Twelve Wolf Pups Killed In Idaho As Hunters Collected $24,000 In Reimbursements
Twelve wolf pups lost their lives in Idaho this spring before they had the chance to grow up with their families. Hunters received a combined $24,000 in reimbursements for the killings, according to The Guardian.
Their deaths expose the cruelty of policies that leave even the youngest wolves vulnerable and provide financial support to those who kill them.
Under Idaho Fish and Game’s 2026–2027 wolf rules, wolves can be hunted year-round, including during spring when they are caring for their newborn pups. There is no daily or seasonal limit on how many wolves one person may kill, although each wolf requires a valid tag and other hunting restrictions apply.
The killing of young wolves in Idaho has been documented for years.
On September 11, 2020, the Center for Biological Diversity reported that at least 35 pups were among 570 wolves killed in Idaho between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020. The findings came from an analysis of state records obtained by Western Watersheds Project.
Some of those pups were estimated to be only four to six weeks old. Their lives had barely begun.
“It’s sickening to see how wolves have been slaughtered in Idaho once federal Endangered Species Act protections were lifted,” said Andrea Zaccardi, then a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity.
Federal wildlife agents have also killed young wolves. In an October 1, 2021 letter, the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed that its Wildlife Services program had killed eight juvenile wolves in Idaho that year, four in Boise County and four in Idaho County.
The USDA defended killing the young wolves, saying nonlethal methods had failed to resolve livestock conflicts in those areas. The agency said taking the juveniles’ lives was intended to make the adults leave, ultimately reducing the number of wolves it would kill.
Wolves deserve protection, yet the Foundation for Wildlife Management’s reimbursement program helps finance their killing. Hunters and trappers seeking payment must submit expense receipts and state documentation confirming the wolves they killed.
The financial support for hunters and trappers extends beyond the firearms, ammunition, and traps used to kill wolves. The program also helps cover fuel, outdoor clothing, and even truck purchases or payments associated with scouting, hunting, or trapping them.
For July 2026 through June 2027, the foundation lists a standard Idaho reimbursement rate of $1,000 for each wolf killed. Qualifying kills in designated priority areas can receive up to $2,000 between July 1, 2026, and April 30, 2027.
Behind every reimbursement is a wolf whose life has been taken. For the youngest pups, that means losing the chance to grow, explore, and remain with their families. Their lives deserve compassion and protection.
Idaho should end financial incentives for killing wolves and invest in humane ways to prevent conflicts with livestock. Public resources should help communities coexist with wildlife, allowing wolf families to thrive together in the wild, free from harm.
