This update provides an overview of gray wolf conservation and management activities in Washington during July 2020.
Program updates
On Sept. 30, 2019, Washington Governor Jay Inslee sent a letter to WDFW asking for changes to the state's gray wolf recovery program, specific to the area of northeast Washington. WDFW Director Kelly Susewind issued a response on Dec. 1, 2019, and a follow-up response on July 27, 2020.
A King County Superior Court judge found in favor of WDFW in a case that challenged the 2019 lethal removal of members of the Old Profanity Territory (OPT) wolf pack. The court denied the petitioners’ request for declaratory and injunctive relief by affirming the July 31, 2019 lethal removal authorization of Director Susewind under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and also rejected Petitioners’ State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) arguments. The judge’s decision can be found on the WDFW website here. WDFW previously published updates on this case on Jan. 10 and Feb. 20.
Communication and coordination
WDFW developed a printable informational brochure on Washington wolves including history, population numbers, pack territories, and more.
Current population status and proactive conflict mitigation
The year-end minimum population count for 2019 was at least 108 known wolves in 21 known packs including at least 10 breeding pairs. The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation reported 37 wolves in five packs. Annual wolf population surveys are conducted in the winter because wolf populations experience the least amount of natural fluctuation during this time. Counting the population at the end of each year allows for comparable year-to-year trends at a time of year when the wolf population is most stable. The year-end minimum population count for 2020 will be released in April 2021.
Reports of remote camera images or videos, wolf tracks, or sightings from the public are extremely helpful in locating previously undocumented wolf activity and potential new packs on the landscape. Please take photos of wolves or wolf sign (use some way to measure the size of a track) and upload them to the wolf reporting page via the following link: https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/at-risk/species-recovery/gray-wolf/observations
Definitions: A “pack” is defined as two or more wolves traveling together in winter, and a “breeding pair” is defined as at least one adult male and one adult female wolf that raised at least two pups that survived until December 31. In any given year, the number of packs will always be greater than or equal to the number of breeding pairs. The known territories and more information for each pack can be viewed by clicking the pack name.
Beaver Creek pack
No activity to report.
Butte Creek pack
No activity to report.
Carpenter Ridge pack
No activity to report.
Diobsud Creek pack
WDFW checked trail cameras deployed within this pack territory and did not detect any wolves.
Dirty Shirt pack
WDFW staff attempted to capture wolves in the Dirty Shirt pack for collaring. No wolves were captured. Trail cameras and tracks indicate there are several adults and pups in the pack at this time.
Goodman Meadows pack
No activity to report.
Grouse Flats pack
Trail cameras and collar activity indicate that the Grouse Flats wolves are still active within their traditional territory.
Huckleberry pack
No activity to report.
Kettle pack
Trail cameras continue to detect wolves in this pack territory.
Leadpoint pack
WDFW staff checked trail cameras in this pack territory and documented the presence of pups and multiple adults. WDFW staff deployed fladry, fox lights, and a RAG box to mitigate wolf-livestock conflict in this area. Despite ramping up nonlethal tools in the affected private pasture, WDFW staff have continued to document wolf depredations in this area.
Lookout pack
No activity to report.
Loup Loup pack
No activity to report.
Naneum pack
No conflicts between wolves and livestock were reported in the Naneum pack territory this month. Based on collar data, wolves and livestock occupied the same areas, but no negative interactions could be detected. An WDFW-contracted range rider is working in the territory.
Salmo pack
No activity to report.
Sherman pack
No activity to report.
Smackout pack
On July 24, WDFW staff conducted an investigation of a dead calf in a private pasture in Stevens County. This incident occurred within the Smackout pack territory. The calf had significant bite wounds and lacerations on both rear legs. Staff also noted bite wounds and hemorrhaging in the left armpit area. The combination of bite wounds and lacerations with associated hemorrhaging, signs of a struggle and wolf tracks documented at the scene, and recent wolf locations in the area provide evidence consistent with a confirmed wolf depredation. Cattle Producers of Washington range riders had been in the pasture and will continue their activities. Staff provided fox lights for the livestock producer. WDFW staff removed the carcass from the scene. Elsewhere in the Smackout territory, WDFW staff deployed a RAG box to mitigate wolf-livestock conflict.
Stranger pack
Range riders observed wolf pups in the Stranger pack territory and have captured several wolves on trail camera.
Strawberry pack
No activity to report.
Sullivan Creek pack
No activity to report.
Teanaway pack
No conflicts between wolves and livestock were reported in the Teanaway pack territory this month. Cattle were moved away from the probable den site vicinity and no wolf-livestock conflict was detected. Wolf sightings and trail camera images were reported in several parts of the pack territory this month. A WDFW-contracted range rider is working in the territory.
