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Wolverine captured in Utah

Posted By: BigBob

Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 10:33 PM

A Wolverine has been captured and released with a tracking collar in Utah after killing and eating 18 Sheep. Said to be a unique opportunity to study the animal, as it's the only one ever found there.
Posted By: Bruce T

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 10:35 PM

Interesting to see what happens next.
Posted By: 330-Trapper

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 10:36 PM

Things will get shut down
Posted By: grumley701

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by Bruce T
Interesting to see what happens next.


Probably another dead 18 sheep.... laugh
Posted By: nvwrangler

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 10:39 PM

They should have shot it on site , the article say after killing or wounding 18 sheep in one morning.
Posted By: Bruce T

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by nvwrangler
They should have shot it on site , the article say after killing or wounding 18 sheep in one morning.

Was it one morning?
Posted By: nvwrangler

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 10:42 PM

That's what I read.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wolverine-captured-collared-utah-first-time/
Posted By: Bruce T

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by grumley701
Originally Posted by Bruce T
Interesting to see what happens next.


Probably another dead 18 sheep.... laugh

Lol.....I meant what they find out tracking it.Habits,range,etc....
Posted By: grumley701

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 10:44 PM

Well we know one of its habits.....eating someones sheep.. grin
Posted By: Bruce T

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 10:44 PM

Originally Posted by nvwrangler

Yep what it says.Never would have thought that.Would have pictured it more over a period of time.
Posted By: 330-Trapper

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by grumley701
Well we know one of its habits.....eating someones sheep.. grin

grin

So it likes mutton
Posted By: corky

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by 330-Trapper
Things will get shut down

Exactly right. Worst thing that could have happened.
Posted By: bearcat2

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by corky
Originally Posted by 330-Trapper
Things will get shut down

Exactly right. Worst thing that could have happened.

x2
Posted By: Monster Toms

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 11:08 PM

It's funny that Colorado is contemplating wolverine reintroduction, and in the last week two turn up in the public eye. one in Wyoming one in Utah. confused
Posted By: wallfur

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 11:10 PM

not very far from where i am at.....seen a pair of wolves in that spot last year. also seeing wolverine in yellowstone this year.
Posted By: Andrew Eastwood

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/16/22 11:51 PM

Maybe I am ignorant, but why in hades would they turn a known livestock killer loose? SMH
Posted By: Boco

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 12:01 AM

Good to get the natural balance back,they will be beneficial to a lot of smaller furbearers.
Posted By: ScottPhillips

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 12:04 AM

20 years ago I saw one in the Uintahs when I was Marten trapping. When I told people about it in the DWR they laughed at me. Then about 8 years ago they got one on a trail camera exacty where I saw the one earlier. I knew it was there because it was eating the Marten out of my sets.

Scott
Posted By: BigBob

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 12:05 AM

Maybe it'll kill a few Fluffy's and Fido's and get the Pitaphiles all fired up! laugh
Posted By: waggler

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 12:11 AM

Originally Posted by Andrew Eastwood
Maybe I am ignorant, but why in hades would they turn a known livestock killer loose? SMH

Because there are a heck of a lot more sheep than wolverines. I'd nearly rather a wildfire go through a piece of real estate than a herd of stinkin sheep.
Posted By: Flint Hill fur

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 12:29 AM

Wrong answer ^^
Posted By: Bob_Iowa

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 12:35 AM

It will eventually disappear, one way or another it will be gone.
Posted By: nvwrangler

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by Andrew Eastwood
Maybe I am ignorant, but why in hades would they turn a known livestock killer loose? SMH


Because food and clothes are made in the back of the store and farmers and ranchers are greedy land hungry ogres. The sheep farmer is out 6500 bucks but o well we found a new fluffy to go nuts over.

They way this should be looked at is if we are seeing animals that had not been seen in decades is that the management practices in place are working so don't screw them up by making changes. I saw that in klamath with the stupid sucker, someone saw some spawning in a ditch and the college educated idiot's said that couldn't be they needed fine gravel. When they rehabilitated they spawning ground the fish were using with what they had to have the fish never spawned there again but it was better then the ditch had been.
Posted By: Giant Sage

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 12:48 AM

Originally Posted by Boco
Good to get the natural balance back,they will be beneficial to a lot of smaller furbearers.

