Feds kill two of six calf-killers

by Cat Urbigkit

Sublette County almost got by without any wolves being killed in the first two months of the year, but not quite.

Two wolves were killed last week after attacking and killing cattle on a ranch three times last week.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, last Tuesday USDA Wildlife Services personnel confirmed a 700-pound yearling beef calf was killed by wolves on private property adjacent an elk feedground near Pinedale. The next day, Wildlife Services confirmed a second yearling calf had been killed by wolves and a third calf attacked and injured on the same ranch where the depredation occurred the day before.

FWS noted that this ranch had lost at least four cattle to wolves in 2003 and 2004. A shoot-on-site permit was issued to the rancher and Wildlife Services removed two wolves in March 2004, resolving wolf depredations there until last week.

“Over the past several years, other depredating wolves have been removed when neighboring ranches have lost livestock to wolves,” FWS noted.

Wildlife Services was authorized by FWS to remove two wolves. Last Friday, another calf was seen being attacked and the wolves were driven off, FWS reported, adding that the calf was severely injured and had to be euthanized.

Shooting from fixed-wing aircraft, Wildlife Services killed two wolves out of an unradio-collared group of six wolves that was attacking the calf.

FWS noted that control has ended, “but if the remaining four wolves depredate again, the remaining four will be killed.”