I dont know if they'll win or not...but its really sad that Wyoming chose to play marlboro man and risk it all for nothing.
As I've stated countless times for the last several years, the better route would have been to classify wolves as trophy game statewide and require a license statewide. Then, just open what is currently the predator zone to a 365 day season with no quota...but still require a license.
I believe that a piece of what the wolf hippies will use is their court argument is that wolf kills in the predator zone are not required to even be reported. That leaves the door open to the redneck wolf-haters to shoot them on sight statewide with ZERO ways for the the USFWS or WYG&F to verify where the wolves came from. That in turn can be used as a pretty convincing argument that the wolves in Wyoming will be threatened under the dual classification. I also believe that arguement has merit. At least if there was a license required statewide, the WYG&F would have statutory authority to impose mandatory reporting requirements and demand that wolf hunters return to kill sites if something is suspect. Also, mandatory reporting would be a great asset to the state to show that not many wolves are being killed in the predator zone...and also to identify if wolves are being illegally taken outside the predator zone.
Right now, the G&F cant even ask a wolf hunter in the predator zone to take them to a kill site. Further, taxidermists are not even required to game tag a wolf taken in the predator zone. The table has been set for the unscrupulous wolf haters via the dual classification to kill any wolf, anytime, statewide. That puts the entire State at risk of relisting if numbers drop lower than the requirements of the EIS. Which, IMO, has a very good chance of happening under dual classification. If wolves are relisted in Wyoming because the state fails to meet the required numbers...wolves will never be delisted again here, ever.
Wyomings plan is a fuggin' mess and has been since day one.
Considering past court cases, the fact that the USFWS has previously rejected WY's wolf plan, and the facts regarding dual classification I've posted...I'd say the wolf hippies have a pretty good case.
Wyoming plan has left the door open to a possible defeat via litigation...while MT and ID have cemented their management plans.
You tell me who did it right, you're the big-shot attorney that knows it all.