Wolves kill 12 sheep in Stevens county

[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.