Mystery animal kills sheep in Montana
The Casper Star Tribune
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Bozeman, Montana (US):
Ranchers in McCone and Garfield counties, as well as federal wildlife officials, are hunting a wolf or wolf hybrid that has killed 35 sheep and wounded 70 others since late December.
The attacks started near Circle more than 250 miles from the nearest known wolf territory. Five sheep were killed and 15 wounded, some of which died later.
The next attack happened Jan. 10 and ended with 21 grown ewes dead and 40 injured.
In both cases, agents with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services looked at tracks and other evidence and determined domestic dogs were responsible.
On Jan. 12, four more sheep were killed and six injured, said Carolyn Sime, wolf program coordinator for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Word of the attacks spread, and ranchers began looking for a killer dog.
On Feb. 6, Jeff Skyberg, a private trapper in Circle, got a call from a rancher who said he'd spotted large dog tracks in some fresh snow.
Skyberg, who works for a local predator control district funded by ranchers, got in a small plane and followed the tracks. "When I got to the end of the tracks, it wasn't a dog," he said.
He described what looked like a wolf: a big gray animal with a straight tail. Dog or hybrid tails often curl.
Mar 14, 2006
The Casper Star Tribune
_________________
Bozeman, Montana (US):
Ranchers in McCone and Garfield counties, as well as federal wildlife officials, are hunting a wolf or wolf hybrid that has killed 35 sheep and wounded 70 others since late December.
The attacks started near Circle more than 250 miles from the nearest known wolf territory. Five sheep were killed and 15 wounded, some of which died later.
The next attack happened Jan. 10 and ended with 21 grown ewes dead and 40 injured.
In both cases, agents with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services looked at tracks and other evidence and determined domestic dogs were responsible.
On Jan. 12, four more sheep were killed and six injured, said Carolyn Sime, wolf program coordinator for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Word of the attacks spread, and ranchers began looking for a killer dog.
On Feb. 6, Jeff Skyberg, a private trapper in Circle, got a call from a rancher who said he'd spotted large dog tracks in some fresh snow.
Skyberg, who works for a local predator control district funded by ranchers, got in a small plane and followed the tracks. "When I got to the end of the tracks, it wasn't a dog," he said.
He described what looked like a wolf: a big gray animal with a straight tail. Dog or hybrid tails often curl.
Mar 14, 2006
