Get to know Wildlife Services
by Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!
June 28, 2007
USDA Wildlife Services has a memorandum of understanding with USDI Fish and Wildlife Service to handle on-the-ground wolf problems. While FWS is the agency charged with protecting wolves and is the decision-maker on when to take problem wolves out of the population, it’s Wildlife Services that gets called to control the animals. With decades upon decades of experience in animal damage control, these guys are pros at taking out problem wolves.
If you’re a livestock producer who is seeing wolves or sign of wolves and haven't worked with Wildlife Services before, get in touch with your local specialists and get an agreement in place in advance. Wildlife Services must have a written agreement with the landowner, authorizing them to conduct control activities on private land. It’s a short, simple form that can be completed in a couple of minutes. There is no charge to the producer for their services.
As Wyoming Wildlife Services State Director Rod Krischke noted, “That way when and if livestock losses occur we will be able to respond without delay.” To contact Wildlife Services, try these numbers:
In the counties of Teton, Sublette, Fremont, Sweetwater, Lincoln, Uinta, Hot Springs and Carbon contact the Rock Springs Office at 307 362-7238. This is a field office and personnel here are often in the field. If you can’t reach anyone here, call the state office (below).
In all other counties in Wyoming contact the State Office in Casper at 307-261-5336.
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