Six Gray Wolves in Washington Were Fatally Poisoned, Officials Say (NY Times)

[Chadk]

In Minnesota (as well as any other state with moose), the concern is less about deer and more about moose. Though some herds of deer and elk are more at risk from predation than others.

"DNR researchers said Minnesota’s moose population — which is 47% lower than its peak in 2006 — is still at risk long term" https://wtip.org/minnesota-moose-count-continues-to-provide-reasons-for-optimism/

 

[Peyton00]

Mother Earth may get lucky, and we will go extinct before the wolves.

 

[TicTokCroc]

Mother Earth may get lucky, and we will go extinct before the wolves.

 

[Billy]

My least favorite part of the whole wolf thing is the utter disregard for timber caribou which are now extinct from NE Washington. Did they not deserve protection? WDFW is radio silent when it comes to protecting our valuable herds...again we have zero actual management of our resources.

 

[smc]

And there are the dogs that look like bears...

 

[Canuck from Kansas]

My least favorite part of the whole wolf thing is the utter disregard for timber caribou which are now extinct from NE Washington. Did they not deserve protection? WDFW is radio silent when it comes to protecting our valuable herds...again we have zero actual management of our resources.

Is that because of wolves? Seriously asking, cause if I remember correctly, and I may not cause it's been about a century since Eco 501, in predator-prey interactions, it is incredibly rare for predators to drive their prey to extinction, they switch prey and/or move.

 

[Billy]

Is that because of wolves? Seriously asking, cause if I remember correctly, and I may not cause it's been about a century since Eco 501, in predator-prey interactions, it is incredibly rare for predators to drive their prey to extinction, they switch prey and/or move.

The Last Stand: Numbers of Elusive Mountain Caribou Shrinking Dramatically

In the far northeast reaches of our state, the bleached antler of a caribou sits quietly on a shelf in the back of a ranger station. Seemingly out of place, the antler is not as incongruous as it first appears. Nearby in the Selkirk Mountains, which form Washington’s borders with Idaho and...

seattlemag.com

"Wolves are the primary direct cause of mortality in this herd, based on field observations, according to Greig Bethel, public affairs officer for British Columbia’s Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.
Utzig notes, “From a conservation perspective, we are very uncomfortable about killing wolves.” But there may not be a better alternative for the survival of this herd. “Wolf numbers need to be controlled if we are going to recover caribou numbers high enough that they can withstand wolf predation.”

 

[Salmo_g]

Agree to disagree on how the wolves got here in the numbers they are today...

Seriously? I too heard the rumor about WDFW importing wolves to NE WA in black helicopters, but I'm pretty sure that rumor was legitimately refuted. You got any credible evidence, one way or the other?

 

[Mossback]

Evidence, Facts...?

This is a wolf thread, such things are not pertinent here.

 

[Stonedfish]

I though many of the wolf packs today in western states have some original lineage to the wolves that were reintroduced to Yellowstone in the 90’s.
As the populations grew, packs moved to new territories.
I could be wrong on that though.
SF

 

[Dustin Chromers]

Seriously? I too heard the rumor about WDFW importing wolves to NE WA in black helicopters, but I'm pretty sure that rumor was legitimately refuted. You got any credible evidence, one way or the other?

We got these wolves coming in under cover of darkness I tell you.

 

[Salmo_g]

I though many of the wolf packs today in western states have some original lineage to the wolves that were reintroduced to Yellowstone in the 90’s.
As the populations grew, packs moved to new territories.
I could be wrong on that though.
SF

From what I've read, that's part of it. Yellowstone wolves have expanded into Wyoming and Idaho, and B.C. and Idaho (likely originating in B.C. also) wolves expanded into WA, OR, and CA.

 

[Salmo_g]

We got these wolves coming in under cover of darkness I tell you.

Naw, they do it in broad daylight as well. No fear.

 

[creekx]

From what I've read, that's part of it. Yellowstone wolves have expanded into Wyoming and Idaho, and B.C. and Idaho (likely originating in B.C. also) wolves expanded into WA, OR, and CA.

I recall wolves were introduced in central Idaho about the same time as the Yellowstone intro. There are a good number of them in N Idaho, but not sure of their lineage.

