[Humptulips]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/09/22/feds-mull-whether-to-remove-red-wolf-from-endangered-species-list.html

[Ski]

September 22, 2016 story in The Chicago Tribune July 27, 2016 story from New Scientist

[treeswarper]

Pretty quiet here. No mention of the wolf trying to steal a dog from behind a house in the Republic area? It is on the front page of the Okanogan Chronicle, along with an editorial a few pages in. The Game Dept. folks won't admit to it being wolves, the dog's person says it was, and she ran at them with a shovel and one of the wolves dropped the dog. Most would not like what the editorial says.

[Ski]

^ I'm not finding it online. got a URL?

[Humptulips]

Not much information but this is it. http://www.khq.com/clip/12761064/hot-clicks-dog-in-republic-survives-attack-by-wolves Also seen this: I am writing to update you on five issues: · On September 21, 2016, Department staff investigated a reported livestock depredation in the Smackout wolf pack area. Based on their investigation, staff classified this event as a confirmed wolf depredation resulting in one dead calf. The livestock producer has maintained sanitation by removing or securing livestock carcasses, and deployed a range rider at the start of the grazing season. This is the first confirmed wolf depredation in the Smackout pack area this calendar year. I will keep you posted on new information or developments. · On September 21, 2016, the Spokane Tribe of Indians (STOI) reported a legal wolf harvest on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Please contact the STOI for more information. · The Department’s wolf removal action in the Profanity Peak pack is ongoing. · We will be updating the chronology of events document next week with the recent depredation in the Smackout pack area and other relevant information. · Contrary to information distributed by the Protect the Wolves organization, WDFW did NOT confirm that the Ferry County Sherriff, at a Sept. 23 Quad County Commission meeting, authorized deputies to kill Profanity Peak pack wolves. As far as WDFW is aware, Ferry County Sheriff Ray Maycumber has only commissioned a single local resident to assist with remote cameras and other wolf data collection. The Department and the Ferry County Sheriff are continuing to communicate and coordinate as the situation evolves. See more at http://nwsportsmanmag.com/editors-blog/claim-ne-wa-county-sheriff-deputized-wolf-hunters-not-accurate-wdfw/. Please contact me at any time if you have questions or need more information. Thank you, Donny Martorello

[treeswarper]

[treeswarper]

15 "cows" now killed by wolves. NWPR did not specify other than using the word Cows.

[Ski]

Wednesday, October 19, 2016 15:45 PDT WDFW NEWS RELEASE Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife WDFW suspends lethal action against Profanity Peak wolf pack OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has suspended its pursuit of the remaining members of a wolf pack that preyed on cattle throughout the summer in northeast Washington. WDFW Director Jim Unsworth today lifted his previous order authorizing staff to take lethal action to stop predation by the Profanity Peak wolf pack now that most livestock are being moved off federal grazing allotments in the Colville National Forest. He noted, however, that the department will continue to monitor the four remaining wolves – an adult female and three juveniles – and will renew efforts to remove wolves if they resume preying on livestock this year. "The goal of our action was to stop predations on livestock in the near future," Unsworth said. "With the pack reduced in size from 12 members to four and most livestock off the grazing allotments, the likelihood of depredations in the near future is low." Since Aug. 5, state wildlife managers have shot and killed seven members of the pack after non-lethal deterrence measures failed to stop the pack from preying on cattle in the grazing area in Ferry County. Another wolf, a pup, is presumed to have died of natural causes. As of Oct. 3, WDFW had documented 15 dead or injured cattle, including 10 confirmed and five probable wolf depredations. The Profanity Peak pack is one of 19 wolf packs documented in Washington earlier this year. Sixteen of those packs – including four identified since the previous year – are located in the eastern third of the state, where wolves were delisted from the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2009. Unsworth said the department's action against the Profanity Peak pack was consistent with both the state's Wolf Conservation and Management Plan and a new protocol for the lethal removal of wolves developed this year by WDFW in conjunction with an 18-member advisory group composed of environmentalists, livestock producers and hunters. Under that protocol, WDFW can take lethal action against wolves only if field staff confirms four or more attacks on livestock within a calendar year, or six or more attacks within two consecutive calendar years. The protocol also requires ranchers to employ specified non-lethal measures designed to deter wolves from preying on their livestock before WDFW will take lethal action against wolves. Donny Martorello, WDFW wolf policy lead, said both of the ranchers who lost livestock to the Profanity Peak pack met that requirement by using range riders to help keep watch over their herds, and by removing or securing cattle carcasses to avoid attracting wolves. One rancher, he said, also turned his calves out to pasture at a higher weight to improve their chance of surviving an attack by predators. Once the number of dead and injured cattle reached the threshold for lethal action, WDFW took incremental steps to remove wolves from the pack, as specified in the protocol. Key events in the department's involvement with the Profanity Peak pack include: Early June: Ranchers arrived with their livestock on federal grazing allotments. WDFW field staff captured two adult members of the Profanity Peak pack and fitted them with GPS radio-collars, allowing the department to monitor the pack's movements. July 8: WDFW confirmed the first calf killed by wolves. July 12: WDFW documented two probable wolf attacks, one of which was on a second rancher's allotment. Aug. 3: WDFW confirmed the fourth and fifth wolf attack on cattle and documented three probable wolf attacks. Per the protocol, the WDFW director authorized staff to remove some members of the pack to deter further depredation. Aug. 5: WDFW removed two female wolves from the Profanity Peak pack. Aug.18-19: The director ended his authorization for lethal removal after 14 days without a depredation. The next day, he authorized the removal of up to the full pack after field staff documented four more wolf attacks, two confirmed and two probable. Aug. 21-Sept. 29: WDFW removed five more wolves from the Profanity Peak pack. Oct 3: WDFW documented the last depredation on cattle by the Profanity Peak pack. Oct 18: WDFW suspended lethal removal of wolves in the Profanity Peak pack. Martorello said WDFW will continue to closely monitor the pack and will renew efforts to remove wolves if they return to preying on livestock this year. Ferry County Sheriff Ray Maycumber said his staff will take a defensive position and monitor the movements of the adult female wolf for signs of conflict with people, pets, or livestock in lowland areas. WDFW will issue a complete report of its management actions regarding the Profanity Peak pack next month. The state's Wolf Conservation and Management Plan is available on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/mgmt_plan.html WDFW's protocol for removing wolves that prey on livestock is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/livestock/LethalRemovalProtocolGrayWolvesWashingtonDuringRecovery_05312016.pdf This message has been sent to the Gray Wolf Pack Updates and Information mailing list. Visit the WDFW News Release Archive at: http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/ -WDFW-

[Ski]

[monorail]

McIrvine's "cooperation" consisted of employing range riders. Interestingly, ranchers who employ range riders are granted access to real-time downloadable GPS coordinates from the wolves' tracking collars (http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/nov/10/cattle-ranchers-track-wolves-with-gps-computers/). Ostensibly this is so they can run their cattle in such a way as to avoid conflict with wolves... but in McIrvine's case, it somehow resulted in him moving his cattle directly to the site of the wolves' den (which would be easy to identify through GPS radio collar info). Gee, how did that happen? And what a coincidence that it happened to a rancher with long outspoken hostility towards wolves, who was responsible for the previous annihilation of a wolf pack. Very mysterious...

[Ski]

[monorail]

[Ski]

[monorail]

[Ski]

In other words, you have absolutely nothing to substantiate your statements above. If you did, you would have posted it or provided links. Thanks very much, but I'd prefer this remain a reality-based discussion.