Wolf trapping effort to begin

by Cat Urbigkit

With the death of two more beef calves last weekend due to wolf depredation, efforts to trap wolves in the Prospect Mountains area was slated to begin this week.

Mike Jimenez of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said there have now been about 19 calves confirmed as wolf kills in recent weeks in the Prospect area. One adult male wolf was killed, but depredations have continued and federal officials believe there is a pack of four or five wolves remaining in the area. Federal animal damage control specialists have been flying in an attempt to spot the wolves from the air and shoot them, to no avail. Jimenez said while aerial efforts will continue, a coordinated interagency effort to trap the wolves from the ground was to begin Tuesday. He said that if any wolves are caught, they will be collared and released. Hopefully the collared wolves would lead the way back to the remainder of the pack, allowing control efforts to proceed.

Other than in the Prospect area, there have been no other recent wolf depredations reported in the county in the last week.

Jimenez said that in the Black Butte area, someone brought in an old hide that was confirmed as a wolf kill. Two wolves, including a gray-colored animal, were seen in the area, piquing the interest of federal wildlife officials, who were aware only of the two remaining members of the all-black Black Butte pack ranging in that area. With no recent kills, no control action is underway in that area.