Post by: WAcoyotehunter on September 26, 2012, 03:01:45 PM
Three wolves from the Wedge Pack in northern Stevens County were killed by a shooter in a helicopter today as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife continued its effort to stop persistent attacks on livestock by eliminating the pack.
Since early July, Wedge Pack wolves are believed to have killed or injured at least 17 cows and calves from the Diamond M Ranch herd ranging on both private and public land between the Columbia and Kettle Rivers southwest of Laurier, Wash.
Department Director Phil Anderson said a WDFW marksman shot the wolves from a helicopter at about 8 a.m. The wolves were shot about seven miles south of the U.S.-Canada border in the same area where two other wolves from the Wedge Pack were killed by aerial gunning yesterday.
Biologists estimate the pack includes 8-11 wolves. Before this week's kills, the state shot a wolf on Aug. 7 when it was still believed the pack could be thinned and dispersed without eliminating the pack.
One wolf, thought to be the pack's alpha male, was trapped and fitted with a GPS collar earlier this summer. WDFW officers have been monitoring that wolf to follow the pack in the rugged, remote forested country.
Anderson said a department wildlife veterinarian would perform necropsies on all five of the wolves killed this week.
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on September 26, 2012, 03:02:35 PM
Post by: PlateauNDN on September 26, 2012, 03:03:34 PM
Post by: stickbuck on September 26, 2012, 03:05:28 PM
Post by: boneaddict on September 26, 2012, 03:06:20 PM
Post by: RG on September 26, 2012, 03:06:25 PM
Post by: rtspring on September 26, 2012, 03:06:43 PM
Post by: bonkellekter on September 26, 2012, 03:07:06 PM
Amazing. The WDFW has really started taking this seriously. I'm really encouraged by this turn of events.:yeah:
Post by: Blacktail Sniper on September 26, 2012, 03:09:27 PM
Post by: buglebuster on September 26, 2012, 03:13:46 PM
Post by: bearpaw on September 26, 2012, 03:15:00 PM
I hope they check for E. Granulosis (wolf worms)
Post by: bobcat on September 26, 2012, 03:16:13 PM
Post by: boneaddict on September 26, 2012, 03:17:01 PM
Post by: RG on September 26, 2012, 03:20:07 PM
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on September 26, 2012, 03:20:39 PM
Post by: Gringo31 on September 26, 2012, 04:01:09 PM
Well done boys! I have a LITTLE more faith in our Dept of Fish and Game
Post by: jrebel on September 26, 2012, 04:04:16 PM
Post by: bearhunter99 on September 26, 2012, 04:04:41 PM
Would be nice to see some evidence to back up what they are telling us :dunno: I hope it is all true but not sold on it yet :dunno: :chuckle:
:yeah:
Pocs or it didn't happen! :chuckle:
Post by: GrousePointer on September 26, 2012, 04:06:58 PM
Would be nice to see some evidence to back up what they are telling us :dunno: I hope it is all true but not sold on it yet :dunno: :chuckle:
I heard they were shooting them from black helicopters. lol
Sent from my Lumia 710 using Board Express
Post by: bucklucky on September 26, 2012, 04:13:28 PM
Post by: h2ofowlr on September 26, 2012, 04:26:07 PM
Post by: huntnphool on September 26, 2012, 04:28:36 PM
Post by: fair-chase on September 26, 2012, 04:39:07 PM
I've been quick to complain about them so I have to give credit where credit is due... I'm starting to be a little impressed. They are taking it seriously! :sry:
:yeah: Same here. I've been highly skeptical/cynical of this department. Time to send them a letter of appreciation over their handling of this issue. Kudos to the men and women at WDFW working on this. :tup:
Post by: KFhunter on September 26, 2012, 04:40:19 PM
Don't pat them on the back just yet, my money says the sniper "accidently" leaves one female and one male.
Doesn't matter, these wolves have already dispersed and trained other packs.
There is another rancher not 15 miles away who's loosing cattle as well, several auctually.
Dogs learn very quickly from one another.
Go get you a chicken eating fence climbing knothead of a mutt and see how long before your beloved family dog gets in trouble too.
