07-19-2008, 11:10 AM
Idaho Fish and Game and federal officers are investigating three wolf killings.
A June 27 investigation showed a wolf killed by a sheepherder on June 21 on Thorne Butte in Boise County was determined to be legal under state law. The wolf was attacking the sheepherder's two border collies.
<br>Officials investigated an illegally taken wolf in Casner Creek near Lowman. The wolf was shot with a small caliber rifle, either .22-250 or .223. The investigation is ongoing.<br>
<br>Fish and Game and U.S.D.A. Wildlife Service officers investigated a call that an Arco landowner and rancher had killed a wolf that was in with his cattle on the south side of Timbered Dome. The investigation showed that the take was legal under state law.<br>
<br>Wildlife Services on June 28 confirmed that wolves had killed a calf on BLM public land in the Pahsimeroi. This is the third confirmed depredation by this pack in the past two months. Wildlife Service killed two wolves on July 2 and 3.<br>
<br>On July 8, Wildlife Services investigated a report that wolves had killed several sheep on a Boise National Forest grazing allotment in Lester Creek, just west of Anderson Ranch Reservoir. The carcasses had deteriorated and federal agents could conclude only a "probable' wolf depredation on two sheep.<br>
<br>Wildlife Service confirmed on July 9 that wolves from the Galena pack killed a calf on private property near Obsidian.<br>
<br>Also on July 9, Wildlife Service confirmed that wolves killed a ewe and six lambs and injured another lamb that is unlikely to survive. The incident occurred between Burgdorf and the Salmon River on the Payette National Forest. Two days later, federal agents trapped and killed an adult, gray male and shot and killed another adult, gray male wolf that was seen chasing a guard dog.<br>
<br>On July 10, Wildlife Services confirmed that a pair of wolves killed a calf on private land on Smith's Prairie near Anderson Ranch Reservoir.<br>
<br>A wolf monitoring research project involving the University of Montana, Nez Perce Tribe and Idaho Fish and Game is in its second year and is off to a good start again this year. The field season is 40 percent complete and the scat survey crew has already collected more than 600 genetic samples. This does not mean a change in population but a refinement of the sampling protocol after learning from last year's field season.<br>
<br>The telemetry-howlbox crew continues to obtain data and pup counts - 66 percent of study packs have pup counts and breeding-pair determination - on packs in the four study areas. The crew also continues to test and refine the howlboxes, remote devices that track wolves by recording their howls. Field work will continue through August.<br>
<br>No decision has yet resulted from the May 28 Missoula court hearing on a preliminary injunction in a legal challenge to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to delist gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains.<br>
<br>The injunction was sought by 12 environmental, conservation and animal rights groups, pending the outcome of the lawsuit.
A June 27 investigation showed a wolf killed by a sheepherder on June 21 on Thorne Butte in Boise County was determined to be legal under state law. The wolf was attacking the sheepherder's two border collies.
<br>Officials investigated an illegally taken wolf in Casner Creek near Lowman. The wolf was shot with a small caliber rifle, either .22-250 or .223. The investigation is ongoing.<br>
<br>Fish and Game and U.S.D.A. Wildlife Service officers investigated a call that an Arco landowner and rancher had killed a wolf that was in with his cattle on the south side of Timbered Dome. The investigation showed that the take was legal under state law.<br>
<br>Wildlife Services on June 28 confirmed that wolves had killed a calf on BLM public land in the Pahsimeroi. This is the third confirmed depredation by this pack in the past two months. Wildlife Service killed two wolves on July 2 and 3.<br>
<br>On July 8, Wildlife Services investigated a report that wolves had killed several sheep on a Boise National Forest grazing allotment in Lester Creek, just west of Anderson Ranch Reservoir. The carcasses had deteriorated and federal agents could conclude only a "probable' wolf depredation on two sheep.<br>
<br>Wildlife Service confirmed on July 9 that wolves from the Galena pack killed a calf on private property near Obsidian.<br>
<br>Also on July 9, Wildlife Service confirmed that wolves killed a ewe and six lambs and injured another lamb that is unlikely to survive. The incident occurred between Burgdorf and the Salmon River on the Payette National Forest. Two days later, federal agents trapped and killed an adult, gray male and shot and killed another adult, gray male wolf that was seen chasing a guard dog.<br>
<br>On July 10, Wildlife Services confirmed that a pair of wolves killed a calf on private land on Smith's Prairie near Anderson Ranch Reservoir.<br>
<br>A wolf monitoring research project involving the University of Montana, Nez Perce Tribe and Idaho Fish and Game is in its second year and is off to a good start again this year. The field season is 40 percent complete and the scat survey crew has already collected more than 600 genetic samples. This does not mean a change in population but a refinement of the sampling protocol after learning from last year's field season.<br>
<br>The telemetry-howlbox crew continues to obtain data and pup counts - 66 percent of study packs have pup counts and breeding-pair determination - on packs in the four study areas. The crew also continues to test and refine the howlboxes, remote devices that track wolves by recording their howls. Field work will continue through August.<br>
<br>No decision has yet resulted from the May 28 Missoula court hearing on a preliminary injunction in a legal challenge to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to delist gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains.<br>
<br>The injunction was sought by 12 environmental, conservation and animal rights groups, pending the outcome of the lawsuit.