The reintroduction of wolves and grizzly bears to the West was, by most accounts, a success. Yet now, those living on the urban-wilderness interface are faced with the challenge of learning to live with large predators in their backyard. “A Season of Predators”, a film by Idaho resident Jason Kauffman, examines the collaborative efforts of two valleys – the Blackfoot Valley in northwest Montana and the Wood River Valley in Idaho – that are rising to the challenge and coming up with nonlethal solutions to managing the new predators.
On Thursday, April 17th, Lava Lake Institute of Science and Conservation sponsored and the Sawtooth Society hosted a screening of “A Season of Predators” at the NexStage theatre in Ketchum. Many came to view the beautifully shot documentary which fills the 56 minutes of film with expansive shots of the rugged landscapes that wolves, bears, and ranchers call home and even more expansive methods for living cohesively with the animals.
After the film, wolf specialist and former Wildlife Services Rick Williamson spoke about the progression of nonlethal wolf management. He started with how it has evolved over time. He spoke about the intellect of the wolf and how multiple practices should be used to prevent livestock kill. And he said that, though it does not work all the time, nonlethal management, for the most part, is extremely effective.
As an example, Williamson described a method where, when collared wolves come within range of a Radio Active Guard or a RAG, the box emits flashing bright lights and loud noises. In one instance, the RAG box was attached to a garbage dumpster in Challis that wolves were scavenging. When a collared wolf came within feet of the garbage can, the RAG box went off and sent the wolf running. They found him wandering the forests around McCall the next day.
Williamson’s firsthand experience and candid stories, coupled with the documentary, made for an incredibly interesting and informative evening. The Sawtooth Society would like to thank Jason Kauffman for making the trip from Boise to present his wonderful film, and Rick Williamson for traveling from Arco to give the amazing presentation. Also, a huge thanks to the Lava Lake Institute of Science and Conservation for sponsoring the event.
Director and producer of “A Season of Predators” Jason Kauffman answers questions about the film
Wolf Specialist Rick Williamson explains different methods of nonlethal wolf management
