State orders killing of wolves from 2 more packs

[Ridgeratt]

State orders killing of wolves from 2 more packs
Posted: Nov 07, 2018 11:02 AM PST
Updated: Nov 07, 2018 11:02 AM PST


 

SPOKANE, Wash. -
The state of Washington says it will kill wolves from two packs that have been preying on cattle.
 
The Department of Fish and Wildlife said Wednesday that it will kill members of the Smackout Pack in Stevens County and members of the Togo Pack in Ferry County.
 
Agency director Kelly Susewind says wolves from the two packs continue to prey on cattle despite efforts to get them to stop.
 
The agency says wolf hunts could begin on Thursday.
 
Last month the state decided to kill the remaining two wolves from the Old Profanity Peak Territory Pack, which had repeatedly preyed on cattle in Ferry County.
 
Conservation groups have criticized the killing of wolves, a protected species, to save cattle grazing on public lands.

http://www.khq.com/story/39438050/state-orders-killing-of-wolves-from-2-more-packs

[jackmaster]

Damn, who would of thunk it? Wolves going after the easy prey !! Damn them !!

[PA BEN]

http://www.capitalpress.com/Washington/20181107/washington-fish-and-wildlife-targets-2-more-wolfpacks?fbclid=IwAR3tA8k74TZO1qGIHruvltXmieAs9HJAM42thhGHGN4EQBHgkz3oJnH3QJM#disqus_thread

[HighlandLofts]

If some one killed every damn wolf out there it wouldn't break my heart.

[Dan-o]

I just have to laugh at their tactics when I read these kind of lines in each of  these stories:

"Agency director Kelly Susewind says wolves from the two packs continue to prey on cattle despite efforts to get them to stop."

It's like they think they can put wolves in a timeout.

[HighlandLofts]

These tree huggers have no idea how things happen in the real world.
It seems they are tect book smart and believe in Rudolf and Santa Claus.

Maybe they should work on restocking Unicorns and Mermaids.

[nwwanderer]

We need to try this wolf management thing on a regional basis, throw out the wolf plan, let Idaho take over management on contiguous habitat (most of eastern Washington), pay fully on all depredation within ten days of loss, honestly monitor and report wolf activity, increase the Idaho plan as the population continues to expand across Washington, encourage funding from wolf supporters for monitoring and depredation costs and budget wisely all wolf expenditures.

[bornhunter]

Hey now!!! Lay off Rudolph and Santa Claus. They fly over my house every Christmas eve!

[Ridgeratt]

Washington wildlife officials order killing of members of two more wolf packs
Thu., Nov. 8, 2018
 
