Wolf pack to be targeted by Washington state shooters after repeated cattle atta

[X-Force]

They just approved to kill the rest of the pack.

I don’t know how you can celebrate removing a pack especially if it’s a breeding pair. We are so close to meeting delisting and this just pushes that process back.

I don't understand why anyone would want the rancher to keep suffering losses? I also don't see how it makes any difference in delisting, the northeast zone must have three times as many breeding pairs as is required for delisting already. Until there are enough breeding pairs in the southwest zone I don't think it matters how many more packs are created or eliminated in the northeast? Am I missing something? 

I’m not denying or minimizing the ranchers struggles but pack elimination isn’t worth celebrating.

If I’m not mistaken it’s 15 breeding pairs for 3 years or 18 for 1 year for delisting.

Judging by the size of the recent stool sample survey south of I90 wolf populations should start to be identified down there.

If you think were ever going to have any wolf hunting or any meaningful management in this state, i got a bridge to sell ya.

According to everything written on here about wolves we have nothing to worry about. Either wolves will starting eating coasties or wolves will eat all the ungulates. If coasties start to get eaten they will demand wolf hunting seasons. If the ungulates get eaten we won’t have to worry about hunting seasons.

[X-Force]

I'm very pessimistic of wolf de-listing as well.  If wolf losses truly are a significant issue to the bottom line, then cattle operations in the NE better figure out how to adapt their business to a changed environment...something that doesn't rely on government assistance in any way.

Show me an ag sector that doesn’t rely on government assistance.

[idahohuntr]

I'm very pessimistic of wolf de-listing as well.  If wolf losses truly are a significant issue to the bottom line, then cattle operations in the NE better figure out how to adapt their business to a changed environment...something that doesn't rely on government assistance in any way.

Show me an ag sector that doesn’t rely on government assistance.

I can't name a single one.

[pianoman9701]

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/jul/10/wolf-pack-to-be-targeted-by-state-shooters-after-r/

Notice how they call Wielgus "controversial", but say nothing about him skewing his data to forward his agenda on this very study. I thought Spokane was more conservative. 

[Alchase]

They just approved to kill the rest of the pack.

I don’t know how you can celebrate removing a pack especially if it’s a breeding pair.

They will just continue teaching their pack to be cattle killers if not eliminated.

[bearpaw]

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/jul/10/wolf-pack-to-be-targeted-by-state-shooters-after-r/

Notice how they call Wielgus "controversial", but say nothing about him skewing his data to forward his agenda on this very study. I thought Spokane was more conservative. 

Most newspapers in any large city are MSM types!


I agree with everyone in respect to the thought that wolf season will likely never happen. However, if wolves are delisted the state legislature will likely create a wolf management team/plan involving government hunters that will act on wolf predation and that will likely get better results than while wolves are listed.

They just approved to kill the rest of the pack.

I don’t know how you can celebrate removing a pack especially if it’s a breeding pair. We are so close to meeting delisting and this just pushes that process back.

I don't understand why anyone would want the rancher to keep suffering losses? I also don't see how it makes any difference in delisting, the northeast zone must have three times as many breeding pairs as is required for delisting already. Until there are enough breeding pairs in the southwest zone I don't think it matters how many more packs are created or eliminated in the northeast? Am I missing something? 

I’m not denying or minimizing the ranchers struggles but pack elimination isn’t worth celebrating.

If I’m not mistaken it’s 15 breeding pairs for 3 years or 18 for 1 year for delisting.

Judging by the size of the recent stool sample survey south of I90 wolf populations should start to be identified down there.

I think it's 18 for 3 years.

Taking out this pack is absolutely essential! Killing that pack will save countless cattle! An additional benefit is that it will save countless moose, elk, and deer in Ferry County. WDFW is removing the pack because they are faced with no other reasonable choice! I will definitely be glad when they are eliminated as will many other local people who see the damage daily in NE WA.

They will just continue teaching their pack to be cattle killers if not eliminated.

Alchase has it exactly correct! 

[X-Force]

With wolf population growth rate of 15% killing 1 pack is only temporary. Another pack of the same size will be their next year or the following. Eliminating a pack is only a stop gap. Ungulates are still under the same predation and cattle will be put in the same spot. A more well thought-out approach is needed. I don’t have the answer but what we have been seeing isn’t any sort of fix. 

[Alchase]

With wolf population growth rate of 15% killing 1 pack is only temporary. Another pack of the same size will be their next year or the following. Eliminating a pack is only a stop gap. Ungulates are still under the same predation and cattle will be put in the same spot. A more well thought-out approach is needed. I don’t have the answer but what we have been seeing isn’t any sort of fix. 

