Rundown on a number of recent wolf-livestock depredations

Rundown on a number of recent wolf-livestock depredations in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana

June 25, 2001, update June 26, updates July 1

Although the number of wolf - livestock depredations has not consistently grown as the wolf population has grown, the last several weeks have seen a number in addition to the 9 sheep and one cow calf killed by the Whitehawk Pack..
Near Humphrey, Idaho.
A probable lone wolf has killed over 30 sheep (rams) at, or near, the U.S. Sheep experiment station in 3 or 4 separate attacks. There are scattered reports of more than one wolf in the area, and the attacking wolf has not been seen, but the tracks of a single wolf have always been found among the dead sheep. There is a kill order for this wolf. Efforts to trap have not been successful, so the attempt will be made from the air.
The dead sheep from these attacks were the front page story in the Idaho Falls Post Register last Saturday. "[Congressman] Simpson addresses wolf attacks - Ag Department cleared to destroy animal suspected of killing sheep."
<http://www.idahonews.com/e-news/06232001/a_sectio/12028.htm>, by subscription only.

"Congressman Mike Simpson said he could understand the outrage ranchers and others in Clark County were feeling after a wolf killed at least 31 sheep there recently. But there isn't much he can do to help them except let them know about how management plans work, including their provisions for killing problem wolves, he said."

I am not sure if these were government sheep killed on the station itself or private sheep. At any rate the article concluded with an apparent non sequitur from Clark County, Idaho Commissioner Ted Edwards who said that he "thinks the killing shouldn't be limited to the one wolf. 'With drought conditions and our farmers hurting, we don't need problems like this,' said Edwards. 'Wolves should have never come back. We were making out quite well without them.' "
The Humphrey area (unincorporated) is near Dubois, Idaho (not Dubois, Wyoming) in or near the Centennial Mountains, which are the Idaho/Montana border as well as the Continental Divide.
Update 6-26-2001: After talking with some officials, this incident is more ambiguous than stated in the Idaho Falls newspaper. Yes, perhaps 31 rams are dead. It is not clear how many were killed by the wolf directly or how many attacks there have been. They appear to have been government (actually University of Idaho) sheep. I don't know if Defenders pays for state university sheep. An attack on rams is uncommon because there are not that many rams out there. These were probably breeding stock.
One wolf's tracks are all that have been detected by the government trapper, but some railroaders did report seeing 3 wolves eating a moose nearby during the recent period. This is not regarded as an official sighting. They may be correct, or they may be mistaken.
Near Cokeville, Wyoming.
An uncollared black wolf has killed 18 sheep on a federal grazing allotment. A kill order is out for this lone wolf. I don't know exact location. Cokeville is in southwestern Wyoming, and the presence of a wolf there is good news for folks who want to see the wolves spread south. However, the area has much livestock.
Update 7-1-2001. The black wolf turned out to be the missing 2-year old member of the Teton Pack. This radio-collared wolf was spotted in the sheep again and then gunned down by Wildlife Services from a plane. It seems that wolves that go much south of Jackson, Wyoming, just don't survive due to all the livestock.
"Trained" wolf 196M, formerly of the Sheep Mountain Pack."
One of the two remaining trained wolves has killed a calf in the Paradise Valley area. Wolf 196M apparently killed the calf near Pine Creek not far south of Livingston. This wolf has been trying to join the Mill Creek Pack, a new, or at least a newly discovered pack, that ranges from about Suce Creek south to Chico Hot Springs and up in the Absaroka Mountains. They haven't let him join. When 196 and his two brothers were released last December, they were not allowed any more livestock kills. One brother was killed by undetermined cause and his very soaked body found in Tom Miner Creek. The third brother found a mate, and has pups in the area traditionally inhabited by the old Sheep Mountain Pack, so the genes of the founder of that pack, the late no. 16F, have been passed on.
While the 3 wolves are said to be have "trained" (aversively conditioned to avoid livestock by use of dog training collars), the amount of training actually administered was nil.
196M has not been allowed to join the Mill Creek Pack, but he has also occasionally been seen with a couple other wolves, possibly Mill Creek pack wolves. An attempt is being made to radio collar them. A kill order is out for 196M.
Another interesting aspect of this situation was that a grizzly quickly took the carcass. All of this is very far north for grizzly bears and wolves. This is not a sparsely populated area, but a place with fenced pastures, a number of older homes, and many new "trophy" homes going in.
Update 7-1-2001. Despite wearing a radio-collar, Wildlife Services hasn't been able to get this wolf in the open yet.
Ninemile Pack kills a llama-
The famous, long-standing Ninemile Pack of NW Montana has killed a llama. The pack kills a few livestock about every other year, but minimal control has always taken care of the problem. I don't think there will be any control for the dead llama. Llama owners don't seem to get nasty the way traditional ranchers do.
Most of my recent articles have been about troubles, but the wolf population this year appears to be growing rapidly, with many new packs. I will do a story on this soon. Keeping the livestock depredations in perspective is important.

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