Livestock Guard Dog Project Prevents Conflicts Between Wolves and Livestock in the Payette National Forest

Payette National Forest, located in southwestern Idaho, spans some of the most diverse and rugged terrain in the country. From Hell's Canyon to alpine meadows, crystal blue lakes and snow capped peaks, this forest covers 2.3 million acres. Its abundant wildlife and remote access, including the Frank Church - River of No Return Wilderness area, make it a haven for carnivores and home to many of Idaho's wolf packs. 

Most of the year, there is relatively little conflict with humans, but this region also hosts some of the largest domestic sheep operations in the northern Rockies. In anticipation of probable conflicts between newly reintroduced wolves and sheep, Defenders has worked with livestock producers to implement nonlethal methods to help avoid conflicts. 

One of these producers was the first to use multiple guard dogs per sheep band to deter wolves. While many sheep producers use a single guard dog per band, one dog alone isn't effective against wolves. Wolves appear to be far more unwilling to confront multiple guard dogs, which is comparable to confronting another wolf pack instead of a single animal. The results have been remarkable. The overall normal losses to predators, chiefly coyotes, have dropped by nearly fifty percent, an annual savings of nearly $15,000. Defenders is cost-sharing the purchase of these livestock guarding dogs with the area's ranchers. Hopefully, more ranchers and farmers will use this method to avoid conflicts with wolves and other native predators. 

Unfortunately, one method alone doesn't always succeed and multiple approaches are required. For instance, part of a sheep band in Bear Basin broke away from the main sheep band and several of them were killed by wolves. Fortunately, the guardian dogs effectively deterred the wolves from the larger band, preventing depredations of the main sheep band. Defenders will compensate the sheep owner for the fair market value of these losses, but these conflicts have serious impacts for these sheep operations and can lead to lethal control of wolves. Additional measures must be initiated to help avoid more depredations. One method is to increase the aerial monitoring flights to provide the sheep herders with current locations of wolves. Information generated from these flights will help the herders move the bands around known wolf activity and be more vigilant when in close proximity to the wolves. 

In the past, Defenders worked with other sheep producers in the region using this method and further losses were successfully prevented. Additionally, Wildlife Services uses remote automated guard (RAG) boxes to frighten wolves away from the sheep. These alarms are triggered by the wolf's radio collar and respond with blaring sirens and strobe lights. The RAG boxes have been effectively used to prevent depredations.