BOISE -- Hundreds of people filled a room at the Boise Center on the Grove Tuesday night to get the chance to share their opinions with federal wildlife officials on what to do about wolves.

Officials shared their proposal for wolf management and then gave Idahoans a chance to weigh in.

Those against the delisting called it politics, saying the government is siding with the ranching industry.

While ranchers say their livelihood could diminish if the wolves aren't controlled by the state.

"Public comment makes all the difference, I have never seen a rule end up as it is proposed and this rule wil lbe better with public comment, so these kinds of public comments are taken into account and analyzed and they do make a difference,” said Ed Bangs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

About 300 people attended Tuesday night’s meeting. 

With their split views, wolf advocates tried to persuade officials that the state of Idaho is not prepared to take the gray wolf off the Endangered Species List.

Many referenced Governor Butch Otter’s plan to allow 90 percent of the wolves to be hunted and killed, even mentioning Otter's public statement that he wants to have the first tag.

But the most referenced were ranchers, and their ability to kill a wolf if it attacks their herd.

The ranchers claim they are losing more and more cattle to the increasing number of wolves, but have no recourse.

They would like to see Idaho responsible for the wolves, taking the issue out of federal hands.

"The reason Idaho wolves are doing so well is because we have a large body of pubic lands and there are rooms in this state for lots of wolves and lots of elk. We need to hold back on delisting now,” said one woman against delisting.

"I don't hate wolves, I don't want to kill them all, but I do want the opportunity to protect my cattle when I find them in the act of killing or harassing,” said Debbie Lords, Idaho rancher.

Tuesday’s meeting is just one of six in several Rocky Mountain states. It will take at least a year before a final decision is made.