COEUR d'ALENE - A jury trial is underway today for the man who shot a wolf on Rathdrum Mountain while out walking his dogs near his home.

Forrest Mize and his defense lawyer, Michael Palmer, hope the six-person jury can overlook his lack of a wolf tag when he killed the animal on Dec. 30.

The jury will be selected from a pool of approximately 30-35 people.

The trial is expected to last one day, but potentially could spill into the next morning.

Mize declined to settle with the Kootenai County Prosecutor's Office and insisted on a trial instead, believing fellow North Idaho citizens wouldn't find fault with his actions.

Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh and Palmer both declined to comment Monday.

Mize, however, said he is feeling "fairly confident."

"I just don't think they have a good case," Mize said.

He is charged with a misdemeanor count of possessing a wolf without a tag. The case was investigated by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Mize was carrying a gun while walking with his dogs on Dec. 30. He shot the wolf, he told authorities, because the animal was about to attack his three dogs.

He said he didn't know there were wolves, or a wolf, on the mountain until he saw one - on the side of an old logging road with his dogs on the other side.

There was fresh snow on the ground that day, he said, and his dogs - Maggie, Jenny and Katie - were about 100 yards ahead of him.

He only fired, he said, after the wolf moved into a crouched position he thought appeared aggressive. He used a Kimber .22-caliber Hornet.

After he shot the animal he sought to keep the hide, taking it to a taxidermist. It was confiscated by authorities.