Wolf attacks Dog in Twisp, Wa.

[bearpaw]

I heard that the Methow Newspaper is owned by some dude from Seattle who is a wolf lover, I also read the Omak Newspaper article, it has a little different tone, if you can't read the photos I enlarged below, please click on the pdf links below the photos, enlarge each pdf as needed, it is even easier to read.

[BOWHUNTER45]

I think things are about to change Dale .... Hopefully in the next couple years they are handing out wolf permits like duck stamps 

[Northway]

I hate to say it but it almost appears that WDFW or more specifically Donny Moratello is trying to rebuild the credibility of the department.  I believe he made the call to take out the Wedge Pack and now he has come forward extremely fast and investigated this dog attack and confirmed it was a wolf.  Don't forget that he is getting hammered by thousands of bunny huggers but he might actually be trying to do the right thing instead of appease the greenies for once.  WDFW over the past few years has severely hurt their reputation by not responding and trying to sweep all the wolf reports under the table.  It seems at present they are at an all time low on public (hunters and ranchers) opinion and trust.  I think we need to give WDFW or more especially Donny some credit for taking a stand and stepping up to the plate.  I can't imagine how many of the greenies have called them about taking out the Wedge Pack and they are standing their ground and in fact are saying they may have to do it again.  Put yourself in their shoes and see how much hatred they are getting for actually doing something that works.  Now if they would come forward and support this law that was passed in the house to allow pet owners and livestock owners to shoot a wolf for attacking their animals this would be a enormous step to restoring our trust in their intentions.   I do believe they are starting to get our attention so lets see what road they take.  Just sayin!

He could have stated that more firmly in Seattle, but I don't recall that he did. I felt that spent too much time trying to paint the Wedge Pack as a hiccup. I don't think it would have been out of bounds for him to let a pro wolf crowd know in so many words that supporting wolves in WA also means supporting some level of wolf management; that there is really no other realistic alternative.

[mulehunter]

2008 Early spring, went with Matt's Permit and all three familie's hounds got race on Cougar between Twisp and libby, we couldnt find one of Bonnie hound since it was killed by wolves and hurt other Blue hound with wound head and died downhill infection thur year later,  Two residence went up tracking the collar by use directional antenna and found Empty of Bonnie last thing is VHS collar on ground. 

We will not forget the last moment of hunt with Blue and Bonnie.   

Picture of Bonnie (Black/Tan) is a Great hunter dog!!!!  She died by Lookout Pack because we all were there.

Pic of Blue Head wound got healed thur few months later and damn infection all over head/ear very thick of infection kept getting worse and trying treatment every week for long time and couldnt stop infection from spread and he died in kennel. He was awesome hunter dog.

Evidence Picture of Wolf captured on trailcamera by buddy's ranch up Twisp in April 2008 thats where turn loose hounds on cougar appox 1/2 mile same hill. And owner of two white Great Pyrenees got killed by Lookout pack on "same road" a house behind the picture appox 1/2 mile right of the picture. The owner has moved! Since Its obviouly Wolves has done damaged to all livestock, pets.

[AspenBud]

The problem with the wolf relocation bill is that it was submitted to politicians and not as an initiative. No west side politician who lives in an even remotely red district will risk their job to relocate a wolf. Submit it as a initiative and get it on the ballot and you might get somewhere. Of course, an anti wolf hunting initiative could also come up in which case you really are up the creek.

The problem I see is that people who don't live in wolf country read articles like the ones below and see no difference. To the average city dweller or Joe Six Pack whose idea of getting out is watching a football game the outdoors are simply a scary and dangerous place so what's one more predator? Bluntly put, I think it's more a matter of most people not knowing about the problem or for that matter caring. Out of site and out of mind.

http://www.huntthewest.com/updates2009/WAlion.php

http://trappingtoday.com/index.php/2010/11/24/coyote-killing-spree-in-washington-town/

http://tdn.com/news/local/cascade-way-resident-warns-neighbors-after-seeing-coyote-kill-dog/article_d5d68fd6-6a77-11e1-ba51-0019bb2963f4.html

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=4811654&page=1

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/02/08/texas-boy-6-reportedly-snatched-by-mountain-lion-at-big-bend-national-park/

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/local/northeast/mountain-lion-kills-familys-dog

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/mountain-lion-attacks-california-biker-body-found-nearby

http://voices.yahoo.com/mountain-lion-invades-home-mauls-dog-colorado-1774327.html

http://www.realaspen.com/article/876/Mountain-lion-attacks-and-kills-pet-dog-near-Sunlight-ski-area-cougar-also-spotted-in-Carbondale

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x650305

http://abcnews.go.com/US/mountain-lion-attacks-man-63-california/story?id=16699470

http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/Mountain-lion-killed-after-attack-on-dog/-/14594602/15939260/-/6u835xz/-/index.html

http://sierramadre.patch.com/articles/mountain-lion-kills-small-dog-reportedly-attacks-other-animals

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/03/08/2504747/cougar-kills-dog-in-cle-elum-yard.html

http://www.standard.net/stories/2013/01/30/3-mountain-lions-killed-after-attacking-dogs-near-park-city

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2013086837_bearmaul07m.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,192766,00.html

http://klfd1410.com/news/minnesota-news/bear-snacking-at-backyard-bird-feeder-kills-family-dog-in-sherburne-county-2-2012/

http://www.huntingpa.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2927108&page=all

http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/monroe-county-woman-mauled-by-bear-while-protecting-her-dog-from-attack-1.1231275

http://www.thedogfiles.com/2011/08/18/dog-was-culprit-and-savior-in-washington-bear-attack/

http://www.krem.com/news/northwest-news/Mountain-lion-attacks-dog-in-Idaho-175291891.html

http://www.inquisitr.com/464241/coyotes-attack-man-2012-kent-washington-video/

[Alchase]

In 2009 when WDFW bought the rest of the Golden Doe ranch, the first thing they did was release wolves on it. And the first thing their wolves did was kill a cow and a calf.

