Rumor: Spokane Tribe Confirms 4 wolves with DNA samples

[bearpaw]

An unnamed source has notified me that the Spokane Tribe has confirmed that at least 4 wolves are living on the Spokane Indian Reservation. The story is that the tribe sent in DNA samples which have been confirmed to be 1 female and 3 males. I expect this story will be officially released by the tribe soon.

This really isn't a suprise, numerous H-W members as well as many local residents have reported sightings in the Hunters and Springdale area over the last couple years.

[woodywsu]

I heard rumors that the tribes were taking care of the "new" species. Maybe thats how they got the DNA samples.

[400out]

Now do they get to hunt them! Or is it the same as bald eagles? Sure would be nice if they claimed it was part of their heritage and ceremonial attire. I know it was cuz they shot two socks in the movie! Oh wait that was the army 

[bearpaw]

I am pretty sure they would need to come up with a wolf plan and get it approved by the USFWS before they could hunt them.

[buckfvr]

I am pretty sure they would need to come up with a wolf plan and get it approved by the USFWS before they could hunt them.

Yep, that would be the politically correct way of doing it if thats how you went about your business.....I dont think the natives scare as easy as we do......

[GrainfedMuley]

I hunt just accross the river from the very most southern part of the reservation. Just last year I started a thread about wolves in Lincoln County. I have talked to some locals around the area and they have seen wolves on the south side of the river. A lady that my family has known her famliy for generations, that I talked to,  has seen them in her backyard.

[jackmaster]

get on with your bad self spokane tribe, whack all them sons a beeyatchs, piss on the wolf plan, sounds like you guys got the best plan possible already, keep sendin in those DNA samples   

[boneaddict]

I've talked to several guys that are packing just for such sightings.  Most of them are Covilles commuting over Blue Creek, but I doubt they care.

[Special T]

I guess tribal members and the Citizens of WY are cut from the same cloth... The both tell the Feds to pack sand!

[boneaddict]

It seems like Wyoming had the right idea from the beginning.   LOVE IT.   I'll be the first to admit I thought they were crazy.   I'm glad it worked out for them.  They took a stand. 

[Special T]

So how would this work in reality? Would a tribe collar like 4 wolves, say they are a breeding pair, then shoot anything without a collar?

[BuckNAze]

Tribes are soverign nations, we are allowed to make our own games laws as long as the species isn't federally protected, if they make a hunting season for them then they will be allowed to hunt them. Same goes for us across the river. Although our tribe works along side with the state ultimately we can make our own decisions if we want to hunt wolves or not. Our management plan is for one breeding pair, as long as one breeding pair for the "North Half".

[Special T]

Thankyou for commenting BuckNAze. So if you are required to have 1 BP per area, how are you able to limit it to 1 BP? I would guess this is a where the rubber meets the road kind of question...
Lets just take this as a hypothetical. Tribe opens a season up on wolves. How does it keep from "Over harvesting" wolves so that there can be a perpetual season on them? Since the feds seem to require a ridiculous amount of proof that there are wolves present it would seem like some kind of Florescent orange collar, ear tag something would be the "Documented" pack and everything else would be open season. Just a thought. 

[luvtohnt]

Wolves are not federally protected in the easter 1/3 of Washington, so are they legal for the Colville's to hunt?

Brandon

[Special T]

So what does that mean Luvtohnt? Everything E of Hwy 97 is open for tribal members?

[BuckNAze]

That's kind of the gray area, it's hard to really keep track of how many wolves we have unless we trap and collar every single one of them. Then more move into our area so its not really easy to regulate. There could be a draw season, open season (like coyotes), or so many are taking per district (there being 4 districts that we seperate into on the reservation). Most members don't want wolves here, and if they do want they it is because they want to harvest them for ceremonial purposes. We are a subsistance tribe first, meaning keeping their enough animals to support how much hunting we do, that mixed with a large numbers of members. We rely a lot on our deer, elk, and moose populations to sustain our tribe. Not sure where the Spokanes stand on the matter of wolves but I know the Kalispels aren't too eager to have them. Forgot to mention that yes since the wolves aren't federally protected on our side of the state we are allowed to manage them as we see fit. Any federally regulated animals we are not allowed to hunt.

[bearpaw]

So what does that mean Luvtohnt? Everything E of Hwy 97 is open for tribal members?

