When a pair of wolves denned in Prospect Mountains near Farson, Wyoming near or on the BLM allotment held by the executive VP (Jim Magagna) of the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association, I predicted there would be a lot of politics.

They didn't disappoint us. The governor and livestock operators began calling for the removal of the wolves well before their actual presence had been even been confirmed or the sheep were turned out onto the wolves' range

At first it wasn't clear if there really were wolves. USFWS was able to only find the tracks of one wolf. It could have been just passing through. Trapping operations to radio collar a wolf began, however, almost immediately after the report of wolves April 22.. Ten inches of new snow quickly brought efforts to a halt.

In their 4/29 to 5/13, 2005 report the USFWS wrote: "For some reason- this fairly routine situation for us- has received considerable media attention, some misinformed rhetoric, and even requests that these ‘suspected’ potentially problem wolves be ‘preemptively’ removed."

In their next report, USFWS wrote, "[Mike] Jimenez [USFWS wolf manager for Wyoming] continues to closely follow up on reported wolf sightings on BLM allotments near Farson, WY. No depredations have been reported. No wolf den has been located yet. The roads finally dried out and WS is attempting to find wolf sign, and began trapping to radio-collar and release a wolf on site."

The next report said, "On the 24^th[of May], WS [Wildlife Services] began a trapping effort to collar a wolf near Farson, WY. WS investigated a reported injured sheep herding dog, but could not determine the cause of the injuries because it couldn’t be caught to be held down. It didn’t appear to be seriously injured according to the visual examination that WS did. Two wolves had previously been seen in the area where sheep and cattle graze on BLM land, but at this time no livestock have been lost to wolves. Approx. 10 lambs had been killed by coyotes. There is still no indication wolves denned or are active in the area."

Yesterday, Jemenez told me this first trapping yielded no wolves. Wildlife Services went home. When they returned when the sheep were out, instead of wolves they caught two of the operator's sheep dogs. They never could figure out what happened to the injured herding dog because it could not be caught.

USFWS reported "On [June 9], WS confirmed that 7 ewes were killed by wolves and 2 lambs trampled during the attack on a BLM grazing allotment near the Prospect Mtns. north of Farson, WY on the 8th. WS thought there were tracks of 2 wolves. WS began trapping to radio-collar and release a wolf on site so we could determine if they might have a den and how many wolves there may be. On the 10^th WS confirmed 5 more ewes were killed in a nearby band. WS was still requested to collar and release any trapped wolf on site, but in addition they should lethally remove 2 wolves by shooting, if possible."

In the next report USFWS wrote, "WS is continuing control actions on BLM grazing allotments near the Prospect Mtns. north of Farson, WY where 14 sheep were killed by wolves in late April. On the 15^th, WS trapped, collared and released a lactating female. A den with pups was also located about a mile from the sheep. WS was requested to remove the entire pack and has been flying almost daily, but so far only found the female by herself."

Apparently WS did not kill the wolves for about five days because they were waiting for the male to show up. He never did. Jimenez said he suspected the male was almost certainly dead, probably killed by someone.

Finally on June 22, USFWS reported, "WS wrapped up control actions on BLM grazing allotments near the Prospect Mtns. north of Farson, WY where 14 sheep were killed by wolves in late April [sic]. On the 22^nd [of June], as directed by FWS, WS shot the female from the air and 3 pups from the ground at the new rendezvous site. WS set traps and killed 3 more pups that returned to the old den, by the 25^th, concluding control efforts. No sign of the male has been found despite repeated aerial and ground searches, meaning he probably died several weeks ago."

This is the first time, so far as I can tell, that the government has deliberately killed wolf pups.

Despite this prompt, and expensive control action, the Governor was howling from April though June. He still is. Read: "Wyoming's governor said Wednesday it's 'logical' that the federal government be required to respond sooner when wolves cause problems." Billings Gazette. By Mike Stark. July 5.

At first the governor wanted the wolves removed proactively. That is against policy, and impossible anyway if their presence cannot be confirmed. Jimenez and Ed Bangs both told me (and the media) they never move wolves proactively when they have done nothing. Jimenez told me, "if we moved wolves proactively when they are near livestock, we would have to move all the wolf packs in Wyoming because every one has livestock in its territory." Jimenez also pointed out that the state of Wyoming does not move any of its wildlife proactively, either.

All this was over 14 lost sheep. The federal government responded immediately when wolves were reported in the area. That's why I included the USFWS chronicle above.

The governor has no respect for the truth. He is merely trying to make a political issue out of a small affair. I suggested earlier his ranting about wolves is a calculated effort to win points with the other party (he is a Democrat and the state highly Republican), and to take the attention off of the vast industrialization of Wyoming's big open country by oil and gas interests. Interestingly a number of dead cows recently showed up on a BLM allotment in the Jonah gas field SW of Pinedale (not far from Farson). There seemed to be little media interest in the story,  especially given the fact that poisoning of livestock has been a common occurrence in gas development areas in other states.

In a state with a booming economy, what is 14 lost sheep? Of course, they weren't just anyone's 14 sheep.

Today I read the governor wants federal compensation for the dead sheep. Given that Defenders of Wildlife compensates out of private funds, I must conclude this is just another attempt to pick a fight.

In contrast when a person in a similar situation lost a cow calf or so in Idaho (President of the Idaho Cattle Association), the governor wasn't all over the media. Instead one member of the Wildhorse Pack was trapped and banished to northern Idaho. Volunteers put up fladry, and the wolf pack grew and thrived amidst thousands of cattle until the alpha female was killed by an elk. Then the pack broke up and its members dispersed throughout central Idaho (and beyond).