Togo pack
Range riders have detected wolves on trail camera and have identified wolf pup sign in the Togo pack territory.
Touchet pack
No activity to report.
Tucannon pack
WDFW staff documented tracks and sign of multiple adult wolves within this pack territory.
Wedge pack
Following several confirmed wolf depredations in the Wedge pack territory, WDFW Director Kelly Susewind authorized the lethal removal of one Wedge wolf. WDFW removed an adult, non-breeding female on July 27. Following the lethal removal, WDFW staff have conducted many depredation investigations of livestock reported as injured by wolves in the Wedge pack territory. Based on the age of the documented injuries, two of these events are believed to have occurred after the July 27 lethal removal.
Miscellaneous/lone wolves
Near Vulcan Mountain in Ferry County, WDFW staff identified wolf sign but did not capture any wolves on trail camera. Staff deployed an additional trail camera to increase surveillance and monitoring.
WDFW staff continued to document wolf activity in the area south of the Lookout pack territory.
Note: The Frosty, Nason, Nc’icn, and Whitestone pack territories are within Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (CTCR) lands and are managed under tribal authority. Information regarding these packs is proprietary and reported at the discretion of the CTCR.
Mortalities
A solitary wolf (known as 32M) formerly of the Teanaway pack was documented traveling alone since March. WDFW staff documented this wolf dead in July at approximately 12 years old; he died of natural causes.
WDFW lethally removed a wolf from the Wedge pack in July.
As of this update, WDFW has documented three wolf mortalities in 2020.
Depredation activity
Please report any suspected livestock depredations or the death or harassment of wolves to the WDFW Enforcement Hotline at 1-877-933-9847.
In 2019, 85% of known wolf packs were not involved in any documented livestock depredation.
Below is a summary of packs with documented depredation activity within the past ten months (some packs have depredation history prior to the current ten-month window; this timeframe is considered based on guidance from the wolf-livestock interaction protocol).
|
Pack |
Depredation date |
Depredation type |
Proactive non-lethals |
Ten-month window |
Agency lethal removal actions |
|
Leadpoint |
6/19/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
4/19/21 |
|
|
|
6/19/20 |
Confirmed injury of two calves |
Yes |
4/19/21 |
|
|
|
6/19/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
4/19/21 |
|
|
|
6/28/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
4/28/21 |
|
|
|
8/3/20 |
Confirmed mortality of calf (calf died from injuries) |
Yes |
6/3/21 |
|
|
|
8/7/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
6/7/21 |
|
|
|
8/7/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
6/7/21 |
|
|
|
8/7/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
6/7/21 |
|
|
|
8/7/20 |
Confirmed kill of calf |
Yes |
6/7/21 |
|
|
Togo |
9/11/19 |
Probable kill of calf |
Yes |
7/11/20 |
|
|
|
6/6/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
4/6/21 |
|
|
Grouse Flats |
9/12/19 |
Confirmed injury of cow |
Yes |
7/12/20 |
Adult female lethally removed 9/25/19 |
|
|
2/3/20 |
Confirmed kill of calf |
Yes |
12/3/20 |
|
|
Smackout |
4/3/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
2/3/21 |
|
|
|
7/24/20 |
Confirmed kill of calf |
Yes |
5/24/21 |
|
|
Wedge |
5/11/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
3/11/21 |
|
|
|
5/19/20 |
Confirmed kill of calf |
Yes |
3/19/21 |
|
|
|
5/19/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
3/19/21 |
|
|
|
6/17/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
4/17/21 |
|
|
|
7/11/20 |
Confirmed injury of three calves |
Yes |
5/11/21 |
|
|
|
7/11/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
5/11/21 |
|
|
|
7/11/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
5/11/21 |
|
|
|
7/11/20 |
Confirmed injury of two calves |
Yes |
5/11/21 |
|
|
|
7/13/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
5/13/21 |
|
|
|
7/25/20 |
Confirmed kill of calf and injury of calf |
Yes |
5/25/21 |
Adult female lethally removed 7/27/20 |
|
|
7/29/20 |
Probable kill of calf |
Yes |
5/29/21 |
|
|
|
7/29/20 |
Confirmed injury of two calves |
Yes |
5/29/21 |
|
|
|
7/30/20 |
Confirmed injury of two calves |
Yes |
5/30/21 |
|
|
|
7/31/20 |
Confirmed injury of two calves |
Yes |
5/31/21 |
|
|
|
7/31/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
5/31/21 |
|
|
|
8/1/20 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
6/1/21 |
|
|
Single wolf 32M |
4/24/20 |
Probable kill of calves |
Yes |
2/24/21 |
Wolf 32M died of natural causes in July and will be removed from this list in the next monthly update. |