The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating the deaths of two wolves in the upper Ninemile Valley.

The deaths occurred in the "past couple of days," said Neill Hartman, assistant special agent in charge of law enforcement for the USFWS regional office in Denver.

"We do have more mortalities," Hartman said Thursday. "We are still investigating the causes of death. It's premature to say two wolves were shot."

According to a valley resident who asked not to be named, the wolves were found dead on property still owned by actress Andie MacDowell, who has moved away. The property is just below Marion Creek on the south side of the road.

A woman caretaking the MacDowell property showed a Missoulian reporter a picture of a young wolf that appeared to have a major wound to the shoulder area. She thought the wound might have been caused by a gunshot. However, others in the valley said Thursday the wolves, which appeared to have been dead a while before being discovered, might have been hit by a car.

USFWS agent Rick Branzell, who works out of Missoula, was in the Ninemile on Thursday working on the case. He would not comment when questioned by a Missoulian photographer.

Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator for the Fish and Wildlife Service, said he couldn't talk, either, because the case involved law enforcement.

The Ninemile is awash in wolf controversy - the predator has made a remarkable recovery in the valley west of Missoula, but wolves also have been responsible for the deaths of several llamas.