4 last wolves in Washington pack killed by state hunters

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Nicholas K. Geranios, Associated Press
Updated 1:18 pm CDT, Monday, August 19, 2019



Photo: Uncredited, AP
FILE - In this Feb. 1, 2017, file image provided the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, a wolf pack is captured by a remote camera in Hells Canyon National Recreation Area in northeast Oregon. A lawsuit filed Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019, seeks to prevent the state of Washington from killing more wolves from a pack that is preying on cattle. (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife via AP, File)

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The last four members of a wolf pack that preyed on cattle in a rural Washington state area bordering Canada have been killed by state hunters, prompting protests from environmental groups.

The four wolves were part of a pack that originally had seven members and attacked cows, killing or wounding them 29 times since 2018 and nine times over the last month, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a statement last Friday. Agency director Kelly Susewind authorized the killings of the remaining pack members on July 31.

Environmental groups opposed the killings, which they contended benefited one ranching operation in Ferry County in the remote Kettle River Range of mountains that stretches into the Canadian province of British Columbia.

"It's unbelievably tragic that this wolf family has already been annihiliated by the state," said Sophia Ressler of the Center for Biologicial Diversity, which tried to block the hunt. "It seems like Washington's wildlife agency is bent on wiping out the state's wolves."

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/us/article/All-members-of-wolf-pack-killed-in-Washington-14347822.php

[hlthe2b]

1. ASSHOLES!

Karma arrive quickly...(and hopefully a return of common sense and environmental conscience)

[pazzyanne]

19. "Assholes" is too kind a word for these people!

There are alternatives to killing a pack if people would be willing to work together. We were able to work a plan in Minnesota that values wolves and helped restore them to our state.

[rwsanders]

35. Defenders of Wildlife even subsidizes non-lethal controls

and studies have shown that non-lethal is MORE effective.

I've been trying to start an urban legend, when I wear a shirt with a wolf on it and someone comments on it I'll tell them that "didn't you know that every time you wear something with a wolf on it, somewhere a cowboy wets his chaps?"

[pazzyanne]

40. Been a member of Defenders of Wildlife for over 40 years.

love your comeback to comments!

[Mike 03]

2. It's hard to even read this

It was my parents' generation that brought these beautiful creatures back from the brink of extinction in this country. So I ache for the wolves but also the people that devoted their lives to replenishing the wolf population. The selfish awfulness of what we are becoming as a species is hard to fathom.

[Mendocino]

3. There are no words

[Mrs. Overall]

8. +1

[DemoTex]

4. In 2011 a sub-pack split off of a NE Oregon/SE Washington wolf pack ..

The leader of the splinter pack was wearing a radio tracking device. That smaller pack of wolves headed west-southwest, into the high desert of central Oregon. It was there that our paths crossed (literally).

As the 2011 fire season was winding down in October, Nick (my dog) and I vacated the fire lookout tower on East Butte, in the Deschutes National Forest high desert wilderness. We headed into Bend for a couple of days of equipment cleaning and re-packing before we started the drive back to the east coast.

First thing, I grabbed a Bend Bulletin newspaper and headed to the Deschutes Brewery for a much-needed IPA, or three. Sipping and catching up on the local news a front page story caught my eye: "Wolf pack radio-tracked into Deschutes County." Whoa! Gotta read that.

The part that got the hair standing on the back of my neck was this: the tracking data showed that the wolf pack had slowed down, and circled East Butte four times! The dates on the tracking plot were dates that Nick and I were still at East Butte lookout, and dates we enjoyed hikes in the fine Fall weather of central Oregon. Did they smell Nick? Did they smell me? Who knows.

But the wolves finally continued their westward trek. They crossed the Cascade Range somewhere north of Mt. Thielsen. The pack continued to I-5, and turned south without crossing the highway. They made it down into northern California where, as far as I know, they remain to this day.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Amazing information. Hope the group will stand a chance of surviving. Such magnificent animals. n/t

[GitRDun]

5. Are there more humane ways to deal with these attacks?

29 times since 2018 and nine times over the last month seems like a lot.

