USF&WS Orders Kill of Wolf Pack in Idaho

September 2004 -- The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has authorized the lethal control of a wolf pack that repeatedly preyed on sheep near McCall, Idaho.

The control action was carried out July 20 by agents of the U.S. Department of Agriculture?s Wildlife Services.

The wolves were confirmed to have killed more than 100 sheep belonging to one rancher. Two additional wolf packs, Partridge and Hazard Lake, are believed to be killing sheep belonging to the same rancher. Control actions for those wolves may be authorized.

The Cook pack depredations began in early July and subsequently were confirmed to be caused by wolves. The rancher and herders tried to ward off the wolves, but were unsuccessful. The use of guard dogs, light and siren scare devices and other tactics also was unsuccessful.

?Non-lethal methods were tried, but they didn?t work and the wolves continued to kill sheep,? said Carter Niemeyer, the Service?s wolf recovery coordinator for Idaho.

Under Service policy, non-lethal methods to control chronically depredating wolves are attempted before lethal control is authorized.

A total of 35 wolves were reintroduced to the central Idaho wilderness in 1995 and 1996. By 2003, the population had grown to an estimated 356 wolves. Of the 37 documented packs in Idaho in 2003, nine packs were involved in livestock depredations. Last year, 13 calves, 118 sheep and six guard dogs were confirmed killed by wolves in the state.

Earlier this year the Service authorized the killing of three wolves for preying on sheep and calves near Bennett Mountain, Idaho.