U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service implemented control actions on private land in the East Fork of the Salmon River near Clayton, Idaho, on April 1. Two gray wolves, members of the Whitehawk Pack, were lethally controlled after depredating on a domestic sheep on March 31. Necropsies confirmed that the wolves, both yearling males, had killed the sheep.
Harassment devices have been in operation for the past two months to discourage wolves from frequenting several ranches in the area. Ranchers reported the wolves had been triggering radio-activated guard (RAG) boxes prior to the depredation incident. One wolf, B-125, was radio-collared, and wolf recovery specialists are confident that most of the other Whitehawk Pack members are also collared, which will facilitate monitoring the remaining wolves.
The Service and USDA Wildlife Services used another method of harassment, helicopter hazing, in an effort to scatter the pack and move the animals from the depredation area.
In addition to the implementation of various control measures, the Service issued lethal wolf take permits to four ranchers in the East Fork because of the Whitehawk Pack
