Wolves kill 12 sheep in Stevens county

[thatdamguy]

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdoors/2014/aug/15/wolves-kill-12-sheep-stevens-county/

It was only a matter of time 

[vandeman17]

Officials are there to "haze away" wolves. If it was a dog, cat, or bear that had been caught killings livestock and returned, I bet they would shoot it. What a joke.

[mulehunter]

When will State of WA ever have a Wolves hunting Season . I wanna NOW!


 

[pianoman9701]

I'm sure the sheep were sick or old, right? Anytime now, our resident wolf lovers will be here to defend them.

[firefighter4607]

I guess the owner should of built a wolf proof fence or they should of had some one watching over the sheep then it wouldn't of happened. Or they shouldn't of let the owner graze on public land.
That will be the wolf lovers excuses,  that is what they tell the cattle ranchers when wolves attack cattle.

[pianoman9701]

Well, cattle are just asking for it. First, their made out of beef, so there's that.

[idahohuntr]

Officials are there to "haze away" wolves. If it was a dog, cat, or bear that had been caught killings livestock and returned, I bet they would shoot it. What a joke.

Yes, it is a product of wolves being listed under the state Endangered Species Act...far more protection than a dog, cat, or bear.  I'm betting the huge uproar when WDFW used lethal tactics on the wedge pack are also playing into this decision to "haze away". 

[stromdiddily]

IMO, property damage = dead wolf(ves). End of story

[HunterStrait]

The wolf lovers are getting what they asked for. 

[pianoman9701]

The wolf lovers are getting what they asked for. 

No, the ranchers are getting what the wolf lovers asked for. 

[splitshot]

  we need a wolf season.  sell tags for $100 each.  limit of 1000 plus.  a lot of money for the game dept.  save some sheep, cows, deer, elk, dogs, cats, etc.  I do have a cat I would donate to a wolf or maybe it would take a wolf.   mike w

[BOWHUNTER45]

You all heard the saying ....SHOOT SHOVEL AND SHUT UP  We will see where things go in another 10 yrs 

[jasnt]

The wolf lovers are getting what they asked for. 

No, the ranchers are getting what the wolf lovers asked for. 

I say that pack. They won't stop at 12 sheep. I dont care how many times they "haze" them

[PlateauNDN]

Weren't the wolves Fed. De-listed in the n.e. of wa.?

[Romulus1297]

It was only a pack of 6 so no big deal.

[CAMPMEAT]

My friend is the houndsman who went down there and found the wolves for the WDFW a couple days ago. He told me to watch the news. That's all he would tell me.

[calib]

This state is a joke, what ever happened to the east seperating from the west and being our own, we would probably have a season then

[JM]

The wolf lovers are getting what they asked for. 

No, the ranchers are getting what the wolf lovers asked for. 

That's well put!

6 wolves and 12 sheep. I thought wolves only killed what they could eat?

We'll never see a season here, due to the 3 counties that run tge state and decided hound hunting was bad.

[TommyH]

   here's to hopeing

[bearpaw]

going to haze them away 

This is possibly the same wolves that scared my bow hunting friend up a tree and hung around him howling for several hours last December. Probably also the same wolves that are hitting the huckleberry moose herd hard, numerous moose kills have been found. 

[thatdamguy]

Weren't the wolves Fed. De-listed in the n.e. of wa.?

Yes but the way I understand it is that its so that farmers, livestock owners, and ranchers can legally shoot and defend their animals from the wolves if they are being attacked. Prior to that you would be charged with a federal crime by shooting a wolf unless it was trying to attack yourself or another human.

Regardless we need a wolf season in NE Washington! 

[wolfbait]

By now most of us have seen how MT, and Idaho managed wolves from the start, now look at WDFW's record at wildlife management and their wolf plan, just with that little bit of knowledge you should be able to figure out WA's future.


If you are out in the woods and see some of those beautiful wolves, take a rest, sit down and enjoy the moment. Just don't forget to reload when you move on.>>>>Some advise from another forum<<<<

[wolfbait]

going to haze them away 

This is possibly the same wolves that scared my bow hunting friend up a tree and hung around him howling for several hours last December. Probably also the same wolves that are hitting the huckleberry moose herd hard, numerous moose kills have been found. 

I wonder how long it took for WDFW to finally confirm that wolf pack, how many wolf sightings etc..? Look at the Lookout pack, wolves started getting reported to WDFW in 2002 on a regular basis, they were ignored, until a pack in Carlton hanging out at a school bus stop was reported to the state patrol. WDFW came out with first wolf pack in 70 years. And now 6 years later WDFW claim there are only five wolves in the Lookout pack, while refusing to confirm any other packs.