My only personal experience with wolves was on my property; 5.6 acres in the middle of 20 acres in Northern Illinois that included some wetlands. We used to hear the deer kills at night when the wolves cycled in.

We got a Rhodesian Ridgeback dog several years after moving in. He eventually ran off all the critters' deer, wild turkeys, rabbits even raccoons. The wolves stopped coming around.

I do think the loss of the wolves is tragic, but when they are having that many attacks, what are the humane ways to keep them out?

I hope there is an answer.

[Judi Lynn]

7. Impressive guardian abilities from your wonderful Ridgeback.

I thought I had heard they were used on estates long ago, went to check Wikipedia:

The Rhodesian Ridgeback has also previously been known as Van Rooyen's lion dog or the African Lion Hound or African Lion Dog—simba inja in Ndebele, shumba imbwa in Shona—because of its ability to keep a lion at bay while awaiting its master's arrival.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesian_Ridgeback

Spectacular friend to have!

Thank you.

[Adsos Letter]

28. Beautiful animal!

Thank you for posting that photo and article Judi Lynn.

[maxsolomon]

9. Trap and relocate.

Or pay the ranchers for their losses.

Or buy out the (probable) Welfare Rancher and return their property to habitat where it belongs.

The Wolves wouldn't be attacking Cattle if they had more abundant prey. Ferry County has <8,000 people.

[CTyankee]

10. what is their normal prey? Why can't they find it?

[maxsolomon]

14. In that Farley Mowatt movie they mostly ate mice.

So IDK.

Elk? Deer?

[CTyankee]

15. Oh. I would have guessed they ate something larger (but not as large as cattle)...elks seem pretty

formidable but I could see deer...

but what do I know

[maxsolomon]

17. I think it was called "Never Cry Wolf".

It was really good, IIRC.

[virgogal]

11. Are you saying that if there were more people the wolves

would have more prey?

[maxsolomon]

13. No, I did not say that.

If there weren't remote cattle ranches there would be less conflict.

[GitRDun]

12. I would vote for trap and relocate or look at where there food has gone.

Wolves are smart animals.

Shortly after we got our dog, they tried to lure my dog into the woods by having a smaller pack member stand at the edge of the woods.

It was really hard to get him in the house. He was not on a leash, so it was either he listened to the old man and the hot dogs he was carrying (lol) or he was toast! We heard the deer kills that night.

I'm sure you are right. If they are hitting the cows, food must be scarce. They should look at that. Hell, all over the central US they are culling deer herds because there are too many. How about trap and relocate some deer!

Well thanks for your thoughts.

Things are testy around here since Trump showed up. It's nice to just yak and learn.

[maxsolomon]

16. Plenty of Deer in Ferry County.

It's likely this pack found it easy to prey on Cattle, so the decision isn't based on whims. They may have been pushed to the margins of the forest by other packs.

[rwsanders]

37. Actually lethal controls cause a spike in attacks on cattle and sheep because it leaves younger,

less experienced, or solo wolves to try to survive on their own. Non-lethal controls reduce losses.

But buyouts should occur. I don't know why we are till babying these pretend cowboys. Heck I've moved all over the nation for jobs, they could be relocated to somewhere far from wolves and raise their cattle on land that was headed to the developers to fuel urban sprawl.

Even if these morons eliminate all the wolves it leaves a vacuum that is soon filled by coyotes who have less fear of people and will attack livestock.

But these are the same people who are so mentally deficient that they vote for Trump, live in pristine areas and vote against the EPA, favor extraction industries over preservation, so the trillion dollar question is how do we fix stupid?

[Mendocino]

30. Wolves in Illinois?

[GitRDun]

38. It was no fox.

We are a block from Wisconsin.

[GitRDun]

39. MAybe coyotes?

[rwsanders]

36. Check the website of Defenders of Wildlife

the following (not exhaustive) list of controls have been shown to be better than lethal control. Defenders will subsidize them:
Range riders
Red flags on fencing (they use some technical term that escapes me at the moment)
Dogs
I've also heard that donkeys in a herd helps.

