Wolf News Roundup 11/14/2017
by Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!
November 14, 2017
Wyoming wolf hunt
Half of Wyoming’s wolf trophy game hunt areas remain open, as quotas have not yet been reached. According to the Wyoming Game & Fish Department, 34 wolves have been taken during the fall hunting season in the trophy game areas, while another 27 wolves have been killed in the state’s predator zone so far this year.
Wolf killing, depredation investigations
Environmental groups have asked Oregon Governor Kate Brown to reopen an investigation into the self-defense killing of a wolf. The groups took issue with the Oregon State Police determination that an elk hunter who killed a wolf while it was running directly at him was in self-defense. The wolf was one of three that approached the man.
In other Oregon news, the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that wolves killed six cattle – the first such event in recent history in that county. The finding is a direct contradiction of the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. Read the details in the links below.
Midwest wolves
The National Park Service has indicated that its preference is to reintroduce wolves to Isle Royale. The island has only two wolves remaining, and moose are abundant. In other news, Wisconsin legislators are eying a bill that would block state agencies from participating in management of the state’s wolf population or in enforcing laws prohibiting the killing of wolves. The move is viewed as an attempt to pressure Congress to pass legislation removing wolves from the endangered species list.
Washington wolves
The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife reports:
On October 27, 2017, a livestock producer saw one wolf in the act of attacking their livestock on private grazing lands in Northern Ferry County. The producer shot and killed the wolf, and reported the incident to WDFW. WDFW Enforcement investigated the producer’s action and found it to be consistent with state regulations. In areas of Washington where wolves are not listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, WAC 220-440-080 states the owner of domestic animals (or an immediate family member, agent, or employee) may kill one gray wolf without a permit issued by the WDFW director if the wolf is attacking their domestic animals. The incident occurred outside any known pack territories and the wolf killed was an unmarked adult female.
On November 2, 2017 WDFW was contacted by a different livestock producer in Ferry County about an injured calf that was discovered less than three miles from where the unmarked female wolf was killed under caught-in-the-act authority. A WDFW contracted range rider heard that there was a possible injured calf a day prior, but the calf could not be located at that time. Once the calf was found, it was taken to a holding pen for the investigation. The Ferry County Sheriff and WDFW management staff were notified of the pending depredation investigation as per the Wolf-Livestock Interaction Protocol. A Ferry County Officer was also in attendance for the depredation investigation.
The calf had injuries to both rear flanks and on both rear legs between the pin and hocks. Injuries on the rear flanks included bite lacerations and puncture wounds. Hemorrhaging was noted near bite lacerations in all four locations. After the wound was cleaned and dead tissue was removed, significant hemorrhaging was noted inside the wound, specifically around the wound margins. After a field examination of the injuries to the calf, it was determined to be a Confirmed Wolf Depredation. The determination was based on evidence and recent wolf activity in the area. Repeated reports from the producer and WDFW contracted range rider included recent wolf howls, tracks, scat, and cattle grouping behavior in the pasture where the injured calf was located. Information on the use of deterrence measures will be provided in our next monthly wolf report."
For more details on these stories, see the links below.
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