Officials increase pressure on areas with missing cows

By SEAN ELLIS

Capital Press

OLA, Idaho -- Idaho brand inspectors are chasing cattle rustlers in two hot spots in Idaho.

State brand inspectors, a unit of the Idaho State Police, say their efforts have reduced the number of suspected cattle thefts in the state's Indian Valley area, and they are now shifting anti-rustling resources to the Ola area.

Gem County Sheriff Chuck Rolland said everyone in the area knows cattle rustling occurs, but it's hard to say that officially because no one's been caught red-handed.

"People are filing complaints about their cows missing, but it's always suspected unless we catch someone," he said.

Ranchers around Ola, which is in Gem County, normal.y lose about a 100 cattle a year, but last fall they lost around 300.

To the north, Indian Valley ranchers normally lose around 80 head each season, but have lost around 280 in each of the last three years.

"They're missing way more than they should be," said Lynn Gibson, a brand inspector assigned to that area.

Those numbers are above typical natural losses. State brand inspector Larry Hayhurst said it's not believable that all those missing cattle can be attributed to an increase in wolf kills and deaths from other causes.

"I think there are definitely some two-legged wolves out there, too," Hayhurst said. "People ask, 'Is rustling going on out there?' It sure as heck is."

This is the first time in recent memory that Ola has had a significant rustling problem.

"We put a lot of attention on the Indian Valley area and it seems they have moved over here to the Ola area, and now they have a problem," Hayhurst said.

Gem County has an estimated 18,500 cattle and calves. Indian Valley is in Adams County, which has 10,300 cattle and calves.

Indian Valley has had a significant missing cattle problem for about three years, Hayhurst said, though the losses there dropped this past fall due largely to the efforts of the State Brand Board.

Cattle rustlers seem to have shifted much of their attention further south, to the area around Ola and nearby Sweet. Cattlemen recently held two meetings in that area to inform members of the livestock industry, brand officials, local sheriffs, fish and game officials and others.

In addition to the meetings, brand inspectors have conducted road stops, done more patrolling and handed out literature that lets people know "everybody in the area is watching like a dog," Hayhurst said.

High-profile efforts are designed to get the word out and instill some fear in criminals, he said.

Oregon and Nevada have had rustling problems recently. Problem areas are missing a combined 2,200 head more than normal the past few years. Idaho brand inspectors have joined forces with their counterparts in those states to try to solve the problem.

Gibson said they have some solid leads, "but it's going to be a while before we can prove our theory."

He and Hayhurst wouldn't elaborate because they didn't want to jeopardize the investigation.

Hayhurst said the increased rustling may be attributed in part to higher cattle prices and that's one of the reasons his office is so adamant about pursuing the culprits.

"These cattlemen work their butts off to make a living and to have their profit taken from them, it's a pretty sad deal," he said. "We're not easing up one bit. It's not over."