Wolf Attack at Harts Pass

[seth30]

I know its bad to say, but the more attacks we have on our citizens the faster we can get these wolves delisted.

[JJB11B]

true that

[Knocker of rocks]

Lol

Short version of whats up....   there have been wolves in the Pasayten for a long time.   My question is how all of a sudden, an animal that has been kept in check and hasn't been a problem is all of a sudden pert near as plentiful as pocket gophers.  Fewer rednecks taking care of business I guess.

That's an interesting observation that I've also wondered about for multiple years now. It's rarely discussed, though.

According to DNA samples, some/most of the wolves currently in the North Cascades have dropped down from BC, and more specifically, DNA from wolves in both the Lookout and Teanaway Packs indicate they or their ancestors dropped down from what is considered the coastal region of BC.

It's my understanding that in certain regions of southern BC, wolf activity has increased over the last decade. If that is true, I believe it has had a significant impact on packs forming with a higher frequency in the North Cascades.

Have hunting practices regarding wolves in BC changed in that time? That would explain that I suspect. We don't have a very big hunting community in WA and I have a hard time believing it would have had that much of an impact since most don't hunt where the wolves have been up that way. But if BC wolves haven't been hunted like they used to be I don't think it would be too surprising to see the population we do now. Particularly with the population from Idaho et al coming in from the east at the same time.

Do you mean dropped down or "dropped off"? The ones around here have been un-arguebly "dropped off"....

Unarguably?  Highly doubtful

[sakoshooter]

Why would anyone mention they had an encounter with a wolf after they shot it ??  I sure know I wouldn't !

Because that's what people do to keep on the up and up.

Honestly, I'd have done the same thing and X'd my fingers for no consequences. Just like Jackeleope said - it's the right thing to do. Maybe if more folks did this, the public would realize just how many wolves are out there and how detrimental they are to the rest of the wildlife.

[JLS]

Short version of whats up....   there have been wolves in the Pasayten for a long time.   My question is how all of a sudden, an animal that has been kept in check and hasn't been a problem is all of a sudden pert near as plentiful as pocket gophers.  Fewer rednecks taking care of business I guess.

That's an interesting observation that I've also wondered about for multiple years now. It's rarely discussed, though.

According to DNA samples, some/most of the wolves currently in the North Cascades have dropped down from BC, and more specifically, DNA from wolves in both the Lookout and Teanaway Packs indicate they or their ancestors dropped down from what is considered the coastal region of BC.

It's my understanding that in certain regions of southern BC, wolf activity has increased over the last decade. If that is true, I believe it has had a significant impact on packs forming with a higher frequency in the North Cascades.

Have hunting practices regarding wolves in BC changed in that time? That would explain that I suspect. We don't have a very big hunting community in WA and I have a hard time believing it would have had that much of an impact since most don't hunt where the wolves have been up that way. But if BC wolves haven't been hunted like they used to be I don't think it would be too surprising to see the population we do now. Particularly with the population from Idaho et al coming in from the east at the same time.

I believe that British Columbia has a 3 wolf limit per hunter, per season. 

[ghosthunter]

Why would anyone mention they had an encounter with a wolf after they shot it ??  I sure know I wouldn't !

I would bet someone else seen what happen. Not knowing if they are pro or anti you would have to report it. Because if you did not and they did, your self defense story would be down the tube 

[Special T]

Short version of whats up....   there have been wolves in the Pasayten for a long time.   My question is how all of a sudden, an animal that has been kept in check and hasn't been a problem is all of a sudden pert near as plentiful as pocket gophers.  Fewer rednecks taking care of business I guess.

That's an interesting observation that I've also wondered about for multiple years now. It's rarely discussed, though.

According to DNA samples, some/most of the wolves currently in the North Cascades have dropped down from BC, and more specifically, DNA from wolves in both the Lookout and Teanaway Packs indicate they or their ancestors dropped down from what is considered the coastal region of BC.

It's my understanding that in certain regions of southern BC, wolf activity has increased over the last decade. If that is true, I believe it has had a significant impact on packs forming with a higher frequency in the North Cascades.

Have hunting practices regarding wolves in BC changed in that time? That would explain that I suspect. We don't have a very big hunting community in WA and I have a hard time believing it would have had that much of an impact since most don't hunt where the wolves have been up that way. But if BC wolves haven't been hunted like they used to be I don't think it would be too surprising to see the population we do now. Particularly with the population from Idaho et al coming in from the east at the same time.

I believe that British Columbia has a 3 wolf limit per hunter, per season.

Yet they have also used arial gunning to thin the herd of wolves. Especially in the inland part of BC.

[Northway]

Short version of whats up....   there have been wolves in the Pasayten for a long time.   My question is how all of a sudden, an animal that has been kept in check and hasn't been a problem is all of a sudden pert near as plentiful as pocket gophers.  Fewer rednecks taking care of business I guess.