Sure it is, those Wolves won't be killing cattle.
Fixed it 

[bearpaw]

With wolf population growth rate of 15% killing 1 pack is only temporary. Another pack of the same size will be their next year or the following. Eliminating a pack is only a stop gap. Ungulates are still under the same predation and cattle will be put in the same spot. A more well thought-out approach is needed. I don’t have the answer but what we have been seeing isn’t any sort of fix.

Mostly agree, that's why we need many stop gaps!

[KFhunter]

I don't think its possible to coexist with wolves.  The ranchers are doing everything WDFW tells them, and WDFW is telling them everything to wolf groups are asking. 


We can agree to disagree about ranching on public lands, but wolves are killing cattle on private lands as well. 

I think a guy oughta be able to run cattle on private land.





 

[wolfbait]

They just approved to kill the rest of the pack.

I don’t know how you can celebrate removing a pack especially if it’s a breeding pair. We are so close to meeting delisting and this just pushes that process back.

I don't understand why anyone would want the rancher to keep suffering losses? I also don't see how it makes any difference in delisting, the northeast zone must have three times as many breeding pairs as is required for delisting already. Until there are enough breeding pairs in the southwest zone I don't think it matters how many more packs are created or eliminated in the northeast? Am I missing something? 

I’m not denying or minimizing the ranchers struggles but pack elimination isn’t worth celebrating.

If I’m not mistaken it’s 15 breeding pairs for 3 years or 18 for 1 year for delisting.

Judging by the size of the recent stool sample survey south of I90 wolf populations should start to be identified down there.

If you think were ever going to have any wolf hunting or any meaningful management in this state, i got a bridge to sell ya.

  The only management will have to come from citizens, just as ranchers etc. have been doing for quite some time now.

[Ridgeratt]

Looks like they have put it to black and white.

https://www.khq.com/news/wdfw-rethinking-how-it-deals-with-wildlife-attacks-on-livestock/article_d1256d20-b3eb-11e9-a89d-5762c7a806bd.html


FERRY COUNTY, Wash. - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is in talks to rework how the organization addresses attacks on wildlife grazing on public lands by wildlife.
Over the last three years, wolves belonging to the OPT Pack have been involved in multiple conflicts with livestock on grazing allotments on the public lands.

The Diamond M Ranch's public land livestock operations have resulted in the killing of 20 recovering wolves, including Wedge Pack in 2012, the Profanity Peak Pack in 2016, the Sherman Pack in 2017, as well as wolves removed from the Sherman and Togo Packs in 2018, and now the OPT Pack.
WDFW said the constants between the deaths of recovering wolves and the attacks are the producer and the public land area being grazed.


A letter submitted WDFW Director Kelly Susewind asks for WDFW to take a different approach and instead prioritize wildlife over livestock on public grazing lands.
The letter says livestock should be relocated and wildlife should not be killed if conflict occurs.
Lands Council Executive Director Mike Peterson and WDFW Director Kelly Susewind discussed the proposal during a meeting Wednesday.

[Dan-o]

Looks like they have put it to black and white.

https://www.khq.com/news/wdfw-rethinking-how-it-deals-with-wildlife-attacks-on-livestock/article_d1256d20-b3eb-11e9-a89d-5762c7a806bd.html


FERRY COUNTY, Wash. - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is in talks to rework how the organization addresses attacks on wildlife grazing on public lands by wildlife.
Over the last three years, wolves belonging to the OPT Pack have been involved in multiple conflicts with livestock on grazing allotments on the public lands.

The Diamond M Ranch's public land livestock operations have resulted in the killing of 20 recovering wolves, including Wedge Pack in 2012, the Profanity Peak Pack in 2016, the Sherman Pack in 2017, as well as wolves removed from the Sherman and Togo Packs in 2018, and now the OPT Pack.
WDFW said the constants between the deaths of recovering wolves and the attacks are the producer and the public land area being grazed.


A letter submitted WDFW Director Kelly Susewind asks for WDFW to take a different approach and instead prioritize wildlife over livestock on public grazing lands.
The letter says livestock should be relocated and wildlife should not be killed if conflict occurs.
Lands Council Executive Director Mike Peterson and WDFW Director Kelly Susewind discussed the proposal during a meeting Wednesday.

I can't tell from the article if the letter as submitted to Susewind or by Susewind???

It'd be a bad blow to those who wanted to give him a chance (me included), if the recommendation comes from him.

[bearpaw]

If WDFW caves and requires ranchers to move cattle then the eco groups have effectively won the war on removing grazing and leases from public land.

[buckfvr]

The Diamond M Ranch's public land livestock operations have resulted in the killing of 20 recovering wolves, including Wedge Pack in 2012, the Profanity Peak Pack in 2016, the Sherman Pack in 2017, as well as wolves removed from the Sherman and Togo Packs in 2018, and now the OPT Pack


buckfvr

And yet there are still wolves in each of those areas..........and many others which of course have not been acknowledged.  AND, of course we all know the wolves wont bother the cattle once they're on private land........