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Committee backs bill allowing remote cameras on wolf traps; opponents urge rulemaking instead
Summary
The House Resources & Conservation Committee on Feb. 25 recommended DO PASS for H 678, which would let wolf trappers use remote cameras to monitor traps; supporters said it reduces disturbance, opponents said trap-check standards belong in administrative rules.
The House Resources & Conservation Committee on Feb. 25 voted to send H 678 to the full House with a DO PASS recommendation. The bill would allow wolf trappers to place remote cameras on traps so they can monitor traps continuously rather than traveling to check them every 72 hours.
Rep. Shepherd (D7), sponsor of the bill in committee, told members "this legislation gives wolf trappers the ability to place remote cameras on wolf traps allowing for constant monitoring, consequently making it more affordable and humane to trap without having to go check traps every 72 hours." Supporters at the hearing — Ellary Tucker-Williams of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Nick Fasciano of the Idaho Wildlife Federation and Dexton Lake of the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation — said human activity can alter wolf behavior and described remote cameras as "a twenty-first century fix to an old problem."
Jeff Abrams of the Idaho Conservation League opposed H 678, saying the measure appeared rushed and could create unintended consequences for trap checks. Abrams argued that "the use of remote cameras for trap checks belongs in administrative rules, not in code," and that the Idaho Department of Fish and Game should vet any camera-based trap-check procedures through its rules process.
Rep. Raymond moved that the committee send H 678 to the House floor with a DO PASS recommendation; the motion carried by voice vote. Rep. Shepherd will sponsor the bill on the House floor. The committee record shows mixed testimony and a recommendation for further consideration by the full House.
