Post by: jackelope on February 15, 2013, 11:44:12 AM
according to annual survey
OLYMPIA - The number of confirmed gray wolves and wolf packs in the state nearly doubled during the past year, according to an annual survey released today by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
Based on field reports and aerial monitoring, the 2012 survey confirms the presence of at least 51 wolves in nine wolf packs with a total of five successful breeding pairs. The previous year's survey documented 27 wolves, five wolf packs and three breeding pairs.
A wolf pack is defined as two or more wolves traveling together. A successful breeding pair is defined as an adult male and female with at least two pups that survive until the end of the calendar year.
"The survey shows that our state's wolf population is growing quickly," said Nate Pamplin, WDFW wildlife program director. "That growth appears to be the result of both natural reproduction and the continuing in-migration of wolves from Canada and neighboring states."
Pamplin said the actual number of wolves in Washington state is likely much higher than the number confirmed by the survey, noting that field biologists currently suspect the existence of two additional packs. In addition, lone wolves often go uncounted and those that range into Washington but den in other states are not included in WDFW's survey, he said.
Considering those factors, and applying an estimate of the average pack size in other western states, there could easily be as many as 100 wolves in Washington, Pamplin said.
"The survey is the baseline we use to monitor wolves' progress toward recovery," he said. "While we've stepped up our monitoring efforts significantly over the past year, we recognize that it does not account for every wolf within our state's borders."
One of the nine packs represented in the survey is the Wedge pack, which now has two confirmed members in northeastern Washington. Last summer, WDFW eliminated seven members of the pack to end a series of attacks on an area rancher's cattle that left six calves dead and 10 other animals injured.
Pamplin said wildlife biologists do not know whether the two wolves living near the Canadian border in Stevens County are members of the original Wedge pack or whether they are new arrivals from inside or outside the state.
"Either way, we were confident that wolves would repopulate that area," he said. "We really hope to prevent the kind of situation we faced with the Wedge pack last summer by working with ranchers to use non-lethal methods to protect their livestock."
The gray wolf is currently listed by the state as an endangered species throughout Washington and is federally listed as endangered in the western two-thirds of the state. Once common, wolves were essentially eliminated in most western states during the past century because they preyed on livestock.
Under the state's Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, wolves can be removed from the state's endangered species list once 15 successful breeding pairs are documented for three consecutive years among three designated wolf-recovery regions. Four pairs are required in Eastern Washington, four pairs in the North Cascades, four pairs in South Cascades/Northwest Coast and three pairs in any recovery region.
More information on the state's wolf packs and the 2012 survey is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/packs/ .
Reports of possible wolf sightings can be made to WDFW's wildlife reporting line by calling (877) 933-9847.
Post by: LeeMajors on February 15, 2013, 11:46:02 AM
Post by: Dhoey07 on February 15, 2013, 11:54:57 AM
Documented wolves nearly doubled, with estimates of ~100 total wolves in the state.
That's what i think the title should be
Post by: luvmystang67 on February 15, 2013, 01:45:32 PM
Post by: jackmaster on February 15, 2013, 02:19:24 PM
Post by: cougarbart on February 15, 2013, 04:53:08 PM
Post by: rfhd69 on February 15, 2013, 08:58:00 PM
i got a feeling it is really going to go up, from the looks of it we are going to have a dry warm spring which is great for pups
:yeah:
Post by: Ridgeratt on February 15, 2013, 09:29:05 PM
1: Most of the folks have no interest unless they are in the back yard, and as long as they don't really effect my hunting. I'm still ok with sending you some!!
2: I have made every wolf meeting on this side of the state either in Spokane or Colville. I can almost repeat the WDFW speech verbatim
3: The Region 1 Bio has a better grasp of the whats going on than anyone gives him credit for but his hands are tied by bureaucracy!
So I have nothing in input and will just sit with my tin foil hat on. :tinfoil:
Post by: h2ofowlr on February 15, 2013, 09:33:03 PM
Post by: mkcj on February 15, 2013, 09:40:38 PM
Post by: nwwanderer on February 16, 2013, 07:46:57 AM
Post by: mazama on February 16, 2013, 08:26:04 AM
Post by: bigbeamhunter on February 16, 2013, 09:03:05 AM
Post by: bigbeamhunter on February 16, 2013, 09:08:19 AM
I think the only to make the state take notice would to be everyone to just not hunt for a year and keep the millions of dollars out of their pockets it would really suck but I'd do for a year to be able to hunt for the rest of my life.
Post by: jackelope on February 17, 2013, 02:12:31 PM
How much of our hunting license purchases go to fund the wolf re introduction and to game dept to monitor it
I think the only to make the state take notice would to be everyone to just not hunt for a year and keep the millions of dollars out of their pockets it would really suck but I'd do for a year to be able to hunt for the rest of my life.
There has been no re-introduction.
Your taking a year off would have little to no effect on how many wolves walk into our state from Idaho, Canada and Oregon as there is no charge for them to cross the borders.
That ought to light things up a bit.
Post by: Curly on February 17, 2013, 02:22:39 PM
I don't mind some of my license fee money going to fund trapping and collaring of wolves, but when WDFW comes-up with a ludicrous wolf plan instead of allowing shooting of wolves on-sight in the Federally delisted portion of the state, I have to question if my money is being spent wisely (and I think it is obviously not being spent wisely).
It is sad to think that deer/elk tag money might be spent on wolf management (or mismanagement depending on one's perspective).
Post by: Dan-o on February 17, 2013, 02:27:55 PM
Post by: Curly on February 17, 2013, 02:29:51 PM
Post by: Ridgeratt on February 18, 2013, 08:12:16 AM
I should add though, that I was impressed with WDFW's decision to kill a bunch of wolves out of the Wedge Pack. Though, I do think they screwed up by killing the one with the collar. They should have left the collared one to try to locate more wolves. But it is hard to complain about a dead wolf........so I will have to say they did okay. :twocents:
Post by: Curly on February 18, 2013, 08:46:10 AM
Post by: waterdoctor on February 18, 2013, 09:48:31 AM
Wedge pack range that they got with the tracking collar they stayed west of Hungry Hill. Also there was no reported cow kills down by us. I asked the question of the bio's why was there location specific behavior of the Wedge Pack? They could not give me an answer.
Do not get me wrong, I like the bio's in Colville and think that are doing the best they can. Once the snow cleans up a little I am going to do my best to locate and document the second wedge pack.
Post by: mulehunter on February 20, 2013, 04:09:42 PM
Post by: Hermannr on February 21, 2013, 11:00:43 PM
Post by: Ridgeratt on February 24, 2013, 06:12:43 PM
A set of wolves in a calving pen last week!!
Must be "Obake"