This is an update for the Leadpoint pack following the Oct. 9 lethal removal authorization by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Director Kelly Susewind.
On Oct. 9, 2022, WDFW Director Kelly Susewind authorized the lethal removal of one wolf from the Leadpoint pack territory in response to repeated depredations of cattle on private grazing lands in Stevens County.
WDFW has not removed any Leadpoint wolves since the authorization. WDFW previously reported that Producer 2 (one of the two livestock producers affected by livestock depredation attributed to the Leadpoint pack) removes or buries cattle carcasses in accordance with proper carcass sanitation practices. However, following the authorization, WDFW staff found previously undiscovered livestock carcasses that had not been properly disposed of in Producer 2’s affected pasture. WDFW staff are working to gather additional information from the livestock producer and range riders.
Since the discovery of the carcasses, there have been no active lethal removal attempts in the Leadpoint pack territory, and Director Susewind rescinded the lethal removal authorization on Oct. 12, 2022.
Previous updates
2022 Leadpoint pack updates
WDFW will provide a final report on this and any other lethal removal actions during 2022 in the Washington Gray Wolf Conservation and Management 2022 Annual Report, which will be published during spring 2023.
A summary of all documented depredation activity within the past 10 months is included in every monthly wolf update.