That's an interesting observation that I've also wondered about for multiple years now. It's rarely discussed, though.

According to DNA samples, some/most of the wolves currently in the North Cascades have dropped down from BC, and more specifically, DNA from wolves in both the Lookout and Teanaway Packs indicate they or their ancestors dropped down from what is considered the coastal region of BC.

It's my understanding that in certain regions of southern BC, wolf activity has increased over the last decade. If that is true, I believe it has had a significant impact on packs forming with a higher frequency in the North Cascades.

Have hunting practices regarding wolves in BC changed in that time? That would explain that I suspect. We don't have a very big hunting community in WA and I have a hard time believing it would have had that much of an impact since most don't hunt where the wolves have been up that way. But if BC wolves haven't been hunted like they used to be I don't think it would be too surprising to see the population we do now. Particularly with the population from Idaho et al coming in from the east at the same time.

I haven't done the research to answer that question. In my opinion, it could be a combination of factors not limited to hunting, trapping, and management actions by the Canadian version of Animal Damage & Control. Up until the 1970's there were aggressive control programs that nearly eradicated wolves in significant portions of the BC Southern Rockies, Southern Coastal Range, & Vancouver Island. As the control actions subsided in intensity, they began to migrate southwards in greater numbers again.

Currently, the migration corridor I think I remember being mentioned was about the west end of Skagit Valley Provincial Park roughly to somewhere to the west of the Similkameen River. Numbers then thin out or disappear until you hit the Selkirks.

[wolfbait]

The largest migration routes have been in USFWS horse trailers, transported to WDFW trucks etc.

The USFWS can draw a line on a map showing a wolf traveling 50,000 miles in a few weeks and people who know nothing except what they read or see on TV will believe.

[mountainman]

The largest migration routes have been in USFWS horse trailers, transported to WDFW trucks etc.

The USFWS can draw a line on a map showing a wolf traveling 50,000 miles in a few weeks and people who know nothing except what they read or see on TV will believe.

[mkcj]

KOMO ran a story today looks like it's from the AP also
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Gray-wolf-killed-in-Okanogan-County-225892751.html

I just checked it is out on the associated press web site.

Your not getting the whole story, the first report was that the wolf was attacking them and they shot it. They just happened to leave that part out. Fed's are going to threaten this guy with every charge they can think of and in return for the hunter remaining quiet about what happened (wolf attack) this will quietly go away. You know this will be true when you don't hear the wolf lover's screaming for the mans head because the last thing they want is the wolf's image be tarnished

[villageidiot]

 

[Special T]

how do we find out who this person is so that we can reach out and offer some support?

[winshooter88]

That's the same article (word for word) that ran in the Wenatchee World earlier this week.

[denali]

a little more information

By Ann McCreary

A deer hunter shot and killed an endangered gray wolf north of Harts Pass last month, according to state and federal wildlife officials who are investigating the incident.

The hunter, who lives in the western part of the state, told state wildlife officials that he shot the wolf, an adult female, because he felt threatened.

“He felt he was in danger. He acted in self defense,” said Sgt. Dan Christensen of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

The hunter called WDFW on Sept. 20 to report shooting the wolf, which is protected under federal law as an endangered species. Wolves in the western two-thirds of Washington state (west of Highway 97) are listed as a federally endangered, while wolves in the eastern one-third were removed from federal protection in 2011. Wolves throughout Washington are protected under state law as an endangered species.

Because the wolf was killed in an area of the Pasayten Wilderness where wolves are under federal protection, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  (FWS) officials are leading the investigation and collaborating with state officials, said spokesman Doug Zimmer.

Capt. Chris Anderson, of WDFW enforcement, said a group of four state and federal wildlife officials hiked on Sept. 22 to the site where the hunter reported shooting the wolf. He said the animal was a healthy adult female without a radio collar, and had been shot twice.

Christensen, who supervises wildlife enforcement for Okanogan and north Douglas counties, said he spoke with the hunter on the phone. The man said he was participating in the high buck hunt and was about five miles north of Slate Peak, not far from Silver Lake, when the wolf was shot on Sept. 19.

Christensen said the man was hunting with three companions from western Washington, but was alone when he encountered and shot the wolf. He called WDFW to “self-report” the next day, Christensen said.

Wildlife officials examined the dead wolf, took tissue samples and brought the hide back for examination and evidence, Christensen said. “There is no evidence” that the wolf is one of the wolves that has been monitored in the Lookout Pack territory, west of Twisp.

“We are assuming it was a lone female on a road trip,” Christensen said. “We have dispersing females just like we’ve had dispersing males. There were no signs of other members” of a pack, he said.

It will be up to federal investigators to determine if criminal charges related to killing an endangered species are warranted, said Christensen.

http://methowvalleynews.com/2013/10/02/hunter-kills-gray-wolf-in-pasayten-wilderness-area/