The large canid that killed sheep for over a year in northeast central Montana and which was finally shot about a month ago, might not have been a wolf afterall, but the possibility that it was a wolf has not been ruled out.
As in life, controversy continues over the animal’s nature and origin even with its carcass in hand. Its markings and color are different from the now native wolves of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, suggesting it is a wolf hybrid, but then again it might have been a wolf migrating in from Minnesota.
DNA analysis should tell the story.
Officials don’t know if predator was wolf or where it came from. By Mike Stark. Billings Gazette.
Story of its shooting back on Nov. 3, 2006. “NE Montana mystery canid finally killed after a year.”
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
