More wolves in Paradise Valley than first thought
By SCOTT McMILLION, Chronicle Staff Writer
LIVINGSTON — Paradise Valley might be home to more wolves than the
federal government has acknowledged, ranchers and outfitters here say.
And one federal wolf expert agreed Wednesday they might be right.
Justin O’Hair, who outfits and ranches on his family’s ranch in the Trail
Creek area, said he had seen eight wolves on Eight Mile Creek, all of them
light gray.
About 10 miles to the north, on Bullis Creek, which is on the south side
of Wineglass Mountain, other wolves have been spotted, he said. Some were
very dark gray and others were reddish.
He maintained there are two packs in the valley.
“He could very well be correct,” said Joe Fontaine, a wolf manager for the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
He said his office will try to dart and radio-collar more wolves this
winter to determine how many packs are living on the west side of the
scenic valley south of here.
Fontaine’s colleague, Ed Bangs, said in late November that he believes
there is a pack living in the Wineglass Mountain area.
A coyote trapper had caught two wolf pups earlier in the month and Bangs
said he believes they are part of that pack. Those animals were
radio-collared by a government trapper and released.
However, those wolves were caught in the Eight Mile drainage, O’Hair said.
Fontaine confirmed that location.
Eight Mile and the Wineglass are 10 to 15 miles apart.
“That’s a hop, skip and a jump for a wolf,” Fontaine said, adding that the
wolves could be part of one pack or of two packs.
Once more are captured and collared, it will be easier to determine how
many packs are in that part of the valley.
The Chronicle reported incorrectly last on Nov. 28 that no livestock
depredations had been reported.
One calf has been confirmed killed by wolves in that area. O’Hair said
that killing occurred on his family’s ranch in September.
In addition to the wolves between Emigrant and Livingston, other packs
have established territory in the Tom Miner Basin area and on the east
side of the valley.
They’ve been spreading out from Yellowstone National Park, where they were
reintroduced in 1995 and 1996. There are approximately 250 wolves in and
around the park.