BOISE - Gov. Butch Otter's initiative to start up an Idaho wolf control fund with $2 million in state general fund money was on the ropes Monday in the House Resources and Conservation Committee.

Ultimately the measure escaped and gained introduction on a 9-8 vote, but Rep. George Eskridge, R-Dover - who voted on the prevailing side to make it a House bill - said he isn't certain whether he'll support the legislation when it comes back for a full hearing.

"Do we have to have a new board, do we have to appropriate another $2 million, or is there a better way to do that?" Eskridge said. "I've gotta hear what comes out of the bill hearing before I make up my mind."

Some members of the committee grilled the legislation's co-sponsors, Rep. Marc Gibbs, R-Grace, and Sen. Bert Brackett, R-Rogerson, as to why a new fund and board was needed instead of taking care of wolf management through existing means.

"Creating a new board, I really have a hard time with that," said House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, who voted against introduction. "I'd rather use what we have today."

But Gibbs defended the measure, saying it's his view that a state wolf management plan and the general public want to reduce Idaho's wolf population to 150 from the currently estimated 650 - a conservative estimate to some.

"We can play with this political football all we want," Gibbs said during the print hearing, "but the reality is, I think most everyone agrees that it's going to be very difficult with the means we have before us to reduce the wolf population to the minimum amount that it calls for in the (state) wolf (management) plan."

"The intent of this control bill is not to eliminate wolves," Gibbs said.

Six Republicans and two Democrats on the panel voted against the measure. Eight GOP members of Resources and House Minority Caucus Chair Donna Pence, D-Gooding, voted in favor of giving the measure a bill number and full committee hearing later.

"I think it's gonna be a pretty dynamic discussion when we have a bill," Eskridge said.