This update provides an overview of gray wolf conservation and management activities in Washington during September 2021.
Program updates and coordination
The State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) component of the wolf-livestock conflict deterrence rule making effort was originally expected to be available by the end of September 2021. It is now expected to be available before the start of 2022. An initial draft of a SEPA review proposal remains available here: Preliminary DRAFT Staff Report and SEPA Review Proposal for Wolf-Livestock Conflict Deterrence Rule Making
Outreach and education
- WDFW’s statewide wolf specialist co-presented with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s wolf program coordinator on a webinar for the Blue Mountains Land Trust regarding the status of wolves in Washington and coexisting with wolves.
- In early September, a WDFW wolf biologist gave a presentation on wolf tracking, ecology and management to a class of Whitman College students.
- A WDFW wolf biologist gave a presentation on wolf management, ecology, and behavior to a group of junior high and high school students at a trailhead in Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest.
Current population status and proactive conflict mitigation
The year-end minimum population count for 2020 was at least 132 known wolves in 24 known packs including at least 13 breeding pairs. The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation reported 46 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 2021 will be released in April 2022.
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
On September 5, WDFW staff investigated a dead calf on a private pasture within the Beaver Creek territory. Prior to the investigation, witnesses reported seeing the calf alive walking around for an unknown number of days with a visible injury. During the investigation, staff documented puncture holes with bruising on the hide of the right, rear leg near what appeared to be missing muscle.
Staff who conducted the investigation determined there was not enough information to confirm cause of death. The calf had been dead for several days and scavenging on the back end was extensive. Based on the remaining evidence, staff ruled the injury was probably caused by a single wolf and the calf likely died because of the injury.
The affected livestock producer had no nonlethal deterrence measures in place. Immediately following the investigation, the producer removed the carcass from the area. A WDFW-contracted range rider was deployed to the area the following day.
Butte Creek pack
No activity to report.
Carpenter Ridge pack
No activity to report.
Diobsud Creek pack
A WDFW wolf biologist checked trail cameras and surveyed for wolf tracks and sign in the Diobsud Creek pack territory this month.
Dirty Shirt pack
No activity to report.
Goodman Meadows pack
No activity to report.
Grouse Flats pack
A WDFW wolf biologist placed cameras in this pack for monitoring.
Huckleberry pack
No activity to report.
Kettle 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 been removed from the pack territory. Cattle remain in most areas and no incidents have been reported.
Navarre pack
A WDFW wolf biologist surveyed for wolf tracks and sign in the Navarre pack territory this month.
Onion Creek pack
No activity to report.
Salmo pack
No activity to report.
Sherman pack
No activity to report.
Skookum pack
No activity to report.
Smackout pack
No activity to report.
Stranger pack
No activity to report.
Strawberry pack
No activity to report.
Sullivan Creek pack
No activity to report.
Teanaway pack
Sheep have been removed from the pack territory. Cattle remain in most areas and no incidents have been reported.
Togo pack
Updates on the Togo pack were provided on Sept. 2, Sept. 9, Sept. 16, Sept. 23, and Sept. 30.
Touchet pack
No activity to report.
Tucannon pack
No activity to report.
Vulcan pack
No activity to report.
Wedge pack
A WDFW wolf biologist checked trail cameras and surveyed for wolf tracks in sign in the Wedge pack territory this month.
Miscellaneous/lone wolves
Biologists spent part of the month following up on public reports in the North Cascades including around Entiat meadows, south of Lake Chelan. Additionally, wolf biologists spent time following up on sightings and reports in the South Cascades and in northwestern Washington.
On September 13, WDFW staff investigated a report of a dead steer in Columbia County. Based upon tracks at the scene, attack signatures, presence of bite and puncture wounds with associated hemorrhaging, consumption patterns of the carcass, available telemetry data, and sightings by producers in the immediate area, staff determined the incident was a confirmed wolf depredation. WDFW staff assisted the livestock producer with carcass removal from the landscape. The affected producer currently conducts daily or near-daily range riding activities, deploys fox lights around livestock congregation areas (e.g., watering sites), delayed turnout of calves until they were 200 pounds, attempts to keep cattle away from wolf activity centers, and opportunistically hazes wolves away from livestock and occupied pastures. Additional fox lights were reactively deployed by the affected producer. In response to the second confirmed wolf depredation in less than 30 days, WDFW staff participated in a targeted rendezvous site disturbance on September 16 in an attempt to disrupt patterns of movement within the pack’s 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
No wolf mortalities were documented in September. As of this update, WDFW has documented three wolf mortalities in 2021.
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 2020, 76% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Beaver Creek |
9/5/21 |
Probable mortality of calf |
No |
7/5/22 |
|
|
Leadpoint |
3/26/21 |
Probable injury of calf |
Yes |
1/26/22 |
|
|
|
7/22/21 |
Confirmed mortality of one calf (died from injuries), confirmed injury of second calf |
Yes |
5/22/22 |
|
|
Naneum |
5/7/21 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
3/7/22 |
|
|
Smackout |
8/30/21 |
Probable injury of two calves |
Yes |
6/30/22 |
|
|
Togo |
6/24/21 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
4/24/22 |
|
|
|
8/6/21 |
Confirmed mortality of calf (died from injuries) |
Yes |
6/6/22 |
|
|
|
8/17/21 |
Probable injury of calf |
Yes |
6/17/22 |
|
|
|
8/17/21 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
6/17/22 |
|
|
Touchet |
1/16/21 |
Probable kill of calf |
No |
11/16/21 |
|
|
|
8/10/21 |
Confirmed mortality of calf |
Yes |
6/10/22 |
|
|
Area of new wolf activity north of Touchet pack and west of Tucannon pack (Columbia county) |
8/25/21 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
6/25/22 |
|
|
|
9/13/21 |
Confirmed mortality of calf |
Yes |
7/13/22 |
|