Post by: jasnt on July 10, 2015, 03:58:20 PM
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/
July 10, 2015
Contact: Donny Martorello, (360) 902-2521
Craig Bartlett, (360) 902-2259
WDFW takes preventive actions
to reduce conflicts with wolves
OLYMPIA – For the past year, wildlife biologists at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) have been preparing for the summer grazing season when wolves are most likely to encounter livestock in eastern Washington.
Stationed from Okanogan to the Blue Mountains, a team of “wildlife conflict” specialists has been working with ranchers to help them protect their livestock, while field biologists capture and fit wolves with radio-collars to improve state monitoring efforts.
That work will continue even as ranchers move more cattle, sheep, and other livestock into summer grazing areas.
WDFW Director Jim Unsworth, hired to lead the department in January after 30 years as a wildlife manager in Idaho, believes these proactive measures will play an important role in reducing conflicts with wolves in the months ahead.
“Wolves can certainly pose a risk to livestock, and we’re committed to reducing those risks as much possible,” Unsworth said. “Over the past year, we’ve helped dozens of ranchers take measures to protect their animals, and many more have done so on their own.”
Since 2013, WDFW has offered cost-sharing arrangements to livestock producers who invest in non-lethal deterrents such as range riders, guard dogs, “fladry”(fencing), and carcass disposal. During the past year, WDFW signed 41 cooperative agreements with ranchers, committing more than $300,000 in financial assistance to help them adopt measures to protect their livestock.
Other conflict-prevention strategies employed by WDFW in the past year include:
Range riders: WDFW contracted with five range riders that state wildlife managers could deploy to help ranchers monitor their livestock, remove sick and injured animals and haze wolves away from active grazing areas. In addition, all livestock owners with cooperative agreements qualify for cost-sharing arrangements for range riders.
Radio collars: State, federal and tribal biologists have captured 11 wolves and fitted them with radio collars since January. There are now 14 active collars on wolves distributed among 10 of the state’s 16 known wolf packs.
Wildlife conflict staff: WDFW now employs 11 wildlife-conflict specialists to work with livestock producers in areas with active wolf packs. In all, there are 27 members on WDFW’s wildlife-conflict staff, including specialists working statewide on other issues, including deer and elk damage
A Wolf Conflict-Deterrence Update, which describes how proactive strategies have been applied to specific areas occupied by wolf packs, is available on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/livestock/deterrence_updates.html.
Prior to spring pupping season, a survey conducted by WDFW found a minimum of 68 gray wolves in Washington, up 30 percent from the previous year. The number of confirmed wolf packs also increased to 16 from 12 the year before.
As the state’s wolf population continues to rise, ranchers in eastern Washington have reported losing an increasing number of livestock to wolf predation.
On two occasions – in 2012 and 2014 – WDFW took lethal action against wolf packs involved in persistent attacks on livestock. Both actions occurred in the eastern third of the state, where wolves are no longer listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act.
Still in his first year as WDFW director, Unsworth has extensive experience with wolf management from his work in Idaho, a state with nearly 10 times as many wolves as Washington.
Noting that Washington’s Wolf Conservation and Management Plan provides guidance for both lethal and non-lethal wolf-deterrence strategies, Unsworth said he plans to emphasize preventive measures to reduce conflicts with wolves.
“Washington needs to chart its own course in wolf management,” Unsworth said. “I think the proactive strategies we’ve pursued over the past year have put us on the right path and reinforced the importance of working with livestock producers to minimize conflicts with wolves.”
Post by: Jonathan_S on July 10, 2015, 04:22:21 PM
I too have a great idea for preventative measures...measuring 54 grains of H4350 and seating a 117 grain .257 projectile.
Post by: jasnt on July 10, 2015, 04:24:58 PM
Thanks for posting.:tup: I like your methods much better than wdfw's
I too have a great idea for preventative measures...measuring 54 grains of H4350 and seating a 117 grain .257 projectile.
Post by: Jonathan_S on July 10, 2015, 04:29:11 PM
:peep:
Post by: CAMPMEAT on July 10, 2015, 04:38:25 PM
Post by: jasnt on July 10, 2015, 05:52:21 PM
Post by: denali on July 10, 2015, 06:24:28 PM
Is there really any one that believes these non leathel deturents will work to prevent predation on livestock?
Uhmmm....No http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdoors/2015/jul/10/wolves-kill-cattle-stevens-county-near-chewelah/
Post by: jasnt on July 10, 2015, 08:26:30 PM
we need a sarcasm faceIs there really any one that believes these non leathel deturents will work to prevent predation on livestock?
