CASPER STAR-TRIBUNE SERIES ON WOLVES

Wolves' impact grows From 1995 to 2003, wolves have killed 301 cattle, 804 sheep and 63 dogs in the three states. Those are only "confirmed" kills, and some estimate actual losses are much higher. Magagna said the issue is frustrating for ranchers because for all the "confirmed" wolf kills, there are others that aren't confirmed because any evidence is obliterated. "Ranchers have one or two confirmed but have 20 calves missing and were not able to attribute to any cause," he said. "All the data that I have seen, I would say the ratio is between eight and 10 to one," meaning for every one confirmed kill there are eight to 10 other wolf kills that go unconfirmed. Ranchers have been adapting, moving cattle and increasing riders with the herds, but moving cattle has a negative effect on weight gain. The presence of wolves can also harm grazing allotments by causing cattle to overgraze areas where they go to avoid wolves, ranchers say....

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