HALLOCK, Minn. (AP) _ A northern Minnesota sheriff says his office is better equipped than state or federal officials to investigate when wolves are suspected in the death of ranchers' livestock.

Reports say Kittson County Sheriff Steve Porter is using a Minnesota law that allows sheriffs to investigate whether livestock deaths were caused by wolves.

Such investigative duties have previously fallen to the state Department of Natural Resources or the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services.

Kittson County ranchers have submitted 45 claims of wolf kills over the past six years. The state has paid nearly $60,000 in compensation. But Porter believes ranchers have lost more than $118,000 in uncompensated losses.

State and federal officials say it's unlikely that wolves killed all of the missing cattle.

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