The spokesman review (Spokane) had an article about how we (wdfw) have to have 15 breeding pairs before they will be delisted as endangered. But it also has To have a split eastern and western( I'm assuming the Roosevelt elk areas). Right now most pairs are in north and eastern washington and major cost won't be taken to trap and transplant wolves into western Washington even if overpopulation occurs in eastern. In other words, we could have 20 breeding pairs in only eastern Washington, this would not meet requirements to de-list/ control the population. So elk in our state are going to get hit harder and harder in the NE corner, the blues, and the cascade spine until its convenient for wdfw. It's amazing they don't look at Idaho and there elk populations changes since wolves were forced into their lands. Now we are waiting for our "huge" elk populations to dwindle for all us hunters who pay for their idiocy.
The article was continued onto the obituary page. How appropriate! Elk should have been listed with the rest of those people.
