Mystery calf killing up Twisp, Wa

[mulehunter]

A cattleman near the Lookout Pack adjacent to Twisp, Washington found a newborn calf killed this morning.  He suspicioned wolves since he had gotten a medium sized wolf picture on a trail camera a week ago not 500 yds. from where this calf was killed.  His neighbor just to the west also got a large wolf picture on his trail camera last Saturday.  The cattleman also found 5 inch wolf tracks aproximately two weeks ago at the cattle watering trough and took pictures as proof.  Then just a few days ago a neighbor heard and saw three wolves one which was very large and two smaller ones howling up on the ranchers property.  The neighbor only noticed them because they were howling at 8:30 in the morning and got his attention.  He looked at them through his spotting scope to have a better look and was absolutely certain it was wolves.  Since the rancher knew the wolves were in the area he patrolled his cattle frequently to make sure the one remaining cow he had that was due to calve any day would not get eaten by the wolves.  Unfortunately, the rancher does not patrol at night  because he can't see at night and went up this morning (Wed. April 24, 2013) to check the cow.  The cow was all by herself at least a half mile from the other 50 head of cattle.  He suspicioned something went wrong when he spotted some red and black on the ground with a scavenger bird on it.  He immediately went up to the cow which was only about 100 yds. from the road and discovered the newly born calf over half eaten.   He took some pictures and quickly went and called Fish and Game and the Sheriff to come investigate.  The rancher rushed back up to put a tarp over the calf to prevent any more scavenging before the investigators arrived.  Fish and Game sent two enforcement officers and two biologists and the sheriff sent two officers also.  They spent aproximately 6 hrs. investigating the situation.   Fish and game told the rancher that they determined the calf was alive because of the dirt in it's hoofs plus that it was traumatized which means it was killed.  They did not find any bite marks of any sort but then at least half the calf was eaten including one complete leg and half the ribs along with all the insides and all of the skin was comsumed over all the eaten areas on the calf.  The cows afterbirth was also gone.  Altogether the amount of missing parts would have weighed aproximately 40 pounds since the calf was a very large calf.  The biologists determined that a cougar did not kill the calf or a bear and that something did kill it.  No clear wolf tracks were found but the cow trails had lots of cow tracks and the grass was fairly thick which makes tracking very difficult.   A few coyote tracks were found in the area and in fact coyote tracks are always in the area.   The cow was still beside the calf when the rancher arrived which one might assume she would protect it from an animal if she was not outnumbered or the size of the perpetrator was not too large.   One large pile of scat was found within a few feet of where the investigators decided the calf was killed.  This sample was taken back to the lab.  A small pile of scat was also found nearby which was clearly a coyote.  The investigators were given the trail camera pictures of the two wolves in the area during the last week along with pictures of the tracks the rancher found.  Until the investigation is complete the biologists are not making a call on what killed the calf.  So what did kill the calf?

[boneaddict]

Absolutely makes me mad.   I bet they are dumb enough to blame coyotes eventhough the wolves have been seen right before the kill. 

[pianoman9701]

Yeah, looks like a mystery alright. I can't wait until the cattlemen are able to protect their property.

[cmiller85]

Judging by the half eaten carcass and the presence of wolves in the area, I have no doubt that this calf was hit by a car. This is consistent with the fact that the calf was born at night and was not wearing a reflective safety vest.

[muzbuster]

 

[snowpack]

Sure he didn't see a cougar?     

[wolfbait]

“By the time we got to the carcass it was too old for me to say yay or nay if it was killed by a wolf,” said Scott Fitkin, wildlife biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “It was clearly fed on by something, but not much was left but a lot of maggots.” Fitkin and a USDA Wildlife Services agent inspected the carcass on Friday (May 22).

[Skyvalhunter]

Now theres a reputable source

[RoyBoy]

it was probably that darn honey badger!

[SkookumHntr]

 

[Evil_EdwardO]

“By the time we got to the carcass it was too old for me to say yay or nay if it was killed by a wolf,” said Scott Fitkin, wildlife biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “It was clearly fed on by something, but not much was left but a lot of maggots.” Fitkin and a USDA Wildlife Services agent inspected the carcass on Friday (May 22).

Duh, maggots...obviously they have a fly problem not wolves.

[BIGINNER]

“By the time we got to the carcass it was too old for me to say yay or nay if it was killed by a wolf,” said Scott Fitkin, wildlife biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “It was clearly fed on by something, but not much was left but a lot of maggots.” Fitkin and a USDA Wildlife Services agent inspected the carcass on Friday (May 22).

this photo is from Oregon,.. right?

[wolfbait]

This was the Methow Valley in 2009, right after WDFW bought the rest of the Golden Doe ranch for wolf habitat and later changed to deer habitat for the public eye. Wolves were released the same week WDFW aquired the land.

“By the time we got to the carcass it was too old for me to say yay or nay if it was killed by a wolf,” said Scott Fitkin, wildlife biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “It was clearly fed on by something, but not much was left but a lot of maggots.” Fitkin and a USDA Wildlife Services agent inspected the carcass on Friday (May 22).
http://www.conservationnw.org/pressroom/press-clips/proof-of-wolf-kill-may-elude-investigators

When experts examined the decomposing cow May 22, it had been so worked over by scavengers that there was little left but hide and hip bones.

Even so, "there was nothing about the carcass to indicate that wolves had anything to do with it," said Doug Zimmer, a spokesman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009307261_wolves06m.html

 

[Huntboy]

Judging by the half eaten carcass and the presence of wolves in the area, I have no doubt that this calf was hit by a car. This is consistent with the fact that the calf was born at night and was not wearing a reflective safety vest.

 

[MtnMuley]

“By the time we got to the carcass it was too old for me to say yay or nay if it was killed by a wolf,” said Scott Fitkin, wildlife biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “It was clearly fed on by something, but not much was left but a lot of maggots.” Fitkin and a USDA Wildlife Services agent inspected the carcass on Friday (May 22).

this photo is from Oregon,.. right?

No. Methow