If you look at the wolf history of the original wolf introduction into the Yellowstone and Idaho, you will see that the wolves dispersed and formed wolf packs at a rapid rate, why hasn't WA wolves done the same?

The Methow had several packs before the fire all were ignored except the one that was confirmed in 08, my guess is the rest of WA will go through the same confirming process as the Methow. So you probably have more then one pack working that country Bearpaw, but the confirmed pack will get the blame along with the pretended predation prevention methods.

[CAMPMEAT]

When I was in Orofino on Wednesday, the NAPA guy told me that Idaho waited to long to manage the wolves and now they'll never get rid of them totally. Sounds like a WDFW plan aimed at keeping the wolf lovers happy and nobody else.

[TommyH]

"I wonder how long it took for WDFW to finally confirm that wolf pack, how many wolf sightings etc..? Look at the Lookout pack, wolves started getting reported to WDFW in 2002 on a regular basis, they were ignored, until a pack in Carlton hanging out at a school bus stop was reported to the state patrol. WDFW came out with first wolf pack in 70 years. And now 6 years later WDFW claim there are only five wolves in the Lookout pack, while refusing to confirm any other packs." ---quote



The huckleberry pack has been around for awhile. Lots of sightings and reports on them. I had heard of sightings at least 6 years befor they were a confirmed pack.

[AspenBud]

When I was in Orofino on Wednesday, the NAPA guy told me that Idaho waited to long to manage the wolves and now they'll never get rid of them totally. Sounds like a WDFW plan aimed at keeping the wolf lovers happy and nobody else.

Getting rid of them totally was never in the cards for Idaho. If they go below the minimum they risk relisting.

[CAMPMEAT]

When I was in Orofino on Wednesday, the NAPA guy told me that Idaho waited to long to manage the wolves and now they'll never get rid of them totally. Sounds like a WDFW plan aimed at keeping the wolf lovers happy and nobody else.

Getting rid of them totally was never in the cards for Idaho. If they go below the minimum they risk relisting.

I don't know. I just stated a comment by someone who lives and hunts there.

Personally, it's like trying to kill all of the coyotes in Idaho or Washington, never will happen. But, they should of never been re-introduced into any state.

[bearpaw]

I wonder how long it took for WDFW to finally confirm that wolf pack, how many wolf sightings etc..? Look at the Lookout pack, wolves started getting reported to WDFW in 2002 on a regular basis, they were ignored, until a pack in Carlton hanging out at a school bus stop was reported to the state patrol. WDFW came out with first wolf pack in 70 years. And now 6 years later WDFW claim there are only five wolves in the Lookout pack, while refusing to confirm any other packs.



The huckleberry pack has been around for awhile. Lots of sightings and reports on them. I had heard of sightings at least 6 years befor they were a confirmed pack.

 
That is one of the packs we have been harping about for years on this forum. There are single and double wolves which have been seen all over the unit for years and many commonly seen in the north end of the unit too, wolves came around a lot of rural homes and ranches before WDFW would admit wolves existed in Huckleberry, word on the street is that some of those wolves are no longer around. Huckleberry is a very human populated unit, many of those people will not put up with much depredation.

IMHO I doubt WDFW thinks that hazing these wolves will solve the problem, I suspect WDFW is going through the motions to satisfy wolf supporters. It's just a matter of time until these wolves depredate again so to avoid the wolfers having legitimate complaints when action must be taken WDFW is going through specific steps. Remember, wolves ate dozens of McIrvins cattle before serious action was taken.

(scenario)
Wolves kill sheep
use range rider, haze wolves away
Move sheep to different area

(sooner or later)
wolves kill more livestock
use range rider, haze wolves away
make rancher install fladry or change grazing areas

(sooner or later)
wolves kill more livestock
use range rider, haze wolves away
make rancher install fladry or change grazing areas

(sooner or later)
people get tired of wolves and no real solution and get very vocal
either wolves disappear or WDFW finally does something due to pressure from local officials

Just last week I heard a horse was attacked in Huckleberry, I was waiting for word in the news before posting it on here but have not seen anything. I can't speak for the rancher, but maybe he decided it wasn't worth the hassle to report it. Plenty of people quit reporting cougar problems due to the hassle and lack of reaction by WDFW. If I get better details I will post more.

When I was in Orofino on Wednesday, the NAPA guy told me that Idaho waited to long to manage the wolves and now they'll never get rid of them totally. Sounds like a WDFW plan aimed at keeping the wolf lovers happy and nobody else.

Getting rid of them totally was never in the cards for Idaho. If they go below the minimum they risk relisting.

