WDFW: Update on wolf translocation public process

[bearpaw]

https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/at-risk/species-recovery/gray-wolf/updates/update-wolf-translocation-public

Update on wolf translocation public process
Publish date
May. 24, 2019

In 2018, the Washington Legislature directed the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to evaluate wolf translocation using the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) process.

Translocation means moving animals from one area to another to establish or increase populations, often in regions that the species doesn’t currently occupy. WDFW has used translocation to recover and manage many species, including elk, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, mountain goats, fishers, and turkeys.

The 2011 Wolf Conservation and Management Plan proposed translocation of wolves as a management tool if wolves did not naturally disperse to all recovery regions or if wolves achieved recovery objectives in some regions, but not others.

WDFW will begin a parallel SEPA and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process later this year that will propose the development of a post-recovery wolf conservation and management plan. The evaluation of wolf translocation will be incorporated into this process.

Wolves are currently listed as a state endangered species in Washington. The post-recovery planning process is being initiated proactively because WDFW anticipates it will likely take two to three years to complete. The post-recovery plan will guide WDFW in long-term wolf conservation and management, and will evaluate various wolf management tools, including translocation.

Because of the timing and content overlap in both the SEPA and EIS processes, WDFW combined the processes into one. By combining them, the department hopes to provide a clearer and more straightforward process for its stakeholders and the public. This will streamline scoping periods, public meetings, and EIS documents.

WDFW will announce the public scoping for the post-recovery plan and associated public meetings later this year.

[KFhunter]

I agree with this!

We need to meet the conditions of the 'wolf plan' ASAP!  and translocating will speed that process up for full delisting. 

[pianoman9701]

I agree with this!

We need to meet the conditions of the 'wolf plan' ASAP!  and translocating will speed that process up for full delisting.

I agree as long as they're delisted federally.

[Humptulips]

Waste of money IMO. Let's talk most optimistic scenario. Three years for the SEPA process, one year to catch and relocate and three more years for breeding pairs to meet the successful offspring criteria to have them State delisted. So seven years  but probably more before the first lawsuits are filed to stop delisting.
We are over run by wolves at that point by natural proliferation.
Let's be supremely optimistic and say we get an open hunting season for wolves in 8 years. Even at that I bet any wolf tags will be limited.
My prediction, no matter where you are in the State you will never see less wolves than you have now, only more.

[avidnwoutdoorsman]

Would they relocate them to Yelm or Centralia? I wouldn't wish wolves on anyone but then the drive is less than an hour to set the dead cattle on the capitols doorstep... better a dead wolf shot defending ones cattle. Make a much better point if Jay Inslee had to step over his mess to get to his car.

[Tbar]

Waste of money IMO. Let's talk most optimistic scenario. Three years for the SEPA process, one year to catch and relocate and three more years for breeding pairs to meet the successful offspring criteria to have them State delisted. So seven years  but probably more before the first lawsuits are filed to stop delisting.
We are over run by wolves at that point by natural proliferation.
Let's be supremely optimistic and say we get an open hunting season for wolves in 8 years. Even at that I bet any wolf tags will be limited.
My prediction, no matter where you are in the State you will never see less wolves than you have now, only more.

I would guess more like 20 years if ever on a hunting season.  8 years would be to the first management action. The Olympic Peninsula and Toutle Valley are where this will occur, so that severely dilutes the population base or near Seattle discussion. 

[bearpaw]

I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt there is ever a hunting season. I'm guessing there will be an initiative preventing sport hunting, control measures will eventually be attempted, but by then the damage will be most likely irreversible. I agree with Humptulips, we will never see fewer wolves than there is now in WA.

[Special T]

Waste of money IMO. Let's talk most optimistic scenario. Three years for the SEPA process, one year to catch and relocate and three more years for breeding pairs to meet the successful offspring criteria to have them State delisted. So seven years  but probably more before the first lawsuits are filed to stop delisting.
We are over run by wolves at that point by natural proliferation.
Let's be supremely optimistic and say we get an open hunting season for wolves in 8 years. Even at that I bet any wolf tags will be limited.
My prediction, no matter where you are in the State you will never see less wolves than you have now, only more.

