HELENA, Mont. (AP)--State and federal officials have released a female wolf that was trapped near Avon after two calves were killed during a 10-day period.

The decision was based on a January federal court ruling that restored the classification of wolves to endangered, except for experimental populations around Yellowstone National Park and in Minnesota.

But a federal wolf manager said he believes the radio-collared wolf would have been released without the ruling by the Oregon judge.

"I would think that even without the reclassification, we would have set her free," said Ed Bangs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gray wolf recovery coordinator. "You don't want to kill your eyes and ears, and I can't believe they would want us to shoot the only radio-collared wolf in the pack."

Rancher Tim Quigley, who lost a calf over the weekend, said watching the wolf being released March 15 was frustrating.

"The wolves come in, get my calf, we catch it and they turn it loose. Watching it lope across my meadow, knowing it's going to be back among my cattle--I'm kind of a quiet guy, but this really gets me going."

Carolyn Sime, wolf program coordinator for the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department, said she shares his frustration. But she said the January ruling means ranchers can't shoot wolves, even if they catch them killing cattle.

State and federal officials have decided that two of the four wolves in the pack around Avon will be shot. The other two will be allowed to remain free, barring future livestock depredation.

The plan is to go after the pack's large male, which migrated to the Avon area from about 50 miles north of the Canadian border. That wolf is known to have run with a pack that had a history of livestock depredation, Sime said.

When wolves are killed, the preference is to kill the males, since females reproduce and the overall goal is to re-establish wolves in Montana.

Sime said wolf managers hope that being trapped was a traumatic enough experience for the one wolf to make her avoid the area.

Quigley said his cattle are nervous, even in pastures close to the house. He understands the constraints of the federal court ruling, but isn't sure what he'll do if wolves return to prey on his cattle.

"We've gone through the legal process and look where it's got us," he said. "They can only do what their bosses will let them do. It's almost like they're going to make criminals out of us."

Sime said the agency, along with Gov. Brian Schweitzer and the congressional delegation are trying to find options that provide more flexibility under the federal court ruling. But until they come up with a solution, she asks that ranchers contact the Fish, Wildlife and Parks office when they see wolves.

Date: 3/23/05