The killing of the Buffalo Ridge Pack in Idaho prompted an inquiry bringing forth some interesting information about the cost of wolf control.
The information is in a letter by Gloria Carlton in the most recent Idaho Mountain Express.
I wonder what the dollar loss of livestock to the rancher (said to be Wayne Baker) was and the cost of measures that would have made the pasture less attractive to wolves?*
I imagine direct expenditures by conservation groups to keep this wolf pack out of trouble plus volunteer time was easily $50,000. The efforts were mostly in Squaw Creek where the pack denned each year and was quite easy to see in the winter until about the end of May.
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* Note it was never proven the Buffalo Ridge pack killed the several small calves that were confirmed to be killed by wolf. The East Pass Creek pack is in the area and their are other scattered wolves.
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is past President of the Western Watersheds Project.