Post by: Mudman on September 26, 2012, 04:49:47 PM
Post by: huntnphool on September 26, 2012, 04:55:06 PM
Huntphool is correct. They wont kill the breeding pair. They are just managing the problem. If they killed breeding pair it would mean waiting longer for wolves to reach quota of delisting that we all want. :twocents:Not all of us want the quota met!
Post by: GrousePointer on September 26, 2012, 05:02:28 PM
Dogs learn very quickly from one another.
Go get you a chicken eating fence climbing knothead of a mutt and see how long before your beloved family dog gets in trouble too.
Nothing an invisible fence set on high or an e-collar can't cure. :)Ride the lightening.
Sent from my Lumia 710 using Board Express
Post by: Mudman on September 26, 2012, 05:29:31 PM
Post by: Ridgeratt on September 26, 2012, 05:38:57 PM
Don't pat them on the back just yet, my money says the sniper "accidently" leaves one female and one male.
Well they can only tip over the ones that are on the south side of the border! So I don't think they will get them all anyway. But it does make good press what they are doing.
Post by: FALFire on September 26, 2012, 05:58:31 PM
Sharp Shooter.... 3 today Sir!
Supervisor......... Good! Get one more... that will make 6 total....that should shut 'em up for a few months or so. Now we just get to deal with the law suits. Then, we get to do this :bs: all over again next year!
Sharp Shooter..... :lol4: :salute:
Supervisor .......... Now... where's my Cribbage board :con:
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on September 26, 2012, 06:24:24 PM
I wonder if they would give me the lifesize wolf capes :dunno: ..... :chuckle:ALL Yeah charlie I am sure they would :chuckle: :chuckle: But you may want to contact them and see if they want to display them in their office :chuckle: :chuckle: and then tell them you know a good taxi who can help them out ;) Seriously though I would call them and ask what they plan on doing with them ! :tup:
Post by: billythekidrock on September 26, 2012, 06:29:06 PM
Would be nice to see some evidence to back up what they are telling us :dunno: I hope it is all true but not sold on it yet :dunno: :chuckle:
Public disclosure request of P. Anderson's emails this week would probably produce some photos.
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on September 26, 2012, 06:36:15 PM
Post by: RG on September 26, 2012, 07:47:24 PM
Post by: Ridgeratt on September 26, 2012, 09:21:47 PM
Post by: bearpaw on September 27, 2012, 10:47:19 AM
I still think the WDFW and the Commission were duped by many of their own wolf loving biologists while creating the wolf plan. But cows always come to water and wolves eventually come to beef and lamb. I think we will be hunting wolves sooner than most of you think. The feds have already delisted Eastern WA and there are so many packs in NE WA that they will have to act soon or our herds will begin to suffer huge losses. There is language in the wolf plan to allow management when wolves impact the herds.
Only about half the packs in NE WA have been confirmed wait till they all breed for a couple years. Plus that helocopter time is costing game management probably $1500+ per hour not to mention the sharp shooters. Minnesota is another one of the most liberal states and even they are hunting wolves this fall. Yes, Washington will be hunting wolves soon.
Stevens County Cattlemen are calling for delisting of NE Washington, we hunters should join them. :twocents:
Post by: FALFire on September 27, 2012, 11:13:14 AM
So coyotes will have to consume my time this winter, but as soon as tags come available, I'll be getting one or two :bfg:
Post by: Kowsrule30 on September 27, 2012, 11:42:22 AM
Post by: stickbuck on September 27, 2012, 05:40:08 PM
Post by: bobcat on September 27, 2012, 05:42:18 PM
Post by: Kowsrule30 on September 27, 2012, 05:59:26 PM
Post by: Elkaholic daWg on September 27, 2012, 06:11:10 PM
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/ (http://wdfw.wa.gov/)
September 27, 2012
Contact: Dave Ware, (360) 902-2509
WDFW concludes action to remove Northeast Washington wolf pack
OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) concluded its action to eliminate a pack of wolves in Northeast Washington today after an agency marksman killed the pack's alpha male just south of the Canadian border.
WDFW Director Phil Anderson said the wolf was shot this morning from a helicopter. Its death brought to six the number of wolves from the Wedge Pack removed in the past three days, including the alpha female.
"Directing the pack's removal was a very difficult decision, both personally and professionally, but it was necessary to reset the stage for sustainable wolf recovery in this region," he said. "Now we will refocus our attention on working with livestock operators and conservation groups to aggressively promote the use of non-lethal tactics to avoid wolf-livestock conflict."
