News story cites increase and impacts of wolf packs

[bearpaw]

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/nwhookandbullet/clay/article_e200e5b8-e317-11e1-aa1b-0019bb2963f4.html?mode=print

Fish and Wildlife uses lethal force on cattle-killing wolves

The reason for killing one and perhaps two was to reduce the size of the pack and break the pattern of predation.

Gray wolves are classified as endangered under Washington state law, but are no longer protected in the eastern third of the state under the federal Endangered Species Act.

As of July, wildlife biologists had confirmed eight wolf packs within the state and suspect there are four additional packs based on public reports and observed tracks. The number of confirmed packs represents an increase from two in 2010, indicating the wolf population is rebounding, which also increases the potential for wolf-livestock conflict.

Indeed, the wolf pack is not only rebounding, but growing in leaps and bounds. There were two confirmed packs in 2010, and in 2012, the number has increased to eight. This is quite an increase.

Will the next two years see another four, six or eight packs? Is there a link between the loss of livestock and the loss of deer, elk and moose? There must be. If the packs aren't eating livestock, they must be eating big game animals. The sooner we can use hunting as a wolf management tool the better for hunter and the deer, elk and moose herds.