More Dead Sheep Near Spokane - New Tactics?

[pianoman9701]

 

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/

August 20, 2014
Contact: Craig Bartlett, (360) 902-2259

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. 

[CAMPMEAT]

I love it. The rancher has to move his flock of sheep. The liberal way of thinking from our beloved WDFW. STOP the threat........geeze !!

Thanks for the post Pman....

[thatdamguy]

It sickens me that the liberal & anti hunting community have this much sway on the WDFW. They have tried several solutions, and now its clear what has to happen. Shoot and trap these problem wolves.

[huntnnw]

what a load of crap! Anyone have some PARVO puppies?

[4fletch]

Good fix. Move the sheep to Olympia on the front lawn

[bearpaw]

Good move by WDFW to authorize shooting any additional wolves that attack. That was the right thing to do.

[grousefether]

You mean the "high powerd" flashlight tactic didnt work? Thats wierd.

[pianoman9701]

You mean the "high powerd" flashlight tactic didnt work? Thats wierd.

Lol.

[flatbkman]

Well you won't have to go to the mountians to hear howling this weekend, I'm sure the wolf lovers in Seattle and Olympia will be doing plenty.



Washington allowing sheep rancher to kill wolves


OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The state Fish and Wildlife Department has authorized a rancher to shoot wolves that approach his flock of sheep in Stevens County in northeast Washington.

The department said Wednesday that state wildlife agents also may kill wolves to help Dave Dashiell of Hunters as he tries to move his flock of 1,800 sheep to safety. Since last Thursday wolves have killed 16 sheep. The latest attack was Tuesday night in the area about 50 miles northwest of Spokane.

A radio collar on a male wolf shows the Huckleberry Pack of wolves is preying on the sheep.


http://tdn.com/news/state-and-regional/washington/washington-allowing-sheep-rancher-to-kill-wolves/article_18ea6999-bec7-55eb-9771-dd39e05ce623.html

[grousefether]

Sounds like that pack really likes sheep so you would think its gonna be easy pickins for the rancher. A spotlight and some medicine in  semi-auto form 

[mulehunter]

About time! I wish I could drive up and help the rancher owner to shoot some wolves for him, Hopefully he shot few I mean ALL!

 

 

[bhawley76]

I think I'm going to start buying sheep. Is that considered baiting?

[MerriamMagician]

Lets hope the Rancher will utilize maximum firepower when the wolves make their next attack.
 

[huntrights]

It is good to have discussions about the recent tactics adopted by the WDFW, but it is extremely important that ALL of us give our support to the WDFW for their plans and actions to control problematic wolves (i.e. Their adoption of limited lethal measures and preventative steps to avoid additional attacks on sheep in southern Stevens County, WA).  Their overall plan should be to control the wolf populations in general to limit the negative effects these large predators can have on ungulate populations, livestock, domestic animals, and the health, safety and welfare of the people that visit or live in wolf territory.  However, at this time, be sure to give them your support for their plans to control wolves in south Stevens County.  It is likely that wolf advocates are criticizing the WDFW for implementing controls that include lethal control; we need to come to the defense of the WDFW.

Suggestion:

Send your comments of support to:

WDFW Director – Phil Anderson, WDFW Wildlife Program Director – Nate Pamplin, and Members of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission

director@dfw.wa.gov; Nathan.pamplin@dfw.wa.gov; commission@dfw.wa.gov

Please pass this on to others to ensure the WDFW hears from Washington residents that believe wildlife management, including the control of wolf populations, must be based on sound and unbiased science.  The control and management of wolves should not be guided or driven by the emotional diatribe and propaganda disseminated by wolf advocates and those that have discovered a “cash cow” in fund raising via the artificial iconic status of wolves.

[elkoholic1]

I think I'm going to start buying sheep. Is that considered baiting?

 

[jordanwlee]

Just saw this on King 5 news. They sent a reporter to Stevens County to find out more. They interviewed the Regional Manager of WDFW - Kevin Robinette

Focusing on non-lethal, noise making device, rubber buck shot, paintball guns, human presence, a range rider. Focus on non-lethal and limited hazing.

King 5 is camping out to report the findings over night and will report back tomorrow.

IMHO: Robinette and crew are complete idiots. It's only a matter of time before the wolves figure out these humans won't kill them, only hurt them and they get comfortable around people. How in the world is a damn paintball going to keep back a pack of wolves?!

These guys need to be fired. What a complete waste of tax dollars.

[wolfbait]

Welcome to the wolf introduction, one great big waste.

[TommyH]

Lethal action now. State will target four of 12.   

