April 16, 2025 – Around 9:00 AM this morning, Sierra County Sheriff Mike Fisher received a report from a rancher at DS Ranches, located just north of Loyalton in Plumas County. The rancher witnessed two gray wolves actively taking down a calf in a pasture approximately 100 yards off Highway 49. The attack occurred in broad daylight, near a busy public roadway.
This incident further highlights a growing and serious concern regarding gray wolves in the Sierra Valley as they are becoming increasingly comfortable around humans and human activity, emboldened by a lack of effective deterrence or consequences.
DS Ranches moved cattle into the Sierra Valley on March 30. In the short span of just sixteen days, there have been six confirmed wolf attacks on calves, and two calves killed, each confirmed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) through DNA analysis or visual inspection.
The question we must ask is: When is enough – enough?
CDFW’s current management of these apex predators is not working. Even with the additional hazing options introduced under Phase 2 of the Gray Wolf Management Plan, they are simply not feasible under real-world conditions. The tools available to local ranchers remain limited and ineffective when wolves strike quickly, often in open pastures that can’t be monitored 24/7.
The injuries to the calf were so severe that it had to be euthanized. Contrary to what some might think, this is not an isolated, uninhabited wilderness, The Sierra Valley is home to multiple communities, ranches, and residents. These wolf attacks are not happening in the backcountry wilderness; they are happening where people live, work, and raise livestock.
We urge our state and federal leaders to take immediate action and restore the ability of local law enforcement to protect our communities and local economies from escalating wildlife conflicts.