I think that once a tribe in the eastern 1/3 of WA has an approved wolf plan, then they can hunt within their hunting area.

[woodywsu]

The tribe has to have an "approved" wolf plan??? Is this correct? Who approves?

[PlateauNDN]

The tribe has to have an "approved" wolf plan??? Is this correct? Who approves?

This depends on the set-up of the Tribe.  Yakamas have to have a plan approved by Committee first then it goes to our Full Council.  If they are not fed protected (still protected within all our Areas) then we have to have a plan established before we can move forward.

[bearpaw]

I am pretty sure the USFWS must approve all wolf plans before management can begin anywhere.

[BuckNAze]

I dont think so, as long as they aren't federally protected they aren't required to make any management plan with the USFWS. All tribes are soverign nation, basically a nation within a nation (similar to the Vatican in a sense), and are allowed to make their own game laws. Certain laws obviously are the same but the regulations we put on our Fish and Wildlife are our own to make, again only if they arent federally protected. Some tribes have still decided to work along with the state in management to a degree but I don't believe are required to at all. I can double check with one of our Biologists and see but that was my understanding.

[woodywsu]

That's how I thought it was BucknAze. I didn't think the tribe needed approval from any agency. They probably should consult with them, but required approval I don't think so.

[PlateauNDN]

As I mentioned before some Tribes are different than others because some are not Treaty Tribes and some are Treaty Tribes which makes a world of difference.  Since we, the Yakama Nation, is a Treaty Tribe it empowers us to a wide range of governmental control that some Tribes don't have.  We have and exercise the ability to govern ourselves within the confines of our Treaty Language and our Laws as a Nation on a daily basis.  As long as we have a plan to justify our actions and laws to enforce that plan we can move forward if we would like as long as it remains in effect in the areas that are under the jurisdiction of the Yakama Nation. 

If a species is not Federally Protected then we have the ability to create a management plan and exercise that plan without the interference of State Jurisdiction.  We do work with the State but we are not governed nor under the jurisdiction of the State. 

So, if the Yakama Nation took a stance of saying they only want a certain amount of breeding pairs in it's jurisdiction, on or off reservation, then there is nothing the State can do. 

[Special T]

Would that mean that if a treat tribe wanted to they could regulate like WY does? Treat them like Coyotes, year round no bag limits?

[PlateauNDN]

Would that mean that if a treat tribe wanted to they could regulate like WY does? Treat them like Coyotes, year round no bag limits?

As long as there was a plan with regulations in place approved by our Tribal Council and they are not re-listed under the protection of the Feds.  Under our predatory animals we don't have a limit for harvest and if they listed it under predators it probably would have a limit given that they are "newly re-established" and not as abundant as other species, YET.

[Special T]

Funny thing when you remove most predators, the surrounding ones move in!

[BuckNAze]

Ours is the same way, our Council has to approve the management plan but one of the suggestions was to be able to harvest them as coyotes. In my opinion that is about the only way to manage them. I think personally they will get smart and harder to hunt and they are going to be here either way. If we don't hunt them like coyotes they are going to produce just like coyotes, only bigger, and devastate our elk and moose herds, not only for us but the state. They are also proposing a draw system here like I said for permits, or a certain number per district (we have 4 districts here), something along those lines. I think most can agree that a draw system with like 2 tags per distrcit wont work more than likely, as the wolves spread like they are they are going to be real hard to keep up with.

[WAcoyotehunter]

my guess is that the Colvilles will allow one pack and keep track of and manage the others trying to set up camp.  I'll be curious to see how things work out on the north half.

[Special T]

I know i may have asked this before but... I'm guessing body gripping traps are allowed on the Rez? How about tradional hunting areas like the northern area above the Colville or the Colockum via the Yakamas?

[PlateauNDN]

Up to the powers that be.  On or Off the Rez our Council decides our methods of harvesting.

[BuckNAze]

We have agreed to have one pack on the North Half with the state, not sure on how hunting that pack can/will be done by our tribe. We will see what happens there, although we do not own it we are allowed to hunt on the North Half so it will definetly be a gray area when it comes down to wolves up there.

[PlateauNDN]

That's the difference between Treaty Tribes and Non-Treaty Tribes, we have the power to govern and regulate our seasons on and off the Rez within all lands under the jurisdiction of the Tribe, meaning Ceded Lands, usual and accustomed sites, tributary sites and off-rez Trust land.