Reporter’s Notes

Watch out for wildlife

It’s that time of year when highway travelers need to pay special attention for animals along our roadways. We all know Wyoming is blessed with bountiful big game numbers, and the winter weather brings them down to lower elevation, where they are forced to deal with highways and the associated traffic.

Wildlife have limited options during winter and we need to assume the responsibility of looking out for them while behind the wheel, for both the animals’ safety and our own.

Of course these critters can appear just about anytime and anywhere, but there are some specific areas around Pinedale where several animals seem to be struck every year. Motorists should use special caution on Highway 191 just west of town around the Cora junction.

“This is a major migration route for mule deer and we’ve already had several deer hit this year,” said Pinedale big game biologist Dean Clause of the Wyoming Game and Fish.

Another area to pay attention to is on Hwy 189 just south of Daniel and north of the Daniel Junction. Deer are also abundant just south of Pinedale on Hwy 191.

Landowners along roadways can also help by not feeding wildlife on their property. The increased chance of an accident is just one of many reasons not to feed wildlife.

FWS reports on wolves

The most recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports on gray wolves provide some interesting information about local events.

The agency reported that an adult horse that was reportedly attacked by wolves near Bondurant about a week ago had to be euthanized by its owner. There have been at least three other horses that may have been attacked by wolves, including two that died and were fed upon by wolves but could not be confirmed as wolf depredations, FWS reported.

With hunting season in full swing, wolves are making their presence known. According to FWS: “Many wolf observations being reported by hunters include wolves coming to hunters using elk or moose calls. Sometimes the wolves get within just a few feet before they detect the hunters. These encounters are numerous and provide hunters with a little more excitement than they bargained for.”

As reported in last week’s Examiner, on Oct. 13, three uncollared wolves (one adult male, one adult female and one male pup) were removed from the Daniel Pack in after killing at least seven calves, with the depredations occurring on both private land and U.S. Forest Service grazing allotments.

FWS reported, “There are no radio collars in the Daniel Pack, however repeated sightings indicate there are still at least seven to eight wolves in the pack after this latest control action.”

While 13 wolves have been killed in control actions in Sublette County this year, the number of dead livestock confirmed as wolf kills has risen to about 50 head.

Wildlife officials have confirmed that Idaho’s wolf population is doing well. Recent field work documented 35 breeding pairs of wolves, a minimum of 112-124 pups and the discovery of nine new packs, along with three other areas of high likelihood of pack activity. Six of the new packs were detected by the Nez Perce Tribe wolf team, two by state wildlife officials and one by USDA Wildlife Services specialists.

Grizzly occupancy

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has set the dates for a series of public meetings regarding where in Wyoming grizzly bear occupancy will be appropriate once bears are removed from federal protection and are under state management. At each meeting, WG&F will give a presentation of the agency’s proposal for grizzly occupancy.

All the public meetings will begin at 7 p.m. and will conclude no later than 10 p.m. In addition, written comments will be accepted until Dec. 31 and must be submitted to WG&F, Director’s Office, 5400 Bishop Boulevard, Cheyenne, Wyo., 82006.

The meeting schedule includes:

Nov. 15 Green River at WWCC Green River Campus

Nov. 16 Afton National Guard Armory

Nov. 17 Jackson Snow King Resort

Nov. 18 Pinedale Rendezvous Pointe Senior Center

Nov. 30 Laramie UW Classroom Building

Dec. 1 Casper WG&F office

Dec. 2 Sheridan College

Dec. 6 Dubois Headwaters Center

Dec. 7 Riverton Holiday Inn

Dec. 8 Thermopolis Bighorn Federal Savings Bank

Dec. 9 Cody Holiday Inn

Environmental forum

The Stroock Forum on Wyoming Lands and People will focus on the future of environmental quality in Wyoming and the West and will be held Tuesday, Oct. 26 in the Yellowstone Ballroom at the University of Wyoming campus in Laramie. The forum is slated to run from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The first panel to speak at the forum will discuss property rights and environmental quality and includes Upper Green River Valley Coalition director Linda Baker, Wyoming State Representative Monte Olsen, Bureau of Land Management Deputy state director for minerals and lands Alan Rabinoff, JJ Healy of the Double J Ranch and Steve Hollis of Double Eagle Petroleum Company.

For more information on the free forum, go to www.uwyo.edu/stroockforum.