From the pages of
Sublette Examiner
Volume 6, Number 14 - June 29, 2006
brought to you online by Pinedale Online

Wolves continue livestock killing, first grizzly damage confirmed

by Cat Urbigkit

Wyoming Game and Fish Department bear management officer Zach Turnbull reported that a beef calf was confirmed to have been attacked by a grizzly bear while on an Upper Green River grazing allotment last Thursday. The calf had reportedly been wounded so badly it had to be put down. Since no trapping efforts can be initiated on a “walking wounded,” no control efforts have been initiated, although Turnbull said if there are further damages, control will begin.

In addition, a calf was confirmed as being killed by wolves in the Upper Green, Turnbull said.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported that wolves continue to kill livestock in western Wyoming this week, with control actions yielding little result.

On June 19, six ewes and four lambs were confirmed killed on private land near Farson by a suspected lone wolf, or possibly two wolves, FWS reported. Lethal control was authorized.

Other depredations have occurred around the state, from Dubois and Crowheart to Meeteetse and Ten Sleep.

A private landowner shot a wolf under a shoot-on-site permit near Meeteetse last week. The black male wolf was the radioed member (a disperser from Yellowstone National Park) of a new pair that denned in that area and had been repeatedly seen and harassed out of the cattle pasture, FWS reported. The wolf had severe mange. Attempts to harass the female and pups away from that area will continue. Earlier this month, federal control specialists were able to trap, radio collar and release the alpha female. She did not have mange and was released to raise her pups.

USDA Wildlife Services confirmed that an apparent lone wolf killed seven sheep (six ewes and a lamb) on a public grazing allotment northeast of Ten Sleep in the Bighorn Mountains on June 12. Wildlife Services was authorized to lethally remove it. A week later, two more lambs were confirmed killed on the allotment by the same suspected lone wolf. Lethal control is ongoing, FWS reported.

On June 19, a calf was confirmed killed on a private ranch near Dubois, the second this month. Three days later, a FWS volunteer captured, collared and released a gray adult male wolf near the depredation site. The ranch still has a shoot-on-site permit and Wildlife Services has been authorized to remove one or two wolves as conditions permit.

On June 13, Wildlife Services attempted to remove a wolf near Crowheart Butte after at least two calves were killed by wolves. No wolves were located, but control attempts will continue on the Wind River Reservation in full coordination with the tribes, according to FWS.

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