This update provides an overview of gray wolf conservation and management activities in Washington during August 2023.
Program updates and coordination
- The 90-day public comment period for the DRAFT Periodic Status Review for the Gray Wolf closed on Aug. 16. WDFW received over 12,000 comments on the draft. WDFW staff will review the comments, and tentatively plan to release the Final Periodic Status Review in February 2024, followed by a Fish and Wildlife Commission briefing and public hearing in March, and Commission decision in April (subject to change).
- WDFW is currently accepting limited applications for contracted range riders for the 2023 season. Applications and contract updates can be found here: https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/at-risk/species-recovery/gray-wolf/updates/contracted-range-rider-rfq-2023-now-available
Questions about applying or need assistance with the application? Reach out to WildlifeConflict@dfw.wa.gov.
- The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Police continue to investigate six wolf mortalities within the Wedge pack territory in Stevens County. WDFW Police began the investigation in February 2022, and it is ongoing. Toxicology results revealed all six wolves died from ingesting poison. The investigation remains active, and the Department encourages anyone who might have relevant information to report it confidentially by calling WDFW's poaching hotline, 877-933-9847, or by texting a tip to 847411. Rewards totaling $53,900 are available for information that leads to a conviction in the case of the poisoning of Stevens County wolves.
Outreach and education
On August 16, WDFW’s Wolf Policy Lead gave a presentation for Washington Department of Natural Resources staff on wolf biology, natural history, and conservation and management in Washington.
Current population status and proactive conflict mitigation
The year-end minimum population count for 2022 was at least 216 known wolves in 37 known packs including at least 26 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 2023 will be released in April 2024.
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 (learn how to differentiate between wolves and coyotes; use some way to measure the size of a track) and upload them to the wolf reporting page here: 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. The known territories and more information for each pack can be viewed by clicking the pack name.
Beaver Creek territory
No activity to report.
Big Muddy pack
No activity to report.
Butte Creek pack
No activity to report.
Carpenter Ridge pack
No activity to report.
Chewuch pack
No activity to report.
Chopaka pack
No activity to report.
Columbia pack
No activity to report.
Diobsud Creek territory
No activity to report.
Dirty Shirt pack
A WDFW wolf biologist caught and collared an adult male wolf in the Dirty Shirt pack.
Dominion pack
A WDFW wolf biologist scouted for wolf sign in the Dominion pack territory.
Five Sisters 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.
Leadpoint pack
No activity to report.
Lookout pack
No activity to report.
Loup Loup pack
No activity to report.
Maverick pack
No activity to report.
Mt. Spokane pack
No activity to report.
Napeequa pack
No activity to report.
Navarre pack
A WDFW wolf biologist placed trail cameras and searched for wolf sign in this pack territory.
Onion Creek pack
No activity to report.
Salmo pack
No activity to report.
Scatter pack – new documented area of wolf activity
No activity to report.
Shady Pass pack
No activity to report.
Sherman pack
No activity to report.
Smackout pack
A WDFW wolf biologist monitored wolf activity and looked for sign in the Smackout pack territory.
On Sept. 1, WDFW staff investigated an injured cow on a U.S. Forest Service public grazing allotment in Stevens County. The investigation revealed evidence on the carcass consistent with a confirmed wolf depredation.
WDFW staff investigated two other injured calves on Aug. 12 and Sept. 5 that were also determined to be confirmed wolf depredation events. Based on the evidence available, it is unclear at this time whether these events should be attributed to Smackout wolves or neighboring wolf packs. Staff are gathering more data to inform this determination.
Sprague Lake territory
No activity to report.
Stranger pack
A WDFW wolf biologist monitored wolf activity and looked for sign in the Stranger pack territory.
Sullivan Creek pack
No activity to report.
Teanaway territory
No activity to report.
Togo pack
No activity to report.
Touchet pack
No activity to report.
Tucannon pack
No activity to report.
Vulcan pack
No activity to report.
Wedge pack
No activity to report.
Miscellaneous/lone wolves
- WA139 group/Asotin County wolf activity: See updates from Aug.18, Aug. 23, and Aug. 28. There have been no documented depredation events in this territory since Aug. 15.
- Note: The Frosty, Nason, Nc’icn, Keller Ridge, Strawberry, Whitestone, and Wilmont 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
- Three known wolf mortalities occurred in August. WDFW lethally removed an adult male wolf and a yearling female wolf from the WA139 wolf group territory. A wolf was found dead in Stevens County and is under investigation.
- As of August, WDFW has documented nine wolf mortalities in 2023.
Depredation activity
In 2022, 81% of known wolf packs were not involved in any documented livestock depredation.
WDFW documented three wolf depredation events in August, much lower than the average (7.6) from 2018-2022.
Please report any suspected livestock depredations or the death or harassment of wolves to the WDFW Enforcement Hotline at 1-877-933-9847.
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 |
|
Dirty Shirt |
8/28/23 |
Confirmed mortality of calf |
|
6/28/24 |
|
|
Leadpoint |
10/7/22 |
Confirmed mortality of cow |
No |
8/7/23 |
Adult male removed 9/27/22; adult female removed 9/28/22 |
|
Onion Creek |
2/1/23 |
Confirmed mortality of calf |
Yes |
12/1/23 |
|
|
|
4/17/23 |
Confirmed mortality of calf |
Yes |
2/17/24 |
|
|
|
5/12/23 |
Probable injury of dog |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Smackout |
10/3/22 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
8/3/23 |
Juvenile male lethally removed 9/8/22 |
|
|
10/6/22 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
8/6/23 |
|
|
|
10/8/22 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
8/8/23 |
Yearling female removed 10/10/22 |
|
|
10/12/22 |
Confirmed mortality of calf |
Yes |
8/12/23 |
|
|
|
9/1/23 |
Confirmed injury of cow |
Yes |
7/1/24 |
|
|
Scatter |
4/8/23 |
Probable injury of alpaca (later died from injuries) |
No |
2/8/24 |
|
|
|
4/8/23 |
Confirmed mortality of one miniature donkey and confirmed injury of second miniature donkey (later killed in event on 5/17) |
No |
2/8/24 |
|
|
|
5/17/23 |
Confirmed mortality of miniature donkey |
Yes |
3/17/24 |
|
|
|
6/1/23 |
Probable injury of colt |
Yes |
4/1/24 |
|
|
Sullivan Creek |
6/26/23 |
Probable injury of calf |
Yes |
4/26/24 |
|
|
Togo |
6/27/23 |
Confirmed mortality of calf (euthanized due to injuries) |
Yes |
4/27/24 |
|
|
WA139 group |
5/21/23 |
Confirmed mortality of two calves and probable mortality of one calf |
Yes |
3/21/24 |
|
|
|
6/20/23 |
Confirmed mortality of heifer |
Yes |
4/20/24 |
|
|
|
7/31/23 |
Probable mortality of calf |
Yes |
5/31/24 |
|
|
|
8/15/23 |
Confirmed mortality of calf |
Yes |
6/15/24 |
Adult male and yearling female removed on 8/26/23 |
|
Unknown wolf/wolves (south Cheney area, Spokane County) |
5/26/23 |
Confirmed mortality of calf |
Yes |
3/26/24 |
|
|
Undetermined pack (Stevens County) |
8/12/23 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
6/12/24 |
|
|
|
9/5/23 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
7/5/24 |
|