Cattle and sheep were turning up dead in the high backcountry, the evidence looked familiar, and ranchers were ready to make the call. The distinction between a wolf kill and a mountain lion kill, for example, often comes down to how the carcass was fed on and whether it was cached. Ranchers navigating the Montana Livestock Loss Board’s compensation program also have a direct stake in accurate identification. What Hughes digs into in this video is the gap between what looks obvious and what the evidence actually supports. In a state where predator management decisions get made inside that gap — with real consequences for wildlife, livestock operators, and public land policy — that distinction is worth understanding.