Wolf Kill Permit Issued for Wolves on Public Land in the Gravelly Range of SW Montana
August 30,2000
Two sheep ranchers headquartered in the Dillon, MT area have been issued "kill permits" to take two wolves in the Gravelly Range. This is the first time kill permits have been issued to ranchers on public land. Past kill permits were for wolves that had killed livestock on private land. The permits were issued August 9 and run for 45 days.So far, these kill permits (and all previous permits) have not resulted in livestock operators killing wolves, and because the sheep have since been moved a considerable distance from the area of the incident, it is doubtful the new permits will result in a wolf take.
The wolves were probably part of the new Wall Creek Pack, although that is not certain. The wolves attacked a sheep guard dog and scattered a band of sheep, resulting in several lambs breaking their legs. The dog survived, perhaps because it wore a spiked collar. The collar did have tooth marks in it.
Joe Fontaine, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assistant wolf recovery coordinator, said the permits were issued primarily because the attack was in a remote location, and heavy smoke made it difficult to send in federal control personnel.
The Gravelly Range is just west of the Madison Valley, about 30 miles west of Yellowstone National Park. The area has a wolf pack for the first time this year. In recent years grizzlies have also begun to reinhabit this scenic, but livestock dense, mountain range.
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