How Wolves Are Quietly Draining Montana Ranchers

Alright, I get it, wolves are glorious and iconic representatives of the wild West. But they’re also a colossal pain in the rear end if you’re in the cattle business.

It’s sad because the ranchers have been saying for years that they’re getting hammered. Only recently have we had the ability to present them with some basic numbers that represent how much wolves are costing them money.

According to a recent study from UC Davis, when wolves move in, it turns out, cattle begin to act stressed. Less grazing, more pacing. That stress, she said, means they gain less weight, which equals less money when it comes time for the auction. The study estimates that a rancher can lose up to $162,000 when a wolf pack is in the vicinity. It adds up quickly when you have thousands in your herd.

But here’s the part that clung to me.

Some time ago, I met a biologist who was working in the Bitterroot Valley. Sharp guy. Knows the backcountry better than most of us know our garages. He said something to me that I’ve been replaying in my head ever since. He’d been analyzing wolf scat as part of a study. When he analyzed the DNA in the scat to determine the wolf's diet, the results were mostly livestock. Not elk. Not deer. Cattle and sheep.

The UC Davis study found similar results

Of the summer 2022 samples, 86% the wolf scat contained cattle DNA and 13 different wolves were identified, all of which had eaten cattle. Over the two years, 72% of the samples had cattle DNA.

 

So I’m not one of those people who think wolves need to NOT exist. But we’ve gotta quit pretending ranchers are crying wolf. It’s not just those few calves that disappear every year; it’s the daily pressure on herds, the extra time and money spent monitoring them, and the emotional toll of watching your livelihood get chipped away by a pack of dogs.

Ranchers don't want your sympathy. They are searching for answers. Fair pay, improved tools, perhaps even a bit of respect, wouldn’t be all that bad.