Cowboy State Daily Radio News: Thursday, April 4, 2024

Hunters and Biologists express anger over an Alleged Wolf Torture Case; a human Skull Found In Wyoming’s Vast Red Desert Was A Man Age 25-35; and the Historic Gros Ventre Ranch In Teton County has sold - it Had Been Listed For $58 Million.

We’ll take a look at these stories and more today from Wyoming’s largest news organization. I’m Wendy Corr, for Cowboy State Daily.

The alleged capture, tormenting and killing of a wolf in Sublette County could damage the reputation of wolf hunting in the Cowboy State.
Cowboy State Daily’s Mark Heinz reports that the incident ratchets up emotion over an already touchy topic, according to hunters and biologists speaking out on the incident.
“pretty much everybody across the board is condemning the action is unethical. They say it you know, it casts wolf hunting in Wyoming's wolf policy in a really bad light… people are saying it doesn't really reflect Wyoming's values, or the success of Wyoming's wolf management program… hunters are saying, you know, they are concerned that this is just will, you know, anti hunting groups will will will take this and, you know, use it to to boost their cause.”
According to the account of events, the man ran the wolf down with a snowmobile Feb. 29, disabling it, then taped its mouth shut and kept it alive for some time, at one point showing it off to bar patrons.

An elk hunter stumbled across a skull last November while tracking elk through the vast desert. He described the discovery in the vast desert as a fluke of the odds.
Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland reports that the Wyoming Crime Lab started DNA analysis on the skull Feb. 7, and the findings might help solve a 43 year old mystery.
“the water County Coroner confirmed on when they this skull belong to a male between the ages of 25 and 35… There's only one man missing from Sweetwater County, listed in the federal database who matches that bracket. And that is and that is David Williams, who was 33 when he went missing from the crest injunction area. Exactly 43 years to the day before the skull was found.”
The skull bore no obvious signs of trauma, had no remaining human tissue and was sun-bleached but was above-ground. The lower jaw was detached but nearby.

A Quebec-based company is scheduled to complete a $534 million wind farm project in Albany County before the end of the year.
Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.’s 100-turbine Boswell Springs project spans 21,500 acres of private land, and Cowboy State Daily’s Pat Maio says it is well underway.
“they're pretty far along on it, they've already done the foundations for the wind turbines and poured concrete and started doing some of the transmission line tie ins to the project, which will generate about 330 megawatts of power. It's their second largest wind farm out of 87 renewable energy facilities that they have underway.”
The project will connect with the Berkshire Hathaway-backed PacifiCorp electrical grid at the Freezeout substation in Carbon County.

I’ll be back with more news, right after this.

Outgoing State Sen. Affie Ellis on Wednesday said she remains baffled why House Speaker Albert Sommers killed a prostitution bill that passed overwhelmingly in the senate.
Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland spoke to Sommers about the bill, and he told her it was a matter of prioritization.
“it would have criminalized the purchase or sale of hand sex acts well currently Wyoming's prostitution laws only ban this the marketing of intrusion… House Speaker Albert Summers said, you know, I didn't keep this bill in my drawer because of any policy concerns about it. It was just, it's been a busy session. That bill has not been sketched as a priority by Wyoming rights and lawmakers compared to others.”
This year’s Legislative session was just three weeks long and centered around the Legislature’s obligation to pass the state’s biennial budget.

One of Wyoming’s most expensive properties is off the market. The storied Gros Ventre Ranch, which has been rebranded the Grand View River Ranch, has sold to an undisclosed buyer.
Cowboy State Daily’s Renee Jean reports that the property, which was listed for $58 million, is one of those very rare inholdings that’s surrounded by Grand Teton National Park and the Bridger Teton National Forest.
“Back in the 30s, Rockefeller tried to buy up all of that land for the Grand Teton National Monument, but there are a few holdouts and the Grand View River Ranch was one of those. It's changed hands numerous times through the years… it's a ranch with a lot of history.”
It’s not known if the new owners plan to continue operating Grand View River Ranch as a guest ranch.

And that’s today’s news. Get your free digital subscription to Wyoming’s only statewide newspaper by hitting the subscribe button on CowboyStateDaily dot com
I’m Wendy Corr, for Cowboy State Daily.