This update provides an overview of gray wolf conservation and management activities in Washington during September 2019.
Program updates
WDFW is seeking candidates to serve for the next three years (2019-2021) on the Wolf Advisory Group (WAG), the citizen committee that advises the department on wolf conservation and management. For more information and to learn how to apply, see the news release.
WDFW is currently accepting comments on the scope of an updated wolf conservation and management (post-recovery) plan. The deadline for submitting comments is Nov. 1, 2019 at 5:00 pm.
WDFW held two online, interactive webinars in September to discuss this effort and answer questions from the public. The recorded webinars may be viewed at the following links:
One more live interactive webinar will be held on Tuesday, October 15, 6-7:30 p.m. (participate by clicking on the link at the time of the webinar).
Printable PDFs of shareable information about wolf post-recovery planning for public distribution are available here:
Background and FAQ (PDF)
Information postcard (PDF)
Scoping comment form (PDF)
Scoping presentation slides (PDF)
Communication and coordination
WDFW held a conference call on Sept. 27 to share with Wolf Advisory Group members and the public how WDFW used the 2011 Wolf Conservation and Management Plan and wolf-livestock interaction protocol (PDF) as guidance in the Director’s Sep. 24 decision to authorize lethal removal of wolves from the Grouse Flats pack. Notes from the call will be made available here.
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 (PDF) on Oct. 1.
Current population status and proactive conflict mitigation
The year-end minimum population count for 2018 was at least 126 known wolves in 27 known packs including at least 15 breeding pairs. 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 2019 will be released in April 2020.
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
No activity to report.
Dirty Shirt pack
No activity to report.
Goodman Meadows pack
No activity to report.
Grouse Flats pack
For information on the Grouse Flats pack during September, please see updates posted on Sept. 9, Sept. 20, and Sept. 24. On Sept. 25, WDFW lethally removed an adult female wolf from the pack. WDFW Director Kelly Susewind authorized incremental removal of wolves from the Grouse Flats pack on Sept. 24 after WDFW staff confirmed four livestock depredations by the pack in approximately two months. The pack has been involved in seven depredations since Aug. 23, 2018.
Huckleberry pack
No activity to report.
Leadpoint pack
No activity to report.
Lookout pack
No activity to report.
Loup Loup pack
No activity to report.
Naneum pack
Sheep have come off the range in the pack territory. Cattle remain in the pack territory and a range rider and the producer are monitoring cattle. No wolf-livestock interactions have been reported in September.
Salmo pack
No activity to report.
Sherman pack
No activity to report.
Smackout pack
No activity to report.
Stranger pack
No activity to report.
Strawberry pack
No activity to report.
Teanaway pack
Sheep have been moved to the outer edge of the pack territory. Cattle remain in the pack territory and no wolf-livestock interactions were reported in September.
Togo pack
No activity to report.
Touchet pack
No activity to report.
Tucannon pack
No activity to report.
Wedge pack
No activity to report.
Miscellaneous/lone wolves
No activity to report.
Note: The Frosty, Nason, Nc’icn, and Whitestone pack territories are within the Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT) reservation and are managed under tribal authority. Information regarding these packs is proprietary and reported at the discretion of the CCT.
Mortalities
On Sept. 25, WDFW lethally removed an adult female member of the Grouse Flats wolf pack.
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 2018, 81% 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 (PDF)).
|
Pack |
Depredation date |
Depredation type |
Proactive non-lethals |
Ten-month window |
Agency lethal removal actions |
|
Togo |
7/24/19 |
Confirmed kill of calf |
Yes |
5/24/20 |
Adult male lethally removed 9/2/18 |
|
|
7/29/19 |
Confirmed kill of calf |
Yes |
5/29/20 |
|
|
|
7/31/19 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
5/31/20 |
|
|
|
8/11/19 |
Confirmed kill of calf |
Yes |
6/11/20 |
|
|
|
8/11/19 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
6/11/20 |
|
|
|
8/11/19 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
6/11/20 |
|
|
|
8/23/19 |
Confirmed kill of calf |
Yes |
6/23/20 |
|
|
|
8/31/19 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
6/30/20 |
|
|
|
9/10/19 |
Probable kill of calf |
Yes |
7/10/20 |
|
|
OPT |
7/6/19 |
Confirmed kill of cow |
Yes |
5/6/20 |
Adult male lethally removed 7/13/19 |
|
|
7/18/19 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
5/18/20 |
|
|
|
7/18/19 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
5/18/20 |
|
|
|
7/20/19 |
Confirmed kill of calf |
Yes |
5/20/20 |
|
|
|
7/22/19 |
Probable kill of calf |
Yes |
5/22/20 |
|
|
|
7/26/19 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
5/26/20 |
|
|
|
7/26/19 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
5/26/20 |
|
|
|
7/26/19 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
5/26/20 |
|
|
|
7/31/19 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
5/31/20 |
|
|
|
8/5/19 |
Confirmed kill of cow |
Yes |
6/5/20 |
Juvenile lethally removed 8/7/19, juvenile lethally removed 8/8/19, adult lethally removed 8/13/19, two adults and two juveniles removed 8/16/19 |
|
Smackout |
11/1/18 |
Confirmed kill of heifer |
Yes |
9/1/19 |
Adult male lethally removed 11/8/18 |
|
Single wolf (Chiliwist area) |
11/27/18 |
Confirmed kill of calf |
No |
9/27/19 |
|
|
Grouse Flats |
7/8/19 |
Confirmed kill of calf |
Yes |
5/8/20 |
|
|
|
7/22/19 |
Confirmed kill of calf |
Yes |
5/22/20 |
|
|
|
8/30/19 |
Confirmed kill of calf |
Yes |
6/30/20 |
|
|
|
9/12/19 |
Confirmed injury of cow |
Yes |
7/12/20 |
Adult female lethally removed 9/25/19 |
|
Wedge |
6/12/19 |
Confirmed kill of cow |
Yes |
4/12/20 |
|