Yes the fox and coyotes will have plenty of dead stock to scavenge on along with the Golden and Bald Buzzerds.
Posted By: Clark

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 12:51 AM

Originally Posted by corky
Originally Posted by 330-Trapper
Things will get shut down

Exactly right. Worst thing that could have happened.


Allow me to be the cynic and ask…shut what down? It’s Utah and apparently the property is only good enough to graze sheep. With all sympathy due to the owner of the sheep I don’t think we necessarily need the sheep. We also don’t need the wolverine but one of these items is much more interesting to have in our world.
Posted By: Buck (Zandra)

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 01:08 AM

How long will it take before they use the Endangered Species Act to lock up hundreds of thousands of acres
Posted By: Flint Hill fur

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 01:16 AM

Bingo
Posted By: 330-Trapper

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 01:16 AM

Originally Posted by Monster Toms
It's funny that Colorado is contemplating wolverine reintroduction, and in the last week two turn up in the public eye. one in Wyoming one in Utah. confused

Wolves were re introduced here. Onto private land. Without the owners permission or knowledge . One of my Sporting Goods Customers went home way North of Pine City and went around a corner on a back dirt road and Wolves were being released onto his land. Back in the late 90's
Posted By: BTLowry

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 01:29 AM

I think if it killed my livestock I would have killed it and kept my mouth shut

Are they protected in Utah?
I would not think so since they were not known to be there?
Posted By: 52Carl

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 01:36 AM

Oh great! Just what Utahian sheep need. Another reason to be nervous...
Posted By: Giant Sage

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 02:31 AM

Originally Posted by Buck (Zandra)
How long will it take before they use the Endangered Species Act to lock up hundreds of thousands of acres

I'll be the broken record again, agenda 21.
Posted By: H2ORat

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 04:49 AM

Originally Posted by Giant Sage
Originally Posted by Boco
Good to get the natural balance back,they will be beneficial to a lot of smaller furbearers.

Yes the fox and coyotes will have plenty of dead stock to scavenge on along with the Golden and Bald Buzzerds.

HEY -- your terminology is off on this post -- They are called the white tailed vultures in this neck of the woods. grin
Posted By: Buck (Zandra)

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 01:23 PM



Allow me to be the cynic and ask…shut what down? It’s Utah and apparently the property is only good enough to graze sheep. With all sympathy due to the owner of the sheep I don’t think we necessarily need the sheep. We also don’t need the wolverine but one of these items is much more interesting to have in our world.[/quote]
You may not need the sheep,but Ill bet the guy that owned them would like them back
Posted By: Bruce T

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 02:36 PM

Lol....thought they was talking about wild sheep.That makes more sense now about 18 killed in the same day.
Posted By: bearcat2

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by Clark


Allow me to be the cynic and ask…shut what down? It’s Utah and apparently the property is only good enough to graze sheep. With all sympathy due to the owner of the sheep I don’t think we necessarily need the sheep. We also don’t need the wolverine but one of these items is much more interesting to have in our world.


Well first off, they'll shut down motorized use, trapping, and likely hunting in an area as big as they deem necessary to not disturb any possible resident wolverines. Yeah they'll likely shut down livestock grazing also.

All these people back east without public land don't seem to grasp the large amounts of public land in the west that is the only land most hunt, trap, and recreate on. Or how you simply can't access most of it without motorized access. Or that although it is owned by us, some of those managing it think that any public use of it is bad and will use any available excuse to limit and block access and use.
Posted By: Dean Chapel

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 02:55 PM

Its not the wolverine per se, it's the government's response tot he wolverine that'll be awful. We in Montana know this with lynx, wolves, grizzly bears and wolverines. You'd best pray hard that the gubmint doesn't find an "endangered species" in your area. BTW, last week in Montana we had a wolverine running around in down-town Lewistown- hardly classic wolverine habitat.
Posted By: Mike in A-town

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 03:39 PM

Came across an NBC news article about this last night... Said it was the 8th one they've come across in Utah since 1979. Had a little video of wildlife resources examining, radio collaring*, and weighing the beast.

Then it went on the explain about "loss of habitat due to climate change" and possible considerations of the ESA to protect them.