[pianoman9701]

It is good to have discussions about the recent tactics adopted by the WDFW, but it is extremely important that ALL of us give our support to the WDFW for their plans and actions to control problematic wolves (i.e. Their adoption of limited lethal measures and preventative steps to avoid additional attacks on sheep in southern Stevens County, WA).  Their overall plan should be to control the wolf populations in general to limit the negative effects these large predators can have on ungulate populations, livestock, domestic animals, and the health, safety and welfare of the people that visit or live in wolf territory.  However, at this time, be sure to give them your support for their plans to control wolves in south Stevens County.  It is likely that wolf advocates are criticizing the WDFW for implementing controls that include lethal control; we need to come to the defense of the WDFW.

Suggestion:

Send your comments of support to:

WDFW Director – Phil Anderson, WDFW Wildlife Program Director – Nate Pamplin, and Members of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission

director@dfw.wa.gov; Nathan.pamplin@dfw.wa.gov; commission@dfw.wa.gov

Please pass this on to others to ensure the WDFW hears from Washington residents that believe wildlife management, including the control of wolf populations, must be based on sound and unbiased science.  The control and management of wolves should not be guided or driven by the emotional diatribe and propaganda disseminated by wolf advocates and those that have discovered a “cash cow” in fund raising via the artificial iconic status of wolves.

Jim, I have to respectfully disagree about us sending our support for their decision. At this point, they have no choice but to kill wolves and they're spending our license dollars and tax dollars to do it. Immediately de-listing wolves in the E. 1/3 of the state would be a much better solution. Sell tags to shoot them. We'll never be able to shoot them out of existence but the few kills we do make will convince the rest to find more suitable food and more remote habitat. I've written my support of lethal control before and doing so just acknowledges for them that spending $0.5M - $1M on helicopter gunners when they run out of other options is the way to go. It's not.

[wolfbait]

It is good to have discussions about the recent tactics adopted by the WDFW, but it is extremely important that ALL of us give our support to the WDFW for their plans and actions to control problematic wolves (i.e. Their adoption of limited lethal measures and preventative steps to avoid additional attacks on sheep in southern Stevens County, WA).  Their overall plan should be to control the wolf populations in general to limit the negative effects these large predators can have on ungulate populations, livestock, domestic animals, and the health, safety and welfare of the people that visit or live in wolf territory.  However, at this time, be sure to give them your support for their plans to control wolves in south Stevens County.  It is likely that wolf advocates are criticizing the WDFW for implementing controls that include lethal control; we need to come to the defense of the WDFW.

Suggestion:

Send your comments of support to:

WDFW Director – Phil Anderson, WDFW Wildlife Program Director – Nate Pamplin, and Members of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission

director@dfw.wa.gov; Nathan.pamplin@dfw.wa.gov; commission@dfw.wa.gov

Please pass this on to others to ensure the WDFW hears from Washington residents that believe wildlife management, including the control of wolf populations, must be based on sound and unbiased science.  The control and management of wolves should not be guided or driven by the emotional diatribe and propaganda disseminated by wolf advocates and those that have discovered a “cash cow” in fund raising via the artificial iconic status of wolves.

Jim, I have to respectfully disagree about us sending our support for their decision. At this point, they have no choice but to kill wolves and they're spending our license dollars and tax dollars to do it. Immediately de-listing wolves in the E. 1/3 of the state would be a much better solution. Sell tags to shoot them. We'll never be able to shoot them out of existence but the few kills we do make will convince the rest to find more suitable food and more remote habitat. I've written my support of lethal control before and doing so just acknowledges for them that spending $0.5M - $1M on helicopter gunners when they run out of other options is the way to go. It's not.

I would have to agree with Pianoman, taking out four wolves is not going to do the trick, killing the entire pack would. WDFW know this, wolves don't change once they cross state lines. My guess is WDFW and DoW and CNW probably had a little meeting and decided on four wolves to appease the ranching community.

So far WDFW haven't done anything in favor of hunting or predation where wolves are concerned, instead they have blatantly done the opposite. If they wanted to confirm all the additional wolf packs needed for delisting, they could do that tomorrow. They won't, they will drag delisting out for as long as they can.

 At least we now have a predation specialists so that WDFW can't lie about what killed what.

[huntrights]

 
Although it is up to each individual to decide whether they support or not support the actions of the WDFW; it is also important to learn from recent history.  Please take a journey back in time to the actions taken by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to eradicate the problematic Wedge Pack.  Public reaction to the eradication of the Wedge wolf pack in northeastern Washington State resulted in the WDFW receiving thousands of phone calls and emails from people that condemned their action; some of these communications included death threats directed toward WDFW personnel.  This is one of the most significant public relations issues the WDFW has ever faced. 
 

