Confirmed Livestock Depredations in Gravelly Mountains

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Two domestic calves were confirmed killed by wolves on private land in the Gravelly Mountains. USDA Wildlife Services investigated and confirmed the depredations on Apr. 16.

 

FWP officials believe that six wolves from an unnamed pack were involved in the incident.

 

This is the same area where two confirmed depredations occurred in July and August of 2007 and a probable depredation in October of 2007. A wolf was collared and released in August in order to gather more information about the pack.

 

A decision was made after the probable depredation in October to remove two wolves, but the control action was delayed until the end of the extended big game hunting season.

 

USDA Wildlife Services personnel shot two wolves in mid-December. At the time of the control action, eight wolves were seen in the area and all had signs of mange on their tails.

 

FWP personnel decided on Apr. 16 to remove the remaining six wolves from this pack based on the history of depredations.

 

On Mar. 28, 2008, the Northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf population was removed from the federal Endangered Species list. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is now the lead agency for wolf conservation and management in Montana on non-tribal lands.

 

Under Montana’s Wolf Management Plan, wolves are classified as “a species in need of management” and can only be legally killed during an official hunting or trapping season, if the wolf is killing or threatening to kill pets or livestock, or to protect human life.

 

To learn more about Montana’s recovered wolf population, visit FWP online at www.fwp.mt.gov/wildthings/wolf , where visitors can also tell FWP when they see wolves or wolf sign. The information helps to verify the activity, distribution, and pack size of Montana’s recovered wolf population.