White Pass Area Wolves

[Naches Sportsman]

Sounds like I may start looking at new areas to hunt.

Remember that pic you were asking about last year? Now you know partially what he is doing.

[AspenBud]

Question, if you still have coyotes in the area that is a good sign that wolves have not completely taken over the area right?

No. Coyotes have not gained a reputation for being the ultimate survivalists by being stupid. They lived with impunity for decades, then the wolves came back and killed off the dumb and unlucky ones, and now you have the remainder that have figured things out.

[acrocker]

I saw what I thought was a wolf in about 2005 or 2006 up above Gold Creek, just off Hwy 410 near Whistlin' Jack Lodge. I couldn't believe it at the time but I knew darn well what I saw wasn't any coyote - it was huge, over 7' from nose to tip of tail, and classic gray/whitish wolf color. After thinking it over for several days I finally called the local WDFW office. When I explained what I saw to the call taker, she IMMEDIATELY put me on hold and transferred me DIRECTLY to the regional biologist who proceeded to quiz me thoroughly on what I thought I'd seen, the exact location, the time of day, etc.

In the end, he told me that they had several other sightings in the general area in addition to mine. He wouldn't confirm that they were there, but did tell me that they thought there might be someone releasing 'hybrids' in the area. I'm no expert, but the animal I saw sure didn't look like any wolf/dog hybrid - it was classic wolf, and massive in size.

I'm thinking there are a lot more wolves than anybody realizes, and they are in a lot of areas that we don't even suspect yet. My concern is if WDFW doesn't get out in front of managing them, it might be too late for our deer and elk herds at some point...

[wonder]

Thanks for the feedback gentlemen.  It has been a curiosity question of mine for some time.  I guess sooner or later all the Apex predators will adapt too and even out their territories.  Adding in the wolf to this mix is just something that we all don't have the answers to just yet?  I kind of thought it would happen faster in Washington, that is the appearance of wolves in all our normal hunting grounds similar to what's happened in all our neighboring states.  Maybe it actually has?

What do you guys think is slowing them down if at all from populating the western hunting grounds where we also have large herds?

[AspenBud]

Thanks for the feedback gentlemen.  It has been a curiosity question of mine for some time.  I guess sooner or later all the Apex predators will adapt too and even out their territories.  Adding in the wolf to this mix is just something that we all don't have the answers to just yet?  I kind of thought it would happen faster in Washington, that is the appearance of wolves in all our normal hunting grounds similar to what's happened in all our neighboring states.  Maybe it actually has?

What do you guys think is slowing them down if at all from populating the western hunting grounds where we also have large herds?

People.

There are more people in western Washington alone than in all of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and combined. That means wolves have considerably more hazards to deal with here than they do in those wide open spaces in less populated states that they started in.

[Elkrunner]

Sounds like I may start looking at new areas to hunt.

Remember that pic you were asking about last year? Now you know partially what he is doing.

So it's not the owls?

[nbk]

Plenty of yotes living up there with the wolves in pinegrass.

Wolf track? or? Section 3 lake road approx. 1/4 mile from the "lake"

[yakimarcher]

I don't think that's a wolf nbk

[nbk]

I don't think that's a wolf nbk

Cat?

[huntandjeep]

I don't think that's a wolf nbk

[Sdpotter]

This is what I believe and what I have witnessed being a wolf trapper and an Alaska resident for over forty years. Wolves are very prolific and once established cannot be managed without an aggressive predator control management system. They cannot be over hunted or over trapped. They will take young, or old, or healthy adult ungulates, it doesn't seem to matter, and sometimes come to the outskirts of our town and kill whole dog teams. When some of the pack disperses they will often travel long distances to set up new areas. This is why once established they gain great grounds in a few years. They make their living with their teeth and their prey dies a violent death. I have seen sport killing when the game is plentiful I believe to train their pups. It is my opinion, before too long, you guys in Washington will see a serious downward swing in deer and elk. Unfortunately in your state with its trapping regulations and the average urban sentiment concerning wolves and your state's politics, you have a long row to hoe.

[Idabooner]

This is what I believe and what I have witnessed being a wolf trapper and an Alaska resident for over forty years. Wolves are very prolific and once established cannot be managed without an aggressive predator control management system. They cannot be over hunted or over trapped. They will take young, or old, or healthy adult ungulates, it doesn't seem to matter, and sometimes come to the outskirts of our town and kill whole dog teams. When some of the pack disperses they will often travel long distances to set up new areas. This is why once established they gain great grounds in a few years. They make their living with their teeth and their prey dies a violent death. I have seen sport killing when the game is plentiful I believe to train their pups. It is my opinion, before too long, you guys in Washington will see a serious downward swing in deer and elk. Unfortunately in your state with its trapping regulations and the average urban sentiment concerning wolves and your state's politics, you have a long row to hoe.

Thanks for a good post from some body that has been there.

[clockwork]

This is what I believe and what I have witnessed being a wolf trapper and an Alaska resident for over forty years. Wolves are very prolific and once established cannot be managed without an aggressive predator control management system. They cannot be over hunted or over trapped. They will take young, or old, or healthy adult ungulates, it doesn't seem to matter, and sometimes come to the outskirts of our town and kill whole dog teams. When some of the pack disperses they will often travel long distances to set up new areas. This is why once established they gain great grounds in a few years. They make their living with their teeth and their prey dies a violent death. I have seen sport killing when the game is plentiful I believe to train their pups. It is my opinion, before too long, you guys in Washington will see a serious downward swing in deer and elk. Unfortunately in your state with its trapping regulations and the average urban sentiment concerning wolves and your state's politics, you have a long row to hoe.

If they can't be overhunted, how is it that they were once and largely still are eradicated from the lower 48?

[hughjorgan]

This is what I believe and what I have witnessed being a wolf trapper and an Alaska resident for over forty years. Wolves are very prolific and once established cannot be managed without an aggressive predator control management system. They cannot be over hunted or over trapped. They will take young, or old, or healthy adult ungulates, it doesn't seem to matter, and sometimes come to the outskirts of our town and kill whole dog teams. When some of the pack disperses they will often travel long distances to set up new areas. This is why once established they gain great grounds in a few years. They make their living with their teeth and their prey dies a violent death. I have seen sport killing when the game is plentiful I believe to train their pups. It is my opinion, before too long, you guys in Washington will see a serious downward swing in deer and elk. Unfortunately in your state with its trapping regulations and the average urban sentiment concerning wolves and your state's politics, you have a long row to hoe.

If they can't be overhunted, how is it that they were once and largely still are eradicated from the lower 48?

It's called poison!

[Sdpotter]

That's exactly right, poison. Although effective, it was not target effective, killing any and all furbearers that had eaten it. It was used here at one time and I had heard stories from old timers  seeing marten, fox, wolverine, ravens, as well as wolves laying within sight of the poisoned bait. Denning was also prevalent; digging out the pups and killing them. The indigenous peoples here used that technique years ago for their own wolf control.