Wolf managers confirm calf kill

LEWISTON — Federal agents have confirmed a wolf killed a calf near the northern Idaho town of Southwick but said other dead calves and a colt found nearby probably were killed by coyotes.

“We have three complaints we have investigated,” said Todd Grimm, a district supervisor at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services in Boise.

“Two of them we are pretty sure are not wolves, the other one we are sure it was a wolf.”

The agency and the Nez Perce Tribe have received several reports of wolves being seen in the Potlatch River Basin this spring. The reports include two near Kendrick, about 25 miles southeast of Moscow, and one near Southwick another 10 miles away.

Grimm said wildlife agent Dave Thomas of Deary investigated both reports but could not say wolves were responsible.

Grimm said the agency believes coyotes were more likely the culprits. But Thomas was able to confirm a calf killed near Southwick was the victim of a wolf attack.

“Wildlife Services has confirmed that wolves have killed one calf in the Southwick country and there is a control action going on right now,” said Curt Mack, wolf recovery coordinator for the Nez Perce Tribe.