I like wolverines. But I also have family members who raise sheep... And sheep figure out how to die for no apparent reason all on their own. The last thing a rancher needs is another cause of dead sheep.

ESA protection is the best way to make sure that any wolverines spotted by ranchers get the 3S treatment. But the US government in its wisdom will slam their fists on the desk and say their law is supreme... And the ranchers will shrug their shoulders, leave the meeting, and stop at the nearest store on their way home to buy more ammo and shovels.

Mike

*How long will a wolverine put up with wearing a radio collar around its neck? It's a wolverine... Not exactly the most calm and cooperative organism on the planet.
Posted By: white17

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 04:35 PM

I don't know how long they will tolerate a collar but I suspect Gulo has so good info on that question.

I think the sheep killing is really abnormal behavior. I would bet that particular animal has never encountered anything like a pen full of sheep before. Wolverine are more scavenger than predator but I can understand how one could react like this. It's sort of like the phenomenon of "surplus killing" that we occasionally see with wolves in the spring.

I had a TMAN member remark to me that he had been out disking a field in the spring and there were hundreds of gulls following the tractor. He said it was like 14 year old boys standing outside a brothel. ( I don't know how he would know that ) ......but I suspect this wolverine had that exact experience.

Of course none of that is any consolation to the sheep man.

I really enjoy having both wolves and wolverines on my trap line. They are beneficial to all the other small critters.
Posted By: GREENCOUNTYPETE

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by Andrew Eastwood
Maybe I am ignorant, but why in hades would they turn a known livestock killer loose? SMH



the thought is the Judas pig concept I suspect.

they think they have 1 Wolverine , but do they really have a mating pair and cubs if it never stops or returns to a location possibly just a wanderer but if it keep returning to a location , that warrants investigation.



as to 18 in a morning dead or wounded , well there is a reason we refer to helpless people as sheep , sheep cluster up and make themselves some fairly easy targets , there is a reason people and their dogs have been protecting them for thousands of years so that they provide those people and dogs with a source of meat , wool , fur , and income.

feral goats are a thing , even feral cattle ,but feral sheep not so much and it isn't because none ever had an opportunity to get away.
Posted By: white17

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 05:16 PM

Since it was male I suspect it is just a wanderer. It is also that time of year when they are looking for love.
Posted By: Mike in A-town

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by GREENCOUNTYPETE
Originally Posted by Andrew Eastwood
Maybe I am ignorant, but why in hades would they turn a known livestock killer loose? SMH



the thought is the Judas pig concept I suspect.

they think they have 1 Wolverine , but do they really have a mating pair and cubs if it never stops or returns to a location possibly just a wanderer but if it keep returning to a location , that warrants investigation.



as to 18 in a morning dead or wounded , well there is a reason we refer to helpless people as sheep , sheep cluster up and make themselves some fairly easy targets , there is a reason people and their dogs have been protecting them for thousands of years so that they provide those people and dogs with a source of meat , wool , fur , and income.

feral goats are a thing , even feral cattle ,but feral sheep not so much and it isn't because none ever had an opportunity to get away.


Few things to consider, the story said 18 sheep dead. We weren't given the details on each and every dead sheep. Ewes will abort a lamb at the drop of a hat. My sister had several ewes who aborted lambs just from the stress of being loaded on a trailer and transported to her property. Several of those 18 sheep might have been stress induced aborted lambs.

Also, it wouldn't surprise me if some of the sheep who died just keeled over from stress. Some of them are that "fragile."

Mike
Posted By: GREENCOUNTYPETE

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Mike in A-town


Few things to consider, the story said 18 sheep dead. We weren't given the details on each and every dead sheep. Ewes will abort a lamb at the drop of a hat. My sister had several ewes who aborted lambs just from the stress of being loaded on a trailer and transported to her property. Several of those 18 sheep might have been stress induced aborted lambs.

Also, it wouldn't surprise me if some of the sheep who died just keeled over from stress. Some of them are that "fragile."

