Federal agents have killed four wolves, and efforts are under way to kill a fifth after two livestock attacks in the Kalispell area.
The first two wolves from the Hog Heaven Pack were killed last week after a rancher reported that two of his heifers were found dead on a ranch southwest of Kila. Two cows were attacked and killed in the Lone Pine area a couple of days later — prompting the shooting of two more wolves from the pack on Tuesday, said Kent Laudon, regional wolf management specialist with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
“This is a bit of an aggressive action but I’m hoping it will alleviate the problems,” he said.
Laudon acknowledged there was no way to determine which of the wolves killed the cows, but he said the goal was to reduce the pack’s lethal power as well as its nutritional needs.