With the latest operation concluded, Anderson said the department would continue to monitor wolf activity in the Wedge region as it is doing in other parts of the state.
The department initiated removal of the Wedge Pack late last week in an effort to put a stop to its persistent attacks on livestock from the herd of the Diamond M Ranch in northern Stevens County. Since July, the wolves had killed or injured at least 17 calves and cows from the herd.
The pack takes its name from the triangular shape of the Washington state portion of its range, which is bordered by the Columbia and Kettle rivers and Canada. Its elimination leaves the state with seven confirmed wolf packs and four suspected packs, most of which range in the remote, rugged forests of Northeast Washington.
WDFW began to lethally remove wolves from the pack in early August, as its pattern of predation began to escalate despite non-lethal efforts by the rancher and the department to prevent the attacks. A WDFW marksman killed a non-breeding member of the pack on August 7, and about two weeks later, biologists found the decomposed carcass of a young wolf within the Diamond M herd's grazing area. The young wolf had not been shot, and the cause of death could not be determined.
Teams of WDFW staff remained in the Wedge through August, trapping extensively and tracking the movements of the alpha male, which had been fitted with a location-transmitting radio collar.
However, Anderson said none of the rancher's or the department's efforts to change the pack's behavior succeeded, and attacks on the Diamond M herd increased through mid-September.
"Ultimately, it became clear that this pack was preying on livestock as its primary food source, and that our actions had not changed that pattern," Anderson said. "The independent wolf experts we consulted agreed with our staff that removal of the pack was the only viable option."
With the support of key conservation and livestock organizations, the department announced on Sept. 21 it would remove the pack to create the opportunity for wolves that are not habituated to preying on livestock to re-colonize the region.
Anderson said he looked forward to continuing to work with interested groups on a broad range of non-lethal management strategies under the terms of the Wolf Conservation and Management Plan approved by the state Fish and Wildlife Commission in December 2011.
WDFW is urging livestock operators to enter into cooperative, cost-sharing agreements with the department that specify non-lethal measures they will use to minimize wolf-livestock conflict.
"Lethal removal will remain a wolf management option, but we will use it only as a last resort, after all reasonable non-lethal options are exhausted," Anderson said.
He said he respects the opinions of the many citizens who contacted the department to share their support for or opposition to its actions. "We know these issues spark strong feelings among Washington residents across the state, which is why we are committed to conducting our business openly and transparently," he said.
Post by: ironhead14 on September 27, 2012, 06:34:37 PM
Post by: Silent-one on September 27, 2012, 07:34:24 PM
Post by: bobcat on September 27, 2012, 07:44:58 PM
Quote
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) concluded its action to eliminate a pack of wolves in Northeast Washington today
So how many did they not kill?
Post by: stickbuck on September 27, 2012, 07:58:54 PM
Post by: boneaddict on September 27, 2012, 08:00:26 PM
Post by: Ridgeratt on September 27, 2012, 08:06:20 PM
Kudos to the WDFW for taking a stance to work on the problem, but as said before not sure they got all of them.
Post by: bobcat on September 27, 2012, 08:07:46 PM
Post by: Ridgeratt on September 27, 2012, 08:18:08 PM
So the WDFW basically lied when they said they were going to eliminate the entire pack?
I'm not accusing them of a mis-truth but I also question the fact they can have an exact count of how many.
Bobcat just how familiar with the area in question. Understand that part of the Diamond M range is now more that the width of a county road from Canada, or a 4 wire fence. Therefore any of the pack that is across the border is still in existence.
As I replied once before when you brought this up.
Fast and Furious was more than just a car movie!!
Post by: Silent-one on September 27, 2012, 08:24:54 PM
So the WDFW basically lied when they said they were going to eliminate the entire pack?
Well I guess by your way of thinking we should believe everything they say right! I guess I missed the press release when they confirmed only 8 animals were in the pack.
I'll take Ridgeratts estimate over WDFW's any day of the week. Lets see, heard 5 separate wolves howling 2 years ago and since then they have only had 3 pups. Yeah right........
Maybe you need to go back and watch the video of the trapper and look at his face when the wolves answered him. Way more in that pack then they ever expected.
