MONTANA - Wolf depredation reported in Boulder River drainage

[Len Backus]

BILLINGS — Wolves killed a calf on private property along the East Fork of the Boulder River south of Big Timber Saturday, March 15, 2008. On Sunday, March 16, the pack returned and ran cattle through a fence.

Officials from the USDA Wildlife Services are authorized to remove two wolves from the pack. The landowner was issued a shoot-on-sight permit for as many as two wolves. Only a total of two wolves will be removed from the pack.

No wolves had been removed as of Monday afternoon.

Control efforts were necessary because calving operations are just getting started in the area.

The pack believed to be involved formed up in 2004 and included four wolves as of December 2007. A year ago, the pack killed one calf and one wolf was removed.

To learn more about Montana’s recovered wolf population, visit FWP online at Wolf Conservation - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, 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.