WOLF UPDATE---11/20

by Laura Schneberger

A rancher in the Collins park area of Catron County has been targeted for investigation for the death of Ring pack wolf AF 799 and was also questioned in the trapping incident regarding a Luna pack wolf.

The Luna wolf survived, was treated and released minus a toe. There is no trapper in the area at this time except the FWS who were trapping wolves for a study. They claim the trap was not theirs.

The Ring wolf was found at least a week after its death. According to Arizona Game and Fish employees with the program there was no apparent obvious cause of death but this employee openly stated that she suspected the local ranchers. There is a necropsy occurring on the dead wolf but the results have not been made available as of this time.

Interestingly enough, a dead eagle was also found near the carcass of the dead wolf.

After these events Federal investigators were called into the area where they unnecessarily blocked both entrances to the aforementioned ranch headquarters, apparently to keep the ranchers from "running" and proceeded to question the rancher involved. Upon leaving the Headquarters, an investigator asked the rancher how many elk permits he was currently receiving from the state. (Since elk permits have nothing to do with the investigation, this must be interpreted as a threat--FD)

Last week, ranchers in the area waited for their usual vague locations on the current wolf packs, which in fact finally came in 7 days late. The Saddle pack was indeed located on a cow ranch in livestock pastures. Because this area was the same area the Ring pack wolf was found in, it is suspected these locations were intentionally withheld by whoever was in the locator plane during that flight. As a result of withholding locations, a full grown cow in the Collins Park area has been killed. The nearest pack was the Saddle pack.

The examination of the dead cow and results will be forthcoming.

Meanwhile, with no evidence of foul play at least as of yet, harassment of ranchers has become commonplace in the Mexican Wolf recovery area. If their skin was a different color it would be classified as profiling. At the very least this behavior is discriminatory and should be immediately ceased and swift reprimands should follow.

Agency personnel had this to say in an 11-15-05 Silver City daily press article

The agency added: "The area north of the Gila Wilderness is heavily grazed. Several wolf packs have run into trouble in that general area in the past, first scavenging on cattle carcasses and later depredating."

This statement is a fabrication as those of you who attended the Catron County killing field tour can attest. Not only is the area in good condition and not heavily grazed there are no carcasses strewn about for wolves to encounter at least not until one is made by the wolves. Allowing these sort of biased statements to be released to the press does nothing to further trust and cooperation with local residents.

I recommend that everyone on this list cooperate fully with FWS investigations into wolf deaths but keep a log of your experiences and your treatment. You are not required to give up your private property without a warrant or allow searches on your property, unless you are comfortable doing so. If you are verbally harassed by an Arizona Game and Fish employee or FWS employee please do your best to stay neutral and record the conversation to the best of your ability and send it to me.

Sincerely
Laura

Further Update---11/21

I found out last night that Don Gatlin was also interrogated for three hours over both the injured and dead wolf as well as the eagle. That makes 3 out of 4 Collins Park area ranchers that have been interrogated by FWS special agents. It makes no difference that 400 hunters have gone through the area in the week the dead animals were found. Ranchers are the suspects, in fact any rancher in the area is subject to questioning and from what I am hearing it is none too polite.

Laura