Mike


excellent points

had freezing rain come through one night, a friend lost 4 in one night they even had access to the barn , they never moved in till they were soaking wet and then the temp dropped.

he was away that night had someone stopping to check on them make sure fed watered nothing wrong with the waterer each day

had he been home knowing fowl weather he would have herded his sheep into the barn for the night and locked them in
Posted By: jeff karsten

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 06:39 PM

All animals are beneficial in their environment But enviroments change and have since Creation I suspect that there is an enormous amount of money involved for reintroduction of species to less then ideal "Historical" habitat and a perfect solution for excluding consumptive users from these same habitats
Posted By: foxhunter52

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 10:44 PM

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

My son works for the State and sent these pictures of the wolverine trapped in Rich County. Northern Utah. It was supposedly relocated in the Uinta mountains about 80 miles away from where it was caught. I say supposedly because we occassionaly get whitetail deer that move in and they somehow seem to mysteriously disappear within a few days.

I have personally seen one other wolverine along the Utah/Idaho border. I told the Fish and Game and they didn't seem to be the least bit interested.
Posted By: Bruce T

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 10:46 PM

Interesting.Thanks for the pictures and information.
Posted By: KeithC

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 11:20 PM

Wolverines will kill yarded up deer. Killing the sheep like it did is very similar. They should have killed the wolverine rather than releasing it to kill more livestock.

Keith
Posted By: GritGuy

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/17/22 11:38 PM

Should have, would have, can go on in everything, these animals are getting spotted way more often than recorded to the DWR here.

Was told of four different sightings last year during deer hunt in October, none reported to the DWR either.

Our DWR is adamant about collaring and moving animals around for trying to get them to stay, simple matter is that mature Wolverines have a traveling circle of 400 miles, clearly Rich county is in this area, and more will be seen, but as to this one staying here, who knows. Easier to keep track when collared though. Collar won't interfere with its life in any manner either.

About the sheep doubt it was responsible for all those deaths, sheep by nature are very nervous animals, just a thunder clap will drop a few, but the people owning them look for most any way to freely tag responsibility to any kind of predator attack to be reimbursed, this little furball just probably happened upon a meal at the wrong time during a natural incident for the sheep to endure and some did not !
Posted By: rick olson

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/18/22 12:53 AM

I'm sure they relocated it to another remote area,if it starts killing again and comes back to the same area they will probably put it down or put it in a zoo somewhere problem animals get a few chance's then they'll take care of it.
Posted By: KeithC

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/18/22 12:58 AM

If they released the wolverine 80 miles away, as was stated and if wolverines travel a 400 mile circle, as was stated, it should be back.

Keith
Posted By: Giant Sage

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/18/22 01:31 PM

Thats an interesting take, the antis say the same thing about cattle wolves and trapping. And they say such out of ignorance. Just saying choose your words wisely.
Posted By: Bruce T

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/18/22 01:34 PM

Used to have wolverines here in Maine years ago.
Posted By: Giant Sage

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/18/22 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by 52Carl
Oh great! Just what Utahian sheep need. Another reason to be nervous...

Lol ,thats right its bad enough that the Broke Back cow boys migrated out there. Thats ok though, please don't send them back. cool
Posted By: white17

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/18/22 06:54 PM

Looking at that collar I would be very surprised if that antennae lasts a year. Those guys like to investigate holes and crevices in rocks. I would think that would get broken off
Posted By: bearcat2

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/18/22 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by white17
Looking at that collar I would be very surprised if that antennae lasts a year. Those guys like to investigate holes and crevices in rocks. I would think that would get broken off

The battery probably won't last much more than a year, but I would be surprised if that antenae lasts near that long, had a client kill an elk this year with a similar collar and antenae, and that hard base sticks up enough from the collar that I figure a wolverine will break that antenae off in short order.
Posted By: Boco

Re: Wolverine captured in Utah - 03/19/22 04:44 AM

Originally Posted by foxhunter52
[Linked Image]

My son works for the State and sent these pictures of the wolverine trapped in Rich County. Northern Utah. It was supposedly relocated in the Uinta mountains about 80 miles away from where it was caught. I say supposedly because we occassionaly get whitetail deer that move in and they somehow seem to mysteriously disappear within a few days.

I have personally seen one other wolverine along the Utah/Idaho border. I told the Fish and Game and they didn't seem to be the least bit interested.



I like him,he looks very intelligent.
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