Post by: bobcat on September 27, 2012, 08:51:31 PM
I was asking for some clarification. My question was not meant to be sarcastic if that's the way you took it.
Did they wipe out the entire pack or not? Or at least are they saying that they wiped out the entire pack? Because from the news release they put out it isn't entirely clear (at least to me).
Post by: Ridgeratt on September 27, 2012, 08:54:45 PM
Post by: bobcat on September 27, 2012, 08:57:30 PM
I am only going by what they stated in the news releases they put out. They said they were going to eliminate the entire pack. I THINK they said today that they DID eliminate the entire pack. My question was "how the hell do they KNOW they did?"
Post by: Kola16 on September 27, 2012, 09:04:51 PM
They count deer and elk? News to me.
News to me also :chuckle: Except I knew they counted elk in some areas.
Post by: Elkslayer on September 27, 2012, 09:07:36 PM
Post by: bobcat on September 27, 2012, 09:10:23 PM
Post by: Mudman on September 27, 2012, 09:15:21 PM
Post by: lokidog on September 27, 2012, 09:20:00 PM
Post by: Bob33 on September 27, 2012, 09:28:00 PM
Bobcat, you had a valid question since THEIR biologists estimated 8-11 animals in the pack and only 6 have been removed. You would think since they could reliably track the pack with the alpha male's collar, they would have an accurate number for the wolves in the pack. Typical WDFW I guess, make up numbers when you don't know....Seven were killed; one was found dead.
Post by: bobcat on September 27, 2012, 09:29:39 PM
Post by: dr.derek on September 27, 2012, 09:33:55 PM
Post by: Bob33 on September 27, 2012, 09:34:33 PM
I think what it is is they're likely taking a lot of heat from the wolf lovers. So they killed the alpha male and want to call it quits, not really saying that they didn't kill the entire pack. It's all in the wording of it. I think they're trying to compromise and are hoping to make both sides happy.There's no likely about it. If you read some of the posts on the WDFW wolf blog there are individuals suggesting the rancher should be killed. Yes, the WDFW statement is ambiguous.
Post by: Ridgeratt on September 27, 2012, 09:34:43 PM
Post by: Mudman on September 27, 2012, 09:35:33 PM
Post by: Ridgeratt on September 27, 2012, 09:37:17 PM
When I use the baseline map they posted it gives me a large area to check out as well.
Post by: Kola16 on September 27, 2012, 09:38:58 PM
I think what it is is they're likely taking a lot of heat from the wolf lovers. So they killed the alpha male and want to call it quits, not really saying that they didn't kill the entire pack. It's all in the wording of it. I think they're trying to compromise and are hoping to make both sides happy.There's no likely about it. If you read some of the posts on the WDFW wolf blog there are individuals suggesting the rancher should be killed. Yes, the WDFW statement is ambiguous.
:yike: :bash: :bash: :bash: The rancher was there first, and has handled everything legally. He has lost a lot of money, and has not accepted any.
Post by: quadrafire on September 27, 2012, 09:39:17 PM
Post by: Ridgeratt on September 27, 2012, 09:43:11 PM
Remember this spring when Yourself, Whacker and I went to the wolf meeting here at the Audubon meeting and I talked to the Bio and told him where to look this is the exact area I suggested he go to. Crazy that they now are up there doing Damage Control.
Post by: Bob33 on September 27, 2012, 09:44:28 PM
Post by: Kola16 on September 27, 2012, 09:47:14 PM
I think what it is is they're likely taking a lot of heat from the wolf lovers. So they killed the alpha male and want to call it quits, not really saying that they didn't kill the entire pack. It's all in the wording of it. I think they're trying to compromise and are hoping to make both sides happy.There's no likely about it. If you read some of the posts on the WDFW wolf blog there are individuals suggesting the rancher should be killed. Yes, the WDFW statement is ambiguous.
:yike: :bash: :bash: :bash: The rancher was there first, and has handled everything legally. He has lost a lot of money, and has not accepted any.
I just read that it is the ranchers fault because he made the wolves eat his cattle :bash: :bash:
Post by: quadrafire on September 27, 2012, 09:47:15 PM
QuadrafireYea I remember. But why do they have to do it "themselves" ? if the want to get the pack removed, why not enlist some help? My bet is there are better hunters on here than on the payroll!!!!! :dunno:
Remember this spring when Yourself, Whacker and I went to the wolf meeting here at the Audubon meeting and I talked to the Bio and told him where to look this is the exact area I suggested he go to. Crazy that they now are up there doing Damage Control.