I think the only up side is the "documented" part of the breeding pair requirement.  if all trans-located wolves had collars then we would meet the threshold...

So the real question is... If they can catch wolves to trans-locate then how come we dont have more collars on wolves? weve been told they are extreamly hard to catch/trap.

[fireweed]

Translocating wolves to the west side will only ruin game populations across the state quicker.  We will NEVER see a legal hunting season in Washington for wolves.  The "carrot" of state management (aka hunting someday)they are dangling out there for the eastsiders is a pipe dream.  If they move wolves out of the east side, they quickly breed more to replace the lost few and the west side gets hit too.  The best bet is to just let them repopulate slowly, and hunt where there are no wolves for a few more years.  Meeting the population goal of the plan means absolutely nothing except the start of the lawsuits/litigation/initiatives that will put an end to any hope of any hunting of wolves ever. 

[KFhunter]

I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt there is ever a hunting season. I'm guessing there will be an initiative preventing sport hunting, control measures will eventually be attempted, but by then the damage will be most likely irreversible. I agree with Humptulips, we will never see fewer wolves than there is now in WA.

Our only hope (to keep hunting alive and possibly control wolves) is to have the west side of the state feel as much pain as possible. 


It's gotta hurt bad, people gotta be afraid to hike, to fish, to walk their dogs..wolves will do that but it might take 15 years.  Pain is a teacher.


some fur-baby's gotta die.

[KFhunter]

Translocating wolves to the west side will only ruin game populations across the state quicker.  We will NEVER see a legal hunting season in Washington for wolves.  The "carrot" of state management (aka hunting someday)they are dangling out there for the eastsiders is a pipe dream.  If they move wolves out of the east side, they quickly breed more to replace the lost few and the west side gets hit too.  The best bet is to just let them repopulate slowly, and hunt where there are no wolves for a few more years.  Meeting the population goal of the plan means absolutely nothing except the start of the lawsuits/litigation/initiatives that will put an end to any hope of any hunting of wolves ever.

I disagree, I see a point where the east side becomes a lot like Idaho and other western states....SSS 
WDFW is flat broke and game management/enforcement is nil to zero, our locally elected officials aren't exactly going to step in and stop people killing predators     


West side won't get that, ya'll are toast      

All that hoof rot is like gasoline on a fire = wolf explosion! 

So pain is coming sooner or later, I'd prefer it be sooner.

[KFhunter]

when the pain comes, don't blame the east side, look to your neighbors for the last 30 years of voting history. 


Elections have consequences, it might be felt soon or it might be felt years later.

[KFhunter]

example:

Can someone please help me get rid of the coyotes on our property in Olympia they have been killing our pets. We have a a lot of land for you to work on and we can pay you... text me if your interested 360688 6036 only serious and professional only please just text unless it’s later in the day when I can answer

no love for Coyotes in W Washington....

[gaddy]

Sorry, but I am tired of waiting for "let's see what happens" to the populations of wolves and ungulates when they "naturally" migrate. We have seen it already. How many years does it take, in how many states? Do I now have to monitor wolf populations to decide where I would like to hunt,' we all know how good WDFW #s are' guess I'll head to the west side if I hunt elk again. It is my opinion that we send them where ever they need to be to get de listed state wide, asap. Let's get it done and over with. Enough with the "Conversations" They have been had. We don't need another Apex predator, there was a reason they were they were taken out long ago. You want them over there? come get some! Don't let the east side go to waste while you wait.

[Tbar]

I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt there is ever a hunting season. I'm guessing there will be an initiative preventing sport hunting, control measures will eventually be attempted, but by then the damage will be most likely irreversible. I agree with Humptulips, we will never see fewer wolves than there is now in WA.

Our only hope (to keep hunting alive and possibly control wolves) is to have the west side of the state feel as much pain as possible. 