  All the NRM (northern rocky mountain) states are in the same boat, if they drop below the threshold wolves will be relisted and management taken away, but it's not the end of the world if the states will manage cougars and bears more efficiently like Idaho is doing.

One wolf roughly equals one cougar when it comes to impact on game herds. Washington has 3,000 to 4,000 cougar, if we cut the cougar population in half there is room for that many wolves with no greater impact on the herds. Idaho has been through a lot, but they are getting there, they have greatly liberalized all predator seasons and now allow 2 cougar, 2 bear, and 5 wolves to be taken in many areas.

[firefighter4607]

I saw this today and had to share it. I don't know what these wolf loving people come up with this stuff.

They are glad that a guy with a "high powered flash light" will help keep wolves away.

[rim_runner]

The high powered flashlights aren’t used to scare the wolves off they are so wolves with poor night vision don’t mistake the sheep for very old and sick deer. 

[CAMPMEAT]

Just think how many wolf inter-actions with other grazing animals aren't reported. I know a sheep rancher 4 miles from my house that said wolves killed 7 of his sheep. He never reported it because he knew it would cause him headaches from everybody who wants to "haze " them.......

[westside bull]

 

[pianoman9701]

I saw this today and had to share it. I don't know what these wolf loving people come up with this stuff.

They are glad that a guy with a "high powered flash light" will help keep wolves away.

And one of them, probably the one who posted that, sits on the Wildlife Commission. That's not a conflict at all, is it? 

[denali]

WDFW adopts new tactics to stop wolves
from preying on flock of sheep

OLYMPIA - A rancher and state wildlife officials working to herd a flock of 1,800 sheep away from the site of recent wolf attacks in southern Stevens County today received authorization to shoot wolves that approach the flock.

Phil Anderson, director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), today authorized livestock owner Dave Dashiell, of Hunters, and agency field staff to use limited lethal measures and preventative steps to avoid additional attacks on the flock.

Since Aug. 14, WDFW has confirmed that wolves killed 16 sheep in four separate incidents on leased forest land near Hunters, a small community about 48 miles northwest of Spokane. The latest attack occurred the night of Aug. 18.

Nine other sheep found prior to Aug. 14 had decomposed to the point where the cause of death could not be determined.

Signals from a radio collar attached to a male wolf in the Huckleberry Pack show the animal was at the site, likely with other pack members, when the attacks occurred, said Nate Pamplin, WDFW wildlife program director.

Necropsies of the carcasses confirmed the sheep were killed by wolves, he said.

"The rancher has four large guard dogs and camps alongside his flock at night," Pamplin said. "Yet, the attacks have continued, even after the department sent four members of our wildlife-conflict staff and an experienced range-rider to help guard the sheep and begin moving them out of the area."

To further protect his sheep, the livestock owner has removed the carcasses of dead animals where possible to do so and kept his flock on the move around the grazing areas, Pamplin said.

"Dave Dashiell has worked closely with WDFW field staff to find solutions to this situation," Pamplin said. "We really appreciate his efforts and his cooperation in working toward a shared goal."

To support those efforts, Anderson directed WDFW wildlife staff to:

    Help the livestock owner find an alternative grazing area away from the Huckleberry Pack.
    Capture and collar additional wolves in the pack to provide additional information on their movements.
    Be prepared to shoot wolves in the vicinity of the livestock owner's sheep. Neither WDFW staff, nor the livestock owner, who was also authorized to shoot wolves in the vicinity, will actively hunt the wolves or attempt to draw them into range.

"Observing a wolf in the wild is a fairly rare thing," Pamplin said. "Given the escalating pattern of attacks on this flock of sheep, it's safe to assume in this situation that any wolves in the vicinity of that flock pose a direct risk to those animals."

In 2011, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed gray wolves from the federal list of endangered species in the eastern third of the state, but the species is still protected under Washington state law. The state Wolf Conservation and Management Plan and state laws set the parameters for responding to wolf predation on livestock.

"Our preferred option is to help the livestock owner move the sheep to another area, but finding a place to graze 1,800 animals presents a challenge," Pamplin said. "We'll continue to do everything we can to avoid further conflict."

The Huckleberry Pack, confirmed as the state's seventh wolf pack in June 2012, is known to have at least six members and perhaps as many as a dozen. There is no documented evidence that the pack, named after nearby Huckleberry Mountain, has preyed on livestock until now.

Or we could share collar info with livestock producers like ODFW?? or we could do what puppy pimps want.... yah.. let's do that 

[TommyH]

  here's to hopeing

I figured it would not end with just one incident. Problem wolves that prey on domestic animals/livestock need to be dealt with, lethal action should be required. Now they will teach there young how to get easy meals. the attacks will not end.

