Monthly Wolf Report - September 2018

This report provides information about wolf conservation and management activities undertaken by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) from Sept. 1-30, 2018.

Statewide Wolf Capture, Survey, and Management

Surveys

Wolf biologists spent time trapping in the Togo pack territory and scouting in the Wedge and Old Profanity Peak territories. They also scouted areas in the North Central part of the state, searching for wolf sign in areas where no wolf packs have yet been confirmed.

Wolf biologists also followed up on some reports in the central portion of the state, where they located some potential wolf sign in the Nanuem area north of Ellensburg. They will continue scouting in this area.

Proactive Deterrence Measures

Contracted range riders coordinated with additional livestock producers as the packs became more mobile this month. Range riders monitored livestock within the Loup Loup and Beaver Creek pack territories based on wolf sightings reports. Sanitation (removal of dead livestock) has been occurring on an as-needed basis.

Kittitas County

Permit grazing for cattle is active in the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Teanaway Community Forest in the Teanaway pack’s known territory.

  • Sanitation measures have been undertaken in the pack territory during September.

  • Range riders, producers, and WDFW are present throughout the pack territory on a daily basis monitoring livestock behavior. No sick, injured, or missing livestock animals were observed or suspected in the pack’s territory.

  • Wolf movements this month have been recorded by collar data and remote cameras.

  • Sheep were removed from the Teanaway pack’s known territory in late August.

  • No wolf/livestock incidents were reported or suspected in September.

District 3 (Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, and Walla Walla counties)

Following an increase in wolf activity and two confirmed wolf depredations on livestock in the Grouse Flats area in the months of August and September, the producer and cooperators have increased the frequency of deterrence measures (range riders, human presence, and the deployment of fox lights) on the landscape across District 3. Along with the increased effort by the producer and their range riders, two wildlife conflict specialists have been monitoring private pastures and federal allotments.

Both wildlife conflict specialists, along with other WDFW personnel, have received multiple reports of wolves, wolf tracks, and scat observed across the district. Wildlife conflict staff members continue to work closely with producers and the United States Forest Service (USFS) range mangers to prevent any further wolf/livestock conflict. No conflicts or depredations have been reported since the confirmed depredation of a 600-pound calf in the Grouse Flats area on Sept. 1.

Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille counties

District wildlife conflict staff members continued to meet and coordinate with livestock producers, USFS, and local sheriff office personnel in northeastern Washington. This coordination will continue throughout the grazing season. Information on Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreements for Livestock, WDFW Contracted Range Rider deployment, and wolf high use areas were shared, along with depredation investigations.

Range rider efforts on some grazing allotments are ending for the season as cattle are being removed from the landscape. Cattle are removed for a variety of reasons, including wolf activity, decrease in forage, seasonal temperatures, or end of grazing season dates as agreed to by USFS. A variety of nonlethal deterrents continued to be deployed in:

  • Goodman Meadows (e.g., WDFW presence and human presences).

  • Huckleberry (e.g., range riding, fox lights).

  • Leadpoint (e.g., human presence and fox lights).

  • OPT (e.g., range riding, removal of injured livestock, fladry, fox lights)

  • Smackout (e.g., fox lights, fladry, air horns, pyrotechnics, range riding, and a RAG box.

  • Stranger (e.g., range riding, human presence, sanitation, continual improvements on calving locations, and fox lights)

  • Togo (e.g., range riding and removal/treatment of sick/injured).

WDFW has also been spending time on allotments assisting range riders in coverage. Direct hazing of wolves occurred in Togo this month.

In addition, WDFW has been coordinating with both Ferry and Stevens counties on responses to depredation investigations by a legislator funded special deputy.

Depredation investigations

Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille counties

This is a partial list of depredation investigations conducted in District 1.

  • Aug. 10 – WDFW investigated a report of an injured calf in Ferry County that was determined to be a Confirmed Wolf Depredation. This depredation was associated with the Togo pack.

  • Aug. 12 – WDFW investigated a report of a dead sheep in Stevens County that was determined to be a Confirmed Non-Wolf Depredation involving coyotes.

  • Aug. 14 – WDFW investigated a report of a calf carcass in Stevens County that was determined to be a Confirmed Non-Wolf Depredation involving coyotes.

  • Aug. 14 – WDFW investigated a report of a calf carcass in Stevens County that was determined to be an Unconfirmed Cause of Death due to the age of the carcass (more than 10 days old).

  • August 15 – WDFW investigated a report of two dead sheep in Stevens County that was determined to be a Confirmed Non-Wolf Depredation involving a cougar.

  • August 18 – WDFW investigated a report of an injured calf in Ferry County that was determined to be a Confirmed Wolf Depredation. This depredation was associated with the Togo pack.

  • August 19 – WDFW investigated a report of a calf carcass in Ferry County that was determined to be an Unconfirmed Cause of Death.

  • August 20 – WDFW investigated a report of an injured calf in Stevens County that was determined to be a Confirmed Wolf Depredation. This depredation was associated with the Smackout pack.

  • August 21 – WDFW investigated a report of a calf carcass in Ferry County that was determined to be an Unconfirmed Cause of Death.

  • August 24 – WDFW investigated a report of a cow carcass in Stevens County that was determined to be an Unconfirmed Cause of Death.

  • August 26 – WDFW investigated a report of a calf carcass in Ferry County that was determined to be an Unconfirmed Cause of Death.

  • August 26 – WDFW investigated a report of a calf carcass in Ferry County that was determined to be an Unconfirmed Cause of Death.

  • August 27 – WDFW investigated a report of one dead sheep in Stevens County that was determined to be a Confirmed Non-Wolf Depredation involving a cougar.

  • August 29 – WDFW investigated a report of one dead sheep in Stevens County that was determined to be a Confirmed Non-Wolf Depredation involving a cougar.

  • August 29 – WDFW investigated a report of a dead goat in Stevens County that was determined to be a Confirmed Non-Wolf Depredation involving a cougar.

  • September 5 – WDFW investigated a report of two injured calves and one calf morality in Ferry County. Wolves were involved in all three depredations. These depredations were associated with the OPT pack.

  • September 7 – WDFW investigated a report of a calf injured in Ferry County that was determined to be a Confirmed Wolf Depredation. This depredation was associated with the OPT pack.

  • September 7 – WDFW investigated a second report of an injured calf in Ferry County that was determined to be a Confirmed Wolf Depredation. This depredation was associated with the Togo pack.

  • September 11 – WDFW investigated a report of a calf injured in Ferry County that was determined to be a Confirmed Wolf Depredation. This depredation was associated with the OPT pack.

  • September 17 – WDFW investigated a report of a cow mortality in Ferry County that was determined to be a Confirmed Wolf Depredation. This depredation was associated with the OPT pack.

  • September 21 – WDFW investigated a report of five injured calves in Ferry County that was determined to be Confirmed Wolf Depredations. This depredations was associated with the OPT pack.

  • September 21 – WDFW investigated a report of another injured calf in Ferry County that was determined to be a Non-Depredation.

  • September 26 – WDFW investigated a report of two sheep mortalities in Stevens County that were determined to be Non-Wolf Depredations involving coyotes.

  • September 28 – WDFW investigated a report of a possible colt depredation in Stevens County that was determined to be a Non-Depredation.