 

[Salmo_g]

I recall wolves were introduced in central Idaho about the same time as the Yellowstone intro. There are a good number of them in N Idaho, but not sure of their lineage.

That's correct. I forgot. Something like 19 wolves introduce into Idaho. Makes it hard, if not impossible, to know which wolves are from deliberate introductions and which are from natural migration expansions.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

You hear about the cow that cried wolf?
Fake moos.

 

[Mossback]

Wolf dna has been studied a bit at times.
Obviously any research is a waste of time and money, but this is interesting nonetheless...

Some of the Pacific Northwest’s Wolves Have Coastal Genes | Hakai Magazine

Wolves are recolonizing Washington, Oregon, and California, but new genetic research shows there’s something odd about these new arrivals.

hakaimagazine.com

Prey partitioning between sympatric canid species revealed by DNA metabarcoding

The recovery of apex predators relies on restoring the full suite of trophic interactions within the ecosystem. Diet analysis with DNA metabarcoding technology can help deliver insights into these trophic interactions with fine-grained resolution. The recovery of wolves in Washington state...

www.biorxiv.org

 

[Pink Nighty]

Yes, I did read that part. You mention that range riding is the only tool that works. I think it's presumptive to say that the only tool - known so far to work - is the only tool that might ever be found or developed that works. I'm not in a position to say that research won't produce another tool that works as well or better or is more cost effective. Are you?

The way I look at it is that WA was and is between a rock and a hard place. People often forget, ignore, or were never aware that WA did NOT reintroduce wolves to this state. Wolves were already in southern B.C. and Idaho, and it was only a matter of time until they showed up in WA. WDFW, an agency known for its reactionary history, for once got out in front and began developing a state wolf management plan before any wolf packs were known to have moved into the state. As a long time WDFW (and predecessor agencies) observer, I'm positively amazed at that.

I think it was a certainty that any wolf management plan would be controversial. How could it not be? Conservationists would find any plan as not conserving enough for wolves, and ranchers would find any plan short of total annihilation as not conserving enough for livestock. That is why I think the state's inevitably imperfect plan did a pretty good job of "threading the needle" between ESA compliance and allowing the removal of wolves that repeatedly prey on livestock. It seems like your perfect, or more perfect, solution is to spend the research money on range riding, one tool that has shown some effectiveness. I don't know what the "right" split is between spending available funds on the one existing tool and continued research into additional tools. If you do know, then why don't you explain your credentials, and if we agree, then we can support your position?

Early on in wolf decolonization I remember the state being too beholden to ranchers when it came to wolf policy. Specifically when a researcher at WSU criticized the lethal removal of alphas as being counterproductive to limiting cattle depredation. He was speaking specifically about rancher who he felt was intentionally coming into conflict with wolves so they could be killed. If I recall correctly, the researcher was kind of a dick about it but had the research and experience to back up his claims. A state rep from the region of the rancher ended up pressuring wsu to shut him up to lose his support for the wsu medical school in spokane. He ended up bring forced out from WSU and continued his work at UI.

However over the last decade I have really been pleased with the management of wolves. Several strategies to deter conflict prior to lethal removal, yet retaining the ability to kill problem wolves. Wolf numbers are growing rapidly and I frankly like having them on the landscape.

The one encounter I had with them was at a safe enough distance to appreciate what they are. Maybe not at the moment while I was sitting in my tent holding my axe and insisting to my girlfriend that those are just coyotes howling. I knew better because I could  feel the howl in my chest. No yote has ever done that!

 

[Chadk]

I recall wolves were introduced in central Idaho about the same time as the Yellowstone intro. There are a good number of them in N Idaho, but not sure of their lineage.

Wolf 'stocking' programs have happened around the country. Red wolves included. This isn't just isolated to Yellowstone. Most states don't advertise these programs until there is no longer any way to deny it. "isn't that a wolf?" "nope, clearly a coyote!" ...10 years later.... "hey, we have 12 distinct packs across the state!"

 

[Salmo_g]

Wolf 'stocking' programs have happened around the country.

Evidence? (Not counting the red wolf stocking noted in the article about the red wolf recovery program of the USFWS and, of course, the well documented reintroduction to Yellowstone and N. Idaho.)