Source?

 Read it slower....you may see it

OK I will bite - No offense to Wolfbait , I enjoy reading his wolf posts and he is obviously living in the middle of something that is not on the up and up when it comes to this state and wolves. There are state employees (Mr. Fitkin) who have not credibility to the common hunter, at least all the ones I know.

Having said that, is there any documented verifiable proof that wolves have ever been reintroduced in Washington State? 

If so please post it here!

We All have seen evidence of wolves throughout the Methow for years. Just by the locations and sheer numbers it would seem to be obvious there is a substantially larger population of wolves then the state is acknowledging.

If there is verifiable proof that wolves were reintroduced in Washington state, I believe that would be a total game changer.

Yet to date, in the seven years of Hunting-Washington, I have yet to see anything that would be considered verifiable proof of reintroduction.

Honestly I would love to see it, that would prove beyond a doubt, that we have been lied to from day one, which we may believe, but without that proof we are just blowing smoke.

[bobcat]

The state cannot introduce wolves without following a very involved legal process, of which the public would be made aware.

So no, wolves have not been introduced in this state.

They DID release them in Idaho, and other states. Was that a secret? No it was not. And it wouldn't be kept secret here either. That would be illegal.

[pianoman9701]

I have personally received written statements from the DFW, DNR, USFWS, NPS, and the USFS stating that none of them have released or aware of the release of wolves into WA. The process for release, as Bobcat stated is quite specific and includes a plan, congressional approval, a budget, public hearing, environmental and economic impact assessment, catching and quarantining the subject animals, etc. The cost of a wolf release program in WA would have cost way over $1 million, which none of the afore mentioned departments has to spare.

The penalties for ignoring the set procedures for relocating wildlife are both criminal and civil, state and federal. They would require the immediate dismissal from government employment of the people involved and legal proceeding would then happen. No one in government, especially someone who's been in their job for any extended period of time, would risk the backlash of such a stupid move. It just wouldn't happen.

[SGTDuffman]

http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/WOLF-MANAGEMENT/SZOAa1tycUeoN9R6SygMOw.cspx

[Curly]

That Bill is good news.  

It is a shame that a Bill like that is necessary.........should already be lawful to protect a person's livestock and pets from any predators.

[Alchase]

Bobcat and pianoman9701,
That is what I believe to be the case as well. There is a substantial population that post here that believe otherwise.

I was giving them the opportunity to bring out what "evidence" the have of wolf reintroduction.

If any was available.

[bobcat]

Bobcat and pianoman9701,
That is what I believe to be the case as well. There is a substantial population that post here that believe otherwise.

I was giving them the opportunity to bring out what "evidence" the have of wolf reintroduction.

If any was available.

I'd like to see that evidence as well.

[boneaddict]

It will probably be as evident as me seeing two collared wolves in 1st creek 5 years ago along with what I thought was a total of about 7 animals.   I assume they weren't born with collars on.   You might assume that someone might know where they are if they are tracking them, and you might assume they know the company they keep, much like the wedge pack.   Yet, these wolves weren't confirmed until what, jus tthis last year.   I guess it will take the government to produce paperwork saying this has been done before you believe it. 

I smiled when bearpaw told the story about the woman seeing a collared wolf in her backyard several times and at the meeting they finally admitted that they had one in that area.

Lets see, I also saw collared wolves around Grand Coulee a couple years ago, but those didn't exist either.

I was tracked by a dozen up in Sherman two years ago, and the tribe just finally confirmed them.  I could go on and on for those of you that don't get out much.    Its refreshing to hear Hirsheys account, because she gets it.   Man is not necessarily the apex predator he thinks he might be when on their terms.

[AspenBud]

From this article...

http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/WOLF-MANAGEMENT/SZOAa1tycUeoN9R6SygMOw.cspx

"Bill opponents say it would hurt the state's wolf recovery efforts and contradicts years of effort put into hashing out a state wolf plan."

I disagree with this quote for a couple of reasons.

For one, it's ludicrous. If a person's kid is under threat or attack or if a hunter has a dog on the ground they should most certainly have a right to defend either as well as themselves. If that does not become law soon it should become a ballot initiative.

The other reason is I find how WDFW is handling the situation to be poorly done in regards to acknowledging whether wolves are present or not. Every single day that they say no wolves exist west of the mountains in this or that area is another day that someone can pick one off and say it was just a big coyote. While that might be a good thing, it doesn't speed their wolf recovery plan (love it or hate it) along and makes people living with them more and more frustrated. It would be far more helpful if the state simply acknowledged that they may and/or do exist everywhere in this state.

A natural migration of wolves west might take a while. With about 2 million people in King County alone you have a lot of pet dogs spreading a ring of parvo and other canine diseases around, more cars to hit them, fewer places to hide, and frankly more people willing to shoot shovel and shut up. To the best of my knowledge, we've never seen wolves near a major population center like King County in any of the areas they have recovered, what will happen is hard to predict but my bet is they won't adapt as well as coyotes. Once they get a foothold it won't take long for them to spread, but getting that toe hold might be harder than you think.

[bobcat]

Wolves with collars doesn't prove the government transplanted those wolves there. Maybe they were already there, when they were collared. Maybe they got collared somewhere else (Canada?) and moved to Washington on their own. Im not sure why a collared wolf is seen as proof that the state put them there.