Wolf pup shot by mule owner near YNP boundary under the new 10j rule

Although there have already been a couple stories in the media about this, I wanted to get more information about the details.

Under the new 10j rules for Montana and Idaho, owners of livestock can shoot wolves without permits if they are chasing or harassing their livestock. In the past an actual attack had to be underway.

On March 30 a mule owner shot a black female wolf pup that was chasing his mules on his property near Jardine, Montana. That's about a mile north of the Park boundary.

I thought the wolf might be one of the Casey Lake pair which has lived between Gardiner and Jardine most of the year, but it was an uncollared wolf, and too young. Suspicion is that the young female wolf was part of the large Leopold Pack which was on nearby Mt. Everts that day.

I believe this is the closest a wolf has been shot to Yellowstone Park.

Earlier in March, Montana saw the first use of the new rule when a rancher shot a wolf in the Big Hole Valley of SW Montana. Earlier still in Idaho, a Mackay area rancher shot a wolf that was chasing his cattle.

At this time of year, most wolf pups are 11 1/2 months old, almost fully grown.

In a closely related matter, the Swan Lake Pack remains split with 6 of the wolves having left the Park and ranging, on and between, the mountains on both sides of the Yellowstone River north of Gardiner. This is the area that was originally occupied by the new extinct Sheep Mountain Pack.

4-5-2005