season keeping watch over a herd. They don’t know what it’s like to ride out to check on a flock of sheep and find 100 or more dead on the ground, their throats ripped out purely for the sport of the kill. This has happened twice in Idaho in recent years. They don’t know what it’s like to have their dogs killed and consumed or to pay the vet bills when horses are torn up after being run ragged through the forest by pursuing wolves. They don’t know what it feels like to be stalked by a pack of wolves or that without a wolf hunting season these predators have nothing to fear.

In addition, they don’t know that even if a wolf hunting season comes to fruition it will have very little effect on the overall wolf population. The steep and difficult to access mountains and dense, remote forests where wolves live in Idaho will make it extremely demanding for men on the ground with rifles to shoot enough wolves to make any noticeable change in the overall year to year wolf population ­ especially at the rate wolves are currently reproducing. In addition, we believe that most of the wolves that could be harvested by hunters in Idaho will be incidental kills ­ animals taken by hunters who are out after elk or deer. And this depends on whether the seasons are set to overlap. We don’t believe that large numbers of sportsmen are going to load up exclusively for a wolf hunt.

Environmentalists in faraway cities don’t know how living with wolves has changed our lives, and they ought to before they go to court to argue that Idaho doesn’t yet have enough wolves.