Post by: Fester on October 15, 2012, 05:32:41 AM
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A wolf attacked and killed a dog that was guarding sheep near the Wyoming border, the Utah Department of Agriculture confirmed Wednesday.
The wolf killed the dog a week ago on private lands in the Chalk Creek area east of Coalville, Department of Agriculture spokesman Larry Lewis said.
Lewis said the 100-pound Great Pyrenees was no match for the wolf, which injured a second guard dog in the same attack. The other dog was missing for several days but turned up Wednesday nursing injuries from the attack, he said.
Wildlife officers were able to confirm the wolf kill by collecting fur from the scene, and a livestock herder reported that he saw a wolf limping away from the attack, Lewis said.
The wolf is still on the loose. An effort to trap it was unsuccessful.
Lewis said he couldn't identify the sheep herder or landowner because they don't want publicity that could draw tourists or vigilantes to their ranch.
Government trappers, meanwhile, confirmed another report that one or two wolves killed a 350-pound calf earlier this week near Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area, 15 miles east of Hyrum in Cache County.
The calf's mother was found dead for unknown reasons — there was no evidence it was attacked by a wolf, Lewis said.
The trappers determined it was a wolf kill from the condition of the calf carcass, said Kevin Bunnell, mammals program coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
Traps were set in that location, he said.
Officials say wolves are becoming a problem in northern Utah for the first time since the 1930s. Among other recent attacks was a wolf that killed two calves, and a wolf that attacked livestock in northern Utah's Cache County in July.
In addition, "there's been plenty of sightings" of wolves in northern Utah this summer, Lewis said.
The Utah and U.S. departments of agriculture employ 10 trappers who live in remote areas of Utah to deal with nuisance coyotes, cougars, bears — and now wolves.
>:( :mgun:
Post by: pianoman9701 on October 15, 2012, 06:40:56 AM
Post by: MuleDeerCrazy on October 15, 2012, 06:46:02 AM
Post by: pianoman9701 on October 15, 2012, 06:54:52 AM
Man, the only Pyreneese I've seen were way bigger than 100 pounds... even saw some video from Russia of one killing two wolves that were trying to get some sheep. They must have been having a bad day if two of them couldn't take a wolf?
Or, there were several wolves, umm coyotes.
Post by: TheHunt on October 15, 2012, 07:27:27 AM
The Standard Pyrenean is about 110 lbs from what my dog book says...
Post by: MuleDeerCrazy on October 15, 2012, 07:54:52 AM
Post by: pianoman9701 on October 15, 2012, 09:04:29 AM
They made it sounds like just one wolf, but they are a pack animal so could have been more than one. Maybe the Pyreneese I saw was just a monster, could've licked you in the eyeball flat-footed... I was afraid to go near the sheep :chuckle:
They're huge dogs.
Post by: 300rum on October 15, 2012, 09:09:57 AM
Post by: boneaddict on October 15, 2012, 09:20:15 AM
Glad to see there are no wolves in Utah. Kind of like Washignton.
Post by: 300rum on October 15, 2012, 09:23:36 AM
"threatend" species!
Post by: boneaddict on October 15, 2012, 09:29:38 AM
Post by: coachcw on October 16, 2012, 06:36:34 AM