Post by: denali on March 07, 2011, 11:36:29 AM
An adult gray wolf was shot somewhere near Rainy Pass over a year ago, and the skinned carcass was found in eastern Skagit County by state wildlife enforcement officials after they received a tip about the poaching incident.
The poaching was first reported by the Methow Valley News two weeks ago.
“We have some pretty good leads and I would welcome others,” said Mike Cenci, deputy chief of enforcement for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “I can tell you this wasn’t a rancher versus wolf, this was a poacher versus wolf.”
The dead wolf was confirmed by genetic testing to be a gray wolf, listed as an endangered species under state and federal laws. Tests have not been done to determine if the animal was part of the Lookout Mountain gray wolf pack located in the mountains near Twisp.
Two wolves from the Lookout pack were killed three years ago in a case under investigation by federal authorities. The investigation has focused on two Twisp men who live near the area frequented by the wolf pack.
The same men have been charged with several violations of Washington state hunting laws. The violations were discovered during investigation of the wolf poaching incidents. A status conference on the state charges was held Monday (Feb. 28) in Okanogan County District Court and the state case was continued, said David Gecas, deputy prosecuting attorney in the Okanogan County Prosecutor’s office.
“We have been agreeing to continue, waiting to see… whether a resolution can be achieved in the federal case that includes these charges,” Gecas said. The federal case involving the wolf poaching allegations is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney in Spokane.
One of the men has been charged with unlawful hunting during closed season, unlawful hunting without tags, and unlawful use of dogs in hunting. The other man has been charged with unlawful big game hunting and black bear baiting.
Cenci said the killing of the gray wolf near Rainy Pass may not be connected to the strong and “polarizing” opinions that people have about the presence of wolves in Washington.
“There could be a number of motivations for killing a wolf. There are people who don’t care for the fact that these animals are repopulating Washington state. Ranchers and people who grow livestock are concerned about predation. Hunters are concerned about their ability to harvest elk and deer,” Cenci said.
“Indications are neither one of those types of motivations have any relevance to this case. Issues that make the species polarizing may have nothing to do with the poaching. Some people just like to go out and kill stuff.”
Cenci said it appears that the alpha female of the Lookout pack may also have been poached. Wildlife biologists have monitored the pack since it was discovered in 2008 and placed a radio collar on the female wolf. She disappeared suddenly last May and no trace of the wolf or the radio collar, which was programmed to give a special “mortality” signal if the wolf stopped moving, has been found, leading biologists to believe that the wolf was killed and the collar destroyed.
“If somebody knows about the disappearance of that animal, I’d like to know about it,” Cenci said. “I think somebody knows what happened to that animal.”
Biologists believe the Lookout wolf pack, which numbered as many as 10 wolves in 2008, has been cut down to only two or three wolves.
The state offers rewards for information leading to a conviction, including cash rewards, Cenci said. In addition, Tuesday evening (March 1) Conservation Northwest announced that it was boosting the cash reward for information leading to the conviction of anyone who has poached a gray wolf in Washington to as high as $7,500, according to The Spokesman-Review.
Poaching can be reported by calling 1-877-933-9847, or by calling 911 if the poaching is in progress. WDFW also provides an anonymous texting feature to report poaching, which is described on the department website, wdfwa.wa.gov.
Photo courtesy of Washington Deptartment of Fish and Wildlife
http://www.methowvalleynews.com/story.php?id=5308 (http://www.methowvalleynews.com/story.php?id=5308)
and my 1000 th post is about......wait for it.............Wolves :rolleyes: :chuckle:
Post by: sisu on March 07, 2011, 11:49:38 AM
Post by: sakoshooter on March 07, 2011, 01:46:43 PM
Post by: MtnMuley on March 07, 2011, 02:49:13 PM
............So she couldn't have crawled into a den (like every female does when they give birth) and has a life ending miscarriage? That's a bad comment by Cenci in my opinion. I'm pretty sure she was heavily monitored about the time they lost her signal, and she was about to give birth. Maybe all the stress put on the poor girl from all the "Pro-wolf-life Posse", caused her demise and eventual death. Hmmmmmm, now there's a thought........... :dunno:
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on March 07, 2011, 02:58:36 PM
Quote
Biologists believe the Lookout wolf pack, which numbered as many as 10 wolves in 2008, has been cut down to only two or three wolves.
That my friends, is what you call a good start. :chuckle:
Post by: grundy53 on March 07, 2011, 03:07:05 PM
:yeah:QuoteBiologists believe the Lookout wolf pack, which numbered as many as 10 wolves in 2008, has been cut down to only two or three wolves.
That my friends, is what you call a good start. :chuckle:
Post by: WARHORSE on March 07, 2011, 03:25:42 PM
Post by: HighCountryHunter88 on March 07, 2011, 03:35:04 PM
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