Wolf
A gray wolf patrols its territory in the mountains of Idaho.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015 4:00 am
Idaho Wildlife Services has killed five wolves due to two incidents of sheep depredation that occurred on BLM land at the head of Croy Canyon and two incidents of cattle depredation that occurred on private land about 10 miles northeast of Fairfield.
Wildlife Services director Todd Grimm said the Idaho Department of Fish and Game confirmed that wolves had killed a ewe and a lamb on May 26 and a second ewe on June 3. He said the department confirmed a wolf kill of a calf on June 24 and a probable wolf kill of a cow on July 3.
Grimm said three wolves were shot on May 28 and two were shot on June 4.
He said the sheep were attended by herders and guard dogs, but said he did not know whether any scare devices were employed. He said the agency does not release the names of livestock producers whose animals are involved in depredation incidents.
Local wolf advocate Lynne Stone, director of the Boulder White Clouds Council, said the wolves were part of the Red Warrior pack, which had been viewed by people this winter on the hillside opposite the Warm Springs base area. She said that at that time, the pack consisted of nine wolves, though the alpha female died before the depredation incidents occurred.
“These wolves were in a great place with lots of wild country,” she said. “Then in came the sheep and we lose the wolves.”
Stone contended that Wildlife Services was “jumping the gun” by using lethal means before giving other methods a chance to scare off the wolves.
“When one ewe and one lamb get killed, they go in with their airplanes and shoot the whole pack,” she said. “We’re not going to have wolves in Blaine County if this is what the sheep industry and Wildlife Services are going to continue to do.”
Grimm said that elsewhere in the state this season, Wildlife Services killed three wolves due to depredation incidents in the Pahsimeroi Valley and three near Cascade. In February, the federal agency killed 19 wolves in the Lolo zone in northern Idaho at the request of the Department of Fish and Game to boost a declining elk population there.
Exposing the Big Game 
they never stop big industry owns this country
I feel bad for the ewe and the lamb, who should not have been there. Putting sheep and cattle at risk in wolf territory and then executing wolves for the crime of being wolves is human logic at its finest. More mountain bike trails are apparently being built in Croy Canyon also, so soon we may hear about people being stalked and threatened. That will require more killing.
The Livestock Industry in the west has been responsible for the slaughter of BILLIONS of wild animals since the 1860’s.This terrible industry has Wildlife Services to do their bidding.
And it is not stopping, and will not stop, until we demand they get off all National Forests, wilderness areas, BLM lands, National Wildlife “Refuges,” and state lands. Then, native wild animals will at least have some place to call home. Unless we do this, they do not stand a chance.
http://www.foranimals.org
The Livestock Industry in the west has Wildlife Services to do their bidding. Many of these livestock die out there on the “range” and wild animals are blamed. Whatever the cause of these alleged deaths, the livestock industry does NOT belong on public lands (wilderness areas, National Forests, BLM lands, National Grasslands, or state lands).
Since the 1860’s this industry has been responsible for slaughtering Billions of native wild animals, and it will not stop until we Get Them Off All Public Lands. Then, the native wild animals may stand a chance. They will not stand a chance of survival at this rate, if livestock remains on public lands.
http://www.foranimals.org.
I agree. The cattle out on the range are put at risk, not only of predators but of bad weather, illness, accidents, and birthing problems. The ranchers don’t seem to care about their welfare or how they suffer under those conditions any more than they care about how they will die at slaughter if they survive the hardships of life on the range.
Unless we can organize and get enough people caring about wildlife, the large and wealthy interest groups will have their way. So far, we have been as powerless to save the wolves as they have been to save themselves. Sad.
There is more to this story. I have been reading that the livestock owner in this case refuses to take proper precautions and insists on taking his sheep into areas where there are wolves. Arrogant SOB. It’s too bad they cannot be sued by the American public, whoever they are, if it is public land? It’s unfortunate for the poor sheep and cattle that are subjected to this (attempts at) human dominance.
That happened here in Washington also. The owner of the Diamond M cattle ranch complained that wolves killed some of his animals. Apparently the owner, refused all monetary compensation and had also refused to participate in nonlethal methods of discouraging wolves. The rancher went on to say that a “radical environmental agenda” was conspiring against ranchers, and he wanted state sharpshooters to kill the wolves. So, the state paid employees several weeks of overtime to chase down the Wedge pack by helicopter. Apparently the whole pack was murdered.
Sheep on public land, BLM land, in wild country, hilly country is like setting bait. Wildlife Services is USDA, an extension of ranchers and farmers. Wildlife Services simply a wildlife killing service primarily for ranchers, farmers, and hunters with Fish & Wildlife complicity. This is encroachment on wildlife, leasing in the wild and allowing sheep there. This is a perfect example of the failure of our wildlife agencies, BLM, state Fish & Wildlife agencies to protect wildlife. Killing of wolves at the behest of Fish & Wildlife “to boost a declining elk herd in Lolo” is also encroachment on the wild. For whatever reasons the elk around that area is declining, nature should take its’ course. I t doubtfully wolves and wolves will naturally move on if the prey are too few. In any case Fish & Wildlife has ethical right in “farming” elk for hunters. The wildlife agencies need to be revamped, fired really at least at the top, and redirected along wildlife conservation priorities not killing wildlife for ranchers, farmers, hunters.
to boost a declining elk herd in Lolo.
That bothers me too, to think that we think we can manipulate animals to suit us. Ugh. And it never seems to work, does it? Conveniently so that it can continue on and these free-walking criminals called WS can continue to be employed and do what they do best.