This is a weekly update for the Leadpoint pack following the lethal removal authorization by WDFW Director Kelly Susewind on Aug. 13.
WDFW has not removed any wolves since the authorization; the lethal removal authorization is still in effect. On Aug. 13, WDFW Director Kelly Susewind authorized Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) staff to lethally remove one to two wolves from the Leadpoint pack territory in response to repeated depredations of cattle on private grazing lands in Stevens County under the guidance of the state's Wolf Conservation and Management Plan and the lethal removal provisions of the department's wolf-livestock interaction protocol (PDF).
WDFW confirmed an additional wolf depredation of an injured calf on Aug. 14 in the same private pasture as the previous depredations in the Leadpoint pack territory.
WDFW has documented twelve depredation events (eight within the last 30 days) resulting in three dead calves and ten injured calves since June 19, 2020 attributed to the Leadpoint pack.
Previous updates
2020 Leadpoint pack updates
WDFW will provide a final report on this and any other lethal removal operations during 2020 in the Washington Gray Wolf Conservation and Management 2020 Annual Report, which will be published during spring 2021.
A summary of all documented depredation activity within the past 10 months is included in every monthly wolf update.