For the first time, wolves from three Washington packs are in the state’s crosshairs.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife ordered the killing of members of the Togo and the Smackout packs Wednesday.
That comes on the heels of a similar kill order directed at the Old Profanity Territory pack on Oct. 26.
“This is the worst year we’ve ever had,” WDFW Director Kelly Susewind said in an interview Monday. “I know we’ve never had three packs that are above the threshold for lethal removal.”
Susewind authorized the removal of one or two members of the Smackout pack after officials confirmed pack members had killed or injured five cattle since Aug. 20. According to a WDFW release, four heifers were killed and one calf was injured on privately owned land.
The Smackout pack has four or five adult wolves.
The remaining members of the Togo pack will also be targeted. Togo pack members have killed or injured six cattle over the past 10 months, the release said.
Most recently, WDFW killed a male from the Togo pack. However, on Oct. 26, Jake Nelson, a rancher on the Lone Ranch grazing allotment, documented a calf injured by wolves.
The calf’s rear was badly chewed, and its leg was broken.
Because the attacks occurred on private land, WDFW authorized the ranchers to kill the wolves, the release said. Finally let the ranchers take care of the offenders on site. Instead of waiting for the WDFW marksmen.
The Togo pack consists of a female adult wolf and two pups, according to a WDFW release.
Nelson did not immediately return a call requesting comment.
WDFW’s lethal removal policy allows killing wolves if they prey on livestock three times in a 30-day period or four times in a 10-month period. That policy was developed in 2016 by WDFW and its 18-member Wolf Advisory Group, which represents the concerns of environmentalists, hunters and livestock ranchers.
The policy also stipulates cattle producers have employed at least two proactive deterrence techniques.
Lethal control is allowed in the eastern third of the state where wolves are protected by state endangered species rules. Wolves remain federally protected in the western two-thirds of the state.
State Rep. Joel Kretz said the kill order is good news for ranchers, but he questioned whether WDFW will be capable.
“Well, I’ve been worried about this day coming,” he said. “I asked them a year ago, two years ago, you guys seem to struggle dealing when one pack goes bad, how are you going to deal with two or three at the same time? It’s more than they can handle, frankly.”
Environmental groups have temporarily blocked the killing of wolves in the past. A lawyer for the Center for Biological Diversity unsuccessfully attempted to temporarily block the killings in court Wednesday, said Noah Greenwald, the endangered species director at the center.
However, a larger lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and Cascadia Wildlands alleging that WDFW “relied upon a faulty protocol and failed to undergo required environmental analysis” is ongoing.
“The fact that WDFW has kill orders out for three packs is both tragic and not a sound way to be managing an endangered species like wolves,” Greenwald said.
He questioned the effectiveness of killing wolves as a deterrence strategy. Some research has found killing wolves may not reduce depredations.
For example, a 2018 study found killing wolves may help ranchers in the immediate area but pushes the wolves to other areas and does not reduce overall incidents. A 2014 study found killing wolves led to more dead sheep and cows the following year. The study was authored by controversial former Washington State University professor Rob Wielgus.
However, in 2015 a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologist published a study that found lethal removal does work. But incremental lethal removal – that is, killing one or two wolves at a time – does not. Instead, removing the entire pack is the most effective strategy.
WDFW incrementally removes wolves.
Despite losses of a dozen wolves per year from state-authorized killing, poaching, vehicle collisions and other human-related causes, the state’s wolf population continues to grow.
A minimum of 122 wolves, 22 packs and 14 successful breeding pairs was reported by the WDFW this winter.
In a meet-and-greet Monday in the Spokane Valley, WDFW’s Susewind said the wolf management plan needs to change.
The Wolf Advisory Group will start looking at a de-listing plan for the state’s wolves, he said. WDFW is starting a state environmental review to assess the feasibility of relocating some wolves, although Susewind called that an unlikely option.
“We’ve got to try something different,” he said.

[bornhunter]

I believe the definition of insanity is at play here. Same game, same result

[wolfbait]

 "in 2015 a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologist published a study that found lethal removal does work. But incremental lethal removal – that is, killing one or two wolves at a time – does not. Instead, removing the entire pack is the most effective strategy."

WDF&Wolves knew this long ago, so the only conclusion is they like seeing livestock owners lose stock.


When the deer herds etc. gets down to next to zero, WDF&Wolves will shut the hunting down claiming there are not enough deer etc. to feed the predators and hunters.



"A minimum of 122 wolves, 22 packs and 14 successful breeding pairs was reported by the WDFW this winter."

Just like refusing to confirm wolf predation on livestock, WDFW blatantly lie to the people of WA, they know we know they are liars and yet they continue to lie.


I talk to a guy this week who found a huge bull moose wolves had killed in McFarland cr., he said they ate a little out of the butt and the rest was rotting.

WDF&Corruption are destroying WA's wildlife with their fake endangered wolves and the protection of predators.

[bornhunter]

Now that is really sad.

[Ghost Hunter]

Don't have them all yet.  Fresh tracks on Kelly Hill property last night.  Had camera in wrong spot.

[timberfaller]

"Because the attacks occurred on private land, WDFW authorized the ranchers to kill the wolves, the release said. Finally let the ranchers take care of the offenders on site. Instead of waiting for the WDFW marksmen."

  Wonder if they'll go and apologize to the rancher in the Methow they harassed now??!!  Won't hold my breath of that happening any time soon!!

[HighlandLofts]

This fake agency knows nothing but lies and cover ups. They are a anti-gun, anti-hunting branch of the democrap party. Nothing they do is for the people who hunt or fish.
I refuse to buy any hunting or fishing license in this state, I hunt out of state and will continue to do so.