Monthly Wolf Report - April 2022

May 9, 2022

This update provides an overview of gray wolf conservation and management activities in Washington during April 2022.

Program updates and coordination

Outreach and education

April was a busy month with several outreach and education efforts provided by WDFW staff:

  • WDFW staff presented the 2021 Annual Wolf Report to the Fish and Wildlife Commission on April 9. A recording of the presentation is available here and you can download the report here.
     
  • WDFW wolf biologists traveled to La Grande, Oregon, to conduct a wolf trapping training for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists.
     
  • A WDFW biologist presented on depredation investigation methods for a Central Washington University Forensics undergraduate class.
     
  • The North Cascades Institute hosted an online program, “Wolves in Washington: Updates from WDFW and the Wolf Advisory Group,” during which WDFW biologists provided an overview of the status of wolves in the state and updates on current wolf packs, and answered questions from the public. Wolf Advisory Group (WAG) members discussed how the WAG is working to promote equitable, inclusive, and respectful dialogue and decision-making among diverse people to foster durable peace by transforming the root causes of social conflict and providing high quality recommendations on wolf recovery, conservation, and management.

Current population status and proactive conflict mitigation

The year-end minimum population count for 2021 was at least 206 known wolves in 33 known packs including at least 19 breeding pairs. 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 2022 will be released in April 2023.

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. Packs are named once a year with the release of the annual wolf report. The known territories and more information for each pack can be viewed by clicking the pack name.

Beaver Creek pack
No activity to report.

Butte Creek pack
No activity to report.

Carpenter Ridge pack
No activity to report.

Columbia pack
No activity to report.

Dirty Shirt pack
WDFW staff responded to reported wolf-livestock interactions in this pack territory. Upon arrival, WDFW staff were unable to confirm the validity of the report and deployed Fox lights and a trail camera to monitor the situation.

Dominion pack
No activity to report.

Goodman Meadows pack
No activity to report.

Grouse Flats pack
No activity to report.

Huckleberry pack
No activity to report.

Keller Ridge pack
No activity to report.

Leadpoint pack
No activity to report.

Lookout pack
No activity to report.

Loup Loup pack
No activity to report.

Navarre pack
WDFW biologists scouted this pack territory to assess access and find wolf sign to potentially trap in this area this spring to deploy a collar in this pack.

Onion Creek pack
No activity to report.

Salmo pack
No activity to report.

Shady Pass pack
WDFW biologists scouted this pack territory to assess access and find wolf sign to potentially trap in this area this spring to deploy a collar in this pack.

Sherman pack
WDFW biologists scouted this pack territory to assess access and find wolf sign to potentially trap in this area this spring to deploy a collar in this pack.

Skookum pack
No activity to report.

Smackout pack
No activity to report.

Stranger pack
WDFW staff continue to monitor wolves in this area frequenting a dairy operation. WDFW spoke to the producer about removing cattle carcasses next to the operation. WDFW advises livestock producers to refrain from dumping carcasses on the landscape for sanitation purposes and to reduce unnatural attractants for wolves. Wolves may frequent properties with exposed carcasses.

Strawberry pack
No activity to report.

Sullivan Creek pack
No activity to report.

Teanaway pack
No activity to report.

Togo pack
WDFW staff notified a producer about a cluster of wolf activity within their cattle pasture. Upon investigation, the producer found a wolf-killed deer within the pasture and decided to move their cattle across the river.

WDFW staff are working with and coordinating with livestock producers and range riders in the area.

Touchet pack
No activity to report.

Tucannon pack
No activity to report.

Vulcan pack
On April 30, WDFW staff responded to a report from a livestock producer of a wolf dragging a calf carcass through the pasture. The livestock producer hazed the wolf away and discovered another carcass about a half mile away. Both calves were seen alive the previous day.

Upon investigation of the first calf, WDFW staff found the carcass remains were extremely fresh, suggesting that the calf died less than 12 hours prior to the investigation. The investigation revealed several lacerations, bite marks, and tears externally, and hemorrhaging and bite marks under the hide. This evidence was consistent with a confirmed wolf depredation event.

Investigation of the second calf revealed no bite marks, tissue damage, or trauma. There was no physical evidence present to suggest the calf was depredated, and the cause of death for this calf was considered unknown. Both carcasses were removed from the range.

Following the depredation investigations, WDFW staff met with the producer to discuss next steps. The producer and ranch staff are checking the cattle several times a day and will continue to regularly monitor the cattle in this area until they are moved to summer pasture and allotments. This is the first confirmed wolf depredation within the Vulcan pack territory.

Wedge pack
WDFW biologists scouted this pack territory to assess access and find wolf sign to potentially trap in this area this spring to deploy a collar in this pack.

Miscellaneous/lone wolves
WDFW staff continued to monitor a collared dispersing wolf (originally from the Naneum pack) traveling in Yakima and Klickitat counties. WDFW wildlife conflict specialists and wolf biologists have met with livestock producers in the area to discuss carcass sanitation and other proactive conflict deterrence. WDFW staff met with a livestock producer in early April to emphasize the importance of livestock carcass sanitation and offered materials, labor, and services to help secure the carcass pile.

In early April, a WDFW wolf biologist confirmed that the collared dispersing Naneum wolf is now traveling with another wolf in Klickitat County. Additionally, in late April, a member of the public observed two wolves together in the area the collared wolf had been frequenting at the time. The age and sex of this additional wolf is currently unknown.

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

There were no wolf mortalities documented in April. As of this update, WDFW has documented one wolf mortality in 2022. 

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 2021, 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

7/22/21

Confirmed mortality of one calf (died from injuries), confirmed injury of second calf

Yes

5/22/22

 

Smackout

8/30/21

Probable injury of two calves

Yes

6/30/22

 

Teanaway

11/8/21

Confirmed injury of calf

Yes

9/8/22

 

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

8/10/21

Confirmed mortality of calf

Yes

6/10/22

 

Columbia

8/25/21

Confirmed injury of calf

Yes

6/25/22

 

 

9/13/21

Confirmed mortality of calf

Yes

7/13/22

 

 

10/16/21

Confirmed injury of calf

Yes

8/16/22

 

 

11/1/21

Confirmed injury of one calf, probable injury of two calves

Yes

9/1/22

 

 

11/15/21

Confirmed mortality of calf

Yes

9/15/22

Adult male lethally removed 11/18/21; juvenile male lethally removed under authorized permit on 12/8/21

Vulcan

4/30/22

Confirmed mortality of calf

Yes

2/28/23