But don't let the whiny ranchers fool you, losses to wolves are less than 2% and DOW will pay for those losses for ranchers that participate in non-lethal control measures. Losses are far greater to falls and feral dogs.

Largely though they are trying to grow cattle on marginal land that in the past they were pushed into because of competition with famers. There is plenty of land now to raise cattle elsewhere in the country. In the Midwest, acres and acres of farmland is being converted to subdivisions and McMansions despite the fact that 11% of housing units in the nation are empty.

[spike jones]

18. If the cattle were grazing on BLM or USFS public land

the cows should have been removed.
Less than five percent of the nation's beef are produced from public land grazing, but they destroy millions of acres of public land.

[Duppers]

22. +100

[Lulu KC]

33. With you on this

[marieo1]

20. So sad!!

We have become just like animals. They have a place on this earth, just like we do. I guess it doesn't matter if certain people complain about them. I am beginning to believe animals are the superior species!!

[Roy Rolling]

21. Stop eating cows

Not a universal solution, but I’m just as worried about the hundreds of cows brutally killed as I am about the wolves.

Slaughterhouse cattle factories are a horrific place, and those who feed them animals to kill damage the environment. And the product is less-beneficial than similar foodstuffs. But I know steak tastes good and people like to eat what tastes good, so I won’t hijack the thread.

But I have little sympathy for the hunter or the cattle rancher. They should find another job and leave nature alone. We are “managing” her to death.

[jpak]

23. One more reason I do Veggie/Impossible/Beyond plant protein now

Fuck these assholes

[leftyladyfrommo]

24. Farmers could use guardian dogs. They keep wolves

and coyotes and bears away. Mountain lions, too.

Up in that country and over into Montana you need several dogs. Wolves will kill one dog. But they won't take on several guardian dogs.

[eppur_se_muova]

26. Or maybe donkeys ?

In order for donkeys to provide the best predator protection possible it is important to first understand how they protect the flock. The livestock guard animal, regardless of species, is really no different than a security guard, in that in order to provide protection they must both be in the right place at the right time. The more time the guard animals spends with the flock the more likely it will be present when needed. The donkey's natural herding instinct means if properly bonded to the sheep, it will stay with the sheep most of the time. The donkey's herding instinct combined with its inherent dislike and aggressiveness towards coyotes and dogs can make it an effective livestock guard animal... if managed properly.

Donkeys rely predominantly on sight and sound to detect intruders. When approached, sheep will tend to move so the guard animal is between the intruder and themselves. The donkeys' loud brays and quick pursuit will scare away predators and may also alert the shepherd. In most instances donkeys will confront and chase dogs or coyotes out of the pasture. If the canines do not retreat quickly the donkeys will attack them by rising up on their hind legs and striking with both front feet. A solid blow can injure, kill or at the very least discourage the predator.

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/sheep/facts/donkey2.htm

Why in Hell is anyone raising cattle anywhere near Hell's Canyon ? That's rugged country -- probably lose lots of cattle even without wolves.

[Generic Other]

34. OMG I was once trapped in a tree for hours by a crazy donkey

He did exactly what you describe including putting his forelegs on the tree trunk and snapping at me and my friends (4 of us). And then that donkey just circled the tree only to menace us again every time we tried to climb down.

My fun visit to my friend's grandpa's dairy farm.

[Duppers]

25. K & R

[Hotler]

27. If you want to allow YOUR cattle to graze on public land, you should ..

have to accept any collateral damage. Or, keep your cows penned in on your private property. Fuck the cattle industry, their prices are too high.

[Coventina]

29. Fuck cattle ranchers!

[Mendocino]

31. If you care about wildlife and the environment,

go vegan.

[Bayard]

32. Sickening

I can hardly read threads like this anymore because it breaks my heart.

Too many cattle, not enough wolves. Public land (OUR land) is leased to ranchers for pennies per acre. They have no right to kill OUR wolves there!

No doubt this is why tRump is wanting to kick wolves off the endangered species list.