It's gotta hurt bad, people gotta be afraid to hike, to fish, to walk their dogs..wolves will do that but it might take 15 years.  Pain is a teacher.


some fur-baby's gotta die.

Do you know the population density of the proposed locations? Your idea of pain will not be felt by the masses in any way shape or form.

[KFhunter]

In Washington..

Almost 4.4 million voters turned out for Trump's election

1.3 million were from King CO.   

I know that King CO is a lost cause, but public sentiment of surrounding areas will eventually prevail as they demand WDFW do something.   

And really you don't need to convince King CO to vote differently about wolves, you only need convince the mouthpieces, the NPC's will follow.

[Tbar]

The two most impacted counties are Jefferson and cowlitz.

[Humptulips]

Here's the thing I don't think you understand. The wolves will probably go to the Olympic Peninsula and or SW WA. The entire OP has less than half the population of Spokane County and about 10% of the population of King County. SW WA is in the same boat. So you send the wolves to us what makes you think we have any political power to over ride the Seattle vote. Half the voters in the State reside in King, Snohomish and Pierce and that is the last place the wolves will be turned loose.
I bet a lot better chance of natural proliferation getting wolves into the counties that you think will do some good but even that won't.10 years, 20 years we will all have wolves but you will have more then you have now, delisted or not.

[JimmyHoffa]

The two most impacted counties are Jefferson and cowlitz.

And Jefferson is controlled by Port Townsend, I really can't think of a more lefty place in the state...maybe Friday Harbor or Vashon?  That place is seriously far out there--lots of trustafarians with 'causes'.   

[KFhunter]

Here's the thing I don't think you understand. The wolves will probably go to the Olympic Peninsula and or SW WA. The entire OP has less than half the population of Spokane County and about 10% of the population of King County. SW WA is in the same boat. So you send the wolves to us what makes you think we have any political power to over ride the Seattle vote. Half the voters in the State reside in King, Snohomish and Pierce and that is the last place the wolves will be turned loose.
I bet a lot better chance of natural proliferation getting wolves into the counties that you think will do some good but even that won't.10 years, 20 years we will all have wolves but you will have more then you have now, delisted or not.

I don't agree.  If all game management was done by a ballot initiative you'd have a much better argument. 

The east side is a red headed step child no one cares about and has the idea in many heads that its a wild, rural wilderness with a smattering of hillbillies (perfect wolf country right??)..but when its closer to home its no longer so far away or thought of as being so wild.  Maybe their grand parts live in the OP, maybe they got other family living in SW WA with a few goats and horses burning hay,  maybe they got some friends they know live over by Kittitas.

If it's closer to home and the locals start calling for town halls and making more and more complaints the better.  We've got PLENTY of complaints on this side of the state, we're doing our part and have been seeing some success with WDFW. 

Now we need that pressure to be state wide and sooner the better before we get a terrible director. 

[Utah]

It's pretty  simple.   Do whats right. Do not care about feelings.  And if you don't buy a hunting license you have absolutely ZERO "censored" say. Period.  Anything else and your just weak as hell and worthless to whats best for Washington big game the economy it brings to smaller communities and those actually effected by wolves.       Period. Take no prisoners.  They released Canadian gray wolves into our environment and the destruction and millions its costing our state.  I would gladly hang them all.  And offer it up pay per view to compensate the loses suffered.



Your every Liberal vote is a direct attack on the Second Amendment and a vote for Socialism.  You will suffer the consequences.

[Skyvalhunter]

 

[woodswalker]

Relocate a few to Golden Gardens, Ft Lawton, Discovery Park, the Arboretum and the area along I-5 along Boeing Field.  Oh and Vashon Island and a few on Mercer island. 

Bring it home to the 1.4 Million in King County.

[msg]

Yes sir, I totally agree with Utah and woodswalker. I am sick of these people that do not buy hunting licenses and keep harping that they were here first. They are not contributing to cleaning up the aftermath, the lost wages to farmers and ranchers. The money lost to all communities in Washington related to big game hunting is growing yearly. More and more people are going out of state to hunt. Also please send a few of those extra large kittys up to those metro area communities !