Looks like Oregon seems to like to blame wolves as well…. This cow could have been already down just like others… Yet they blame the Wolves.
Date Investigated: 10/19/16
General Area: Wood River Valley – private land General situation and animal information: On 10/19/16 a livestock producer found a 700 pound calf dead in a ditch in an open land pasture. Wolf depredation was suspected and ODFW investigated the same day.
The calf was estimated to have died on approximately 10/16/16. At the time of the investigation, the cow was mostly consumed except for small portions of hide and muscle tissue on both hind legs and the left front leg. Physical evidence of attack by a predator: Numerous pre-mortem bite scrapes with subcutaneous and intramuscular hemorrhage were found on both hind legs and the left front leg. These are clear evidence of an attack by a predator. Evidence that the predator was a wolf: Numerous pre-mortem bite scrapes with associated pre-mortem hemorrhage were observed on the inside and rear portion of both rear legs above the hock. These locations are commonly observed attack points for wolves. The left front leg below the elbow also exhibited subcutaneous and intramuscular hemorrhage. The bite scrapes in the hide were ¼ – ⅜ inch wide and 2-6 inches in length. Evidence of wolf presence near the time of the animal(s) death/injury: Several wolf tracks estimated to be several days old were found along cow trails on both sides of the carcass. Remote camera images of 5 wolves were documented 3.3 miles west of the carcass on 10/14/16. Recent wolf depredation in the same or nearby area: ODFW confirmed two dead calves as wolf depredation in the same area on 10/5/16 and one injured calf on 10/6/16.
Cause of death/injury: Confirmed Wolf