Post by: bobcat on September 27, 2012, 09:50:01 PM
QuadrafireYea I remember. But why do they have to do it "themselves" ? if the want to get the pack removed, why not enlist some help? My bet is there are better hunters on here than on the payroll!!!!! :dunno:
Remember this spring when Yourself, Whacker and I went to the wolf meeting here at the Audubon meeting and I talked to the Bio and told him where to look this is the exact area I suggested he go to. Crazy that they now are up there doing Damage Control.
Probably because they had fun doing it. Who wouldn't want to shoot wolves from a helicopter? :IBCOOL:
Post by: Ridgeratt on September 27, 2012, 09:51:02 PM
But in the last few weeks the Rose colored rigs were on 2 foot centers. One Friday nite after they annouced the plan I passed 7 of them in a row headed back towards Colville.
Post by: quadrafire on September 27, 2012, 09:52:58 PM
Because if they opened it up it would look like the Old Gold Rush Movies!!Not sure what that means, but I see bobcats point for sure.
But in the last few weeks the Rose colored rigs were on 2 foot centers. One Friday nite after they annouced the plan I passed 7 of them in a row headed back towards Colville.
Post by: Ridgeratt on September 27, 2012, 09:57:31 PM
I offered to take the Bio out and show him the wolves but he wasn't interested back then.
Sorry I meant the Land rushes where all the wagons are lined up and they say go!
Post by: quadrafire on September 27, 2012, 09:59:51 PM
Post by: Ridgeratt on September 27, 2012, 10:00:55 PM
Post by: quadrafire on September 27, 2012, 10:03:58 PM
Rose colored Fords with exempt plates on them. (WDFW):tup:
I'm going to bed. will check back in tomorrow for updates. G'nite
Post by: bearpaw on September 28, 2012, 03:20:57 AM
Post by: teanawayslayer on September 28, 2012, 04:51:09 AM
Post by: 300rum on September 28, 2012, 07:10:45 AM
What was done is the absolute minimum amount to try to appease, not take care of any problem. This is an attempt by WDFW to try to show that they are being "proactive" while at the same time riding the fence on the issue and not tell the public what actually will happen biologically. This was not based on biology or documented cases (that I can find). I can't find anything where we "take out a pack" and let another one replace it with gentler, more understanding animals with discretion of what they eat!
The letter from the Director is a spinless "Oh, I was torn up over this decision. It was so, so hard on me to do this, but it has to be done."
If they were being true to the public and true to "wildlife management", they would have said "this is the first step in actively managing wolves in Washington State since they inhabited the state. We expect to have to do this more and more often as conflict will increase and active management principles will have to be implemented."
If anything, what this tells me is that there is an effort to do the least amount possible to manage wolves in Washington. It won't get better fellas, it is going to get much, much worse.
Post by: JLS on September 28, 2012, 07:30:45 AM
To all of you who are applauding WDFW for taking a "first step", let me break it down for you what is actually happening.
What was done is the absolute minimum amount to try to appease, not take care of any problem. This is an attempt by WDFW to try to show that they are being "proactive" while at the same time riding the fence on the issue and not tell the public what actually will happen biologically. This was not based on biology or documented cases (that I can find). I can't find anything where we "take out a pack" and let another one replace it with gentler, more understanding animals with discretion of what they eat!
The letter from the Director is a spinless "Oh, I was torn up over this decision. It was so, so hard on me to do this, but it has to be done."
If they were being true to the public and true to "wildlife management", they would have said "this is the first step in actively managing wolves in Washington State since they inhabited the state. We expect to have to do this more and more often as conflict will increase and active management principles will have to be implemented."
If anything, what this tells me is that there is an effort to do the least amount possible to manage wolves in Washington. It won't get better fellas, it is going to get much, much worse.
What Washington did was pretty much in line with what other states and the feds have done when a pack exhibits this behavior. You start by killing one or two, and if that doesn't work you kill them all. Of course the area will recolonize with wolves. In some locations wolves seem to have a hard time staying out of trouble. There are areas in MT where wolves can't seen to exist without eating livestock, but there are others where there have been packs for years with little issue.