[4fletch]

going to haze them away 

This is possibly the same wolves that scared my bow hunting friend up a tree and hung around him howling for several hours last December. Probably also the same wolves that are hitting the huckleberry moose herd hard, numerous moose kills have been found. 

.  Wouldn't this.be considered a attack on a human or do you have to wait till the wolf chews your neck or leg off

[idahohuntr]

going to haze them away 

This is possibly the same wolves that scared my bow hunting friend up a tree and hung around him howling for several hours last December. Probably also the same wolves that are hitting the huckleberry moose herd hard, numerous moose kills have been found. 

.  Wouldn't this.be considered a attack on a human or do you have to wait till the wolf chews your neck or leg off

Absolutely not. If you reasonably fear for your life or serious harm...blaze away...and under no circumstance talk to the police about the incident...your lawyer will convey any information that the police need to hear, which should really only be the part I underlined.   

[KFhunter]

going to haze them away 

This is possibly the same wolves that scared my bow hunting friend up a tree and hung around him howling for several hours last December. Probably also the same wolves that are hitting the huckleberry moose herd hard, numerous moose kills have been found. 

.  Wouldn't this.be considered a attack on a human or do you have to wait till the wolf chews your neck or leg off

I agree with the hunter going up the tree was prudent on his part,  he could have stood his ground and probably been just fine.  *probably* being the operative word there.

Had he shot the wolves he would have exposed himself to an investigation from the .gov and much internet bullying from anti's including death threats and phone calls if they find that. 
No one needs that, so I can't blame the guy for what he did.


The bullying is working too, and it's sad.  It's making people go silent when they defend themselves against wolves. It's far easier to walk off and leave them lay than call WDFW to report as required....then fight off all the cyber bullying from the anti's.   

My take is that if you shoot the wolves with a pistol it's self defense. period.   (except York with those rifle pistols he's got    )

 

[TommyH]

Dead sheep tally is up to 22. Now the state will target 4 of 12 of the huckleberry pack.Article was in the spokesman review. Good on them (wdfg)for not caving to the wolf lovers.

[bearpaw]

State targets wolf pack
 
Gunners sent out to cull four of 12 over sheep killings
 
By Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review August 24, 2014
 
A death sentence has been issued for a portion of a wolf pack that’s killed at least 22 sheep this month in southern Stevens County.
 
Efforts to haze and deter the Huckleberry Pack from attacking a flock of 1,800 sheep grazing on private timber land have failed and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officials say they have no other choice but to target the pack.
 
In an effort to break the predation cycle, agency Director Phil Anderson said he authorized on Saturday the killing of four wolves from the pack, which is estimated at up to 12 members.
 
Officials will later evaluate whether that is enough lethal force to end the sheep attacks.
 
Gunners began flying the area near Hunters in a helicopter Saturday. A wolf was spotted, but at 4 p.m. officials said no wolves had yet been killed. A male wolf is wearing a radio collar that researchers attached to monitor the pack.
 
“As of Friday, we had confirmed that 17 sheep had been killed by wolves in five separate incidents, and we continue to find more dead and wounded sheep from the flock,” said Bruce Botka, agency spokesman.
 
On Saturday, crews found five dead and three injured sheep that were attacked Friday night, Botka said. Investigators confirmed that wolves were responsible for all of the latest attacks, despite night patrols and the use of four guard dogs.
 
... “There have been repeated, documented wolf kills; nonlethal methods have not stopped the predation; the attacks are likely to continue, and the livestock owner has not done anything to attract the wolves,” he said.
 
Continued:
http://tinyurl.com/kf9thpn

[Bob33]

The bullying is working too, and it's sad.  It's making people go silent when they defend themselves against wolves. It's far easier to walk off and leave them lay than call WDFW to report as required....then fight off all the cyber bullying from the anti's.   

That's unfortunate, but true. Ergo the third "S".

[timberhunter]

wolf lovers make me sick to my stomach!

[jackelope]

Northwest Sportsman mag is reporting 1 dead wolf. 

[villageidiot]

Once the quota of 15 packs is met fish and game will walk away and let the ranchers deal with this cancer on their own.  What a fine debilitating disease to be so fortunate to have.
   

[wolfbait]

"In an effort to break the predation cycle, agency Director Phil Anderson said he authorized on Saturday the killing of four wolves from the pack, which is estimated at up to 12 members."

The whole pack needs to go now, not just a few. Taking out just a few wolves only prolongs the damage these wolves will do now that they have found easier prey.

Wyoming which was managed for years by the USFWS figure that out in the beginning.