Please take the time to listen to the first 4-1/2 minutes of this WDFW Commission meeting:

Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission
Agenda: 2012 Wolf Plan Implementation Activities (staff briefing).
Friday October 5th 2012, 1:00PM
http://tvw.org/index.php?option=com_tvwplayer&eventID=2012101004

 
It is important to support the WDFW with their adoption of limited lethal measures and preventative steps to avoid additional attacks on sheep in southern Stevens County, WA.  There will likely be an outpouring of criticism from the wolf advocate community just as was done when action was taken to control the Wedge Pack.  People that believe the control and management of wolves and other predators must be guided and driven by sound and unbiased science, economic reality, and the health, safety and welfare of the people that live in the affected areas should give their support to lethal measures and other preventive steps taken by the WDFW.  If we don't stand in support of the WDFW regarding lethal measures and other preventative steps to avoid additional wolf attacks, the only people the WDFW hear from are the wolf advocates that essentially want nothing but non-lethal control of this large, vicious apex predator.  We should not allow public opinion spawned from the emotionally driven diatribe and propaganda of animal-rights advocates to be the driver of wildlife management.  If we don't speak up, it will be the emotionally driven wolf-advocate's voices that are the only ones heard.  Sitting back in frustrated silence and griping amongst ourselves will not solve the issues.

Comments sent are part of our right to "Freedom of Speech".  If a person chooses to, please include comments regarding the need to de-list wolves and the benefits of wolf management via the selling of tags to harvest them.  Problematic wolves and other predators should be eradicated on-sight when caught "red-handed" threatening or attacking livestock, domestic animals, or humans.  They should also be eradicated if they are known or highly suspected to have attacked livestock, domestic animals, or humans.   It also may make sense to include a basic economic analysis pointing out that continuing to spend hundreds of thousands or millions of tax-payer dollars to eradicate problematic wolves and having to pay for the livestock killed and maimed by wolves does not make rational or economic sense over the long-term. 

An irrefutable fact is that wolves are large, apex predators that typically operate in packs.  They prey on healthy animals just as they do on the weak and young of species they target as prey.  Wildlife managers cannot control how many, or what species of animals are killed or maimed by wolves; however, they can control the wolf populations and problematic wolves to minimize the damage and threats from wolves.  However, these obvious rational steps forward in wolf management will come about via our continuing efforts as rational people.  In the meantime, we are wrapped up in emotionally driven political wrangling and misguided public opinion that impairs the desperately needed control of wolves.
 


Related information:

Washington Wolf Packs: Wedge
http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/packs/wedge/

WDFW confirms new wolf pack, attack on sheep in NE Washington
http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/jun2912b/

WDFW adopts new tactics to stop wolves from preying on flock of sheep
http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/aug2014a/

[buckhorn2]

There is so much outside advise by people who know nothing about the problem or about wolves the state should be smart enough to SSS. Anti hunters just have control over the wdfw and it should not be that way the ranchers are the ones paying the price now along with us if a pack of dogs did that you know what the answer would be.

[wolfbait]

Who's running the wolf show? The USFWS and WDFW. Does anyone think the USFWS or WDFW care what hunters, ranchers etc. have to say? I thought we went through this already when WDFW were trying to come out with a good wolf plan? What did we get?

 Does anyone think WDFW were living in a cave with no communications to the outside world during the 13-14 years that WY, ID, and Montana were going through their wolf problems up until 2008 and the "lookout pack"?

I have no illusions as to the outcome of the USFWS and WDFW wolves in WA. WDFW's wolf plan and their poor effort at confirming wolf packs and predation on livestock and then pretending to remedy the problems, explain enough. I will never write WDFW an attaboy letter for something that they helped cause and continue to cause now by refusing to confirm wolf packs.

This is just a big game with federal and state agencies playing rural folks who have to deal with wolves, look at the past history in WY, MT and Idaho.

What happened to the wolves of the 1980's and 90's that WDFW continue to ignore?



On the film clip, I notice they mentioned that the wolves came to WA Naturally, and we had a good laugh.

[Northway]

I support the WDFW decision.

When you have a cooperative rancher and they decide it's best to take lethal action, it's a no brainer.

[huntrights]

Latest update:

WDFW News Release

WDFW continues effort to protect sheep from wolf attacks in Stevens County; 1 wolf dead

http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/aug2514a/