Uhmmm....No http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdoors/2015/jul/10/wolves-kill-cattle-stevens-county-near-chewelah/
Post by: JimmyHoffa on July 10, 2015, 08:31:55 PM
Is there really any one that believes these non leathel deturents will work to prevent predation on livestock?Lots apparently, but they believe whatever DOW and CNW tell them about their favorite wolf pups and bear cubs and cougar kittens.
Post by: CAMPMEAT on July 10, 2015, 08:41:11 PM
Is there really any one that believes these non leathel deturents will work to prevent predation on livestock?
Uhmmm....No http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdoors/2015/jul/10/wolves-kill-cattle-stevens-county-near-chewelah/
I never saw any of this on the news. Are we sure this even happened ?
Post by: jasnt on July 10, 2015, 10:02:11 PM
i read about it on wdfw's face book pageIs there really any one that believes these non leathel deturents will work to prevent predation on livestock?
Uhmmm....No http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdoors/2015/jul/10/wolves-kill-cattle-stevens-county-near-chewelah/
I never saw any of this on the news. Are we sure this even happened ?
Post by: Little Dave on July 10, 2015, 10:11:27 PM
Post by: 7.62Warbird on July 31, 2015, 09:25:56 AM
Post by: Landowner on August 26, 2015, 11:19:36 AM
Quote
WDFW draws a line against Huckleberry wolf pack
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says the Huckleberry wolfpack will be thinned if there's one more depredation.
http://www.capitalpress.com/Livestock/20150822/wdfw-draws-a-line-against-huckleberry-wolf-pack
Post by: jasnt on August 26, 2015, 09:48:29 PM
"Dashiell estimated he lost more than 200 sheep to wolves last year. He said Friday that he’s lost about seven sheep this year, though WDFW has not confirmed any were killed by wolves. Three sheep were attacked by cougars, WDFW concluded.
"
"Elsewhere in Washington this summer, wolves in the Dirty Shirt pack, also in Stevens County, have killed three cows and one calf. The Teanaway pack in Kittitas County killed a yearling Angus."
Price of having unmanaged wolves in our state just keeps going up :bash:
Only good I see coming from this is public tolerance will just continue to decline
Post by: wolfbait on August 28, 2015, 06:34:36 AM
Post by: Little Dave on August 29, 2015, 03:41:18 PM
If we want to turn this stuff around in our lifetime, we need to reach out to the general public and speak to them not so much to push our agenda but to strengthen our common interests. Here's an example of what should be done in our state:
Youtube - Colorado Model (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqv2AAKFu5g) (about 10 minutes)
Post by: jasnt on August 29, 2015, 04:10:47 PM
No, I don't get that impression. The impression I get is that most people don't even know that the wildlife agencies even exist and most don't know that there is a wolf issue. We see this and we are concerned about it but we are not nearly as organized as these non-profits. The non-profits are masters of deception and milking the good, charitable intention of the general public to do good things for the environment.something like this could help us in Washington. Anything that can gain us support from the public and specifically voters is what we need cause right now " they" are using the voters against us
If we want to turn this stuff around in our lifetime, we need to reach out to the general public and speak to them not so much to push our agenda but to strengthen our common interests. Here's an example of what should be done in our state:
Youtube - Colorado Model (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqv2AAKFu5g) (about 10 minutes)
Post by: CAMPMEAT on August 30, 2015, 03:01:44 PM
Post by: Little Dave on August 30, 2015, 11:26:15 PM
Today in our state there are millions of non-sportsmen that don't know that they have a lot in common with us. They may not want to get their shoes dirty, or miss a show, and they might not know if what they saw was a deer or an elk. Even so, they want there to be plenty "deers" and "elks" in the woods and the rivers teeming with fish. We simply do not do a good job reaching out to them. We're not there, so the deceptive non-profits have moved in like vultures to fleece money from these folks.
The problem can be solved. If we had non-sportsmen on our side, we could roll back a number of bad laws and policies. Likely, we could flush a lot of nonsense out of the game department. Probably at least a ten to twenty year process, but worth the wait.
Post by: fastdam on August 31, 2015, 04:13:02 AM
I think more people are beginning to realize that wolf control will have to come from the public, the USFWS, WDFW, CNW, DoW are all the same outfit> Look at the wolf plan WA ended up with and then look at where we are today.
These agencies all work toword the same agenda, Rewilding. The general public is ignorant of any agenda at all and calls anyone who tries to help them become aware a conspiracy theorist. We are left watching our self governed country be turned into just a state in the global order. Sickening.