Monthly Wolf Report- December 2023

This update provides an overview of gray wolf conservation and management activities in Washington during December 2023. 

Program updates and coordination 

• WDFW is accepting limited applications for contracted range riders in areas outside of northeast Washington. 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. 
  
  Currently in northeast Washington, due to a directive from the budget proviso, WDFW is working to transition contracted range riders to WSDA grant funded local non-profits providing non-lethal deterrent services. WDFW will continue to offer Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreements for Livestock (DPCA-Ls) in areas where these services are not provided and as funding allows. WDFW-contracted range riders will only be employed when a clearly identified gap exists that cannot be covered by one of the non-government groups providing range riding, or under a cost-sharing DPCA-L.   

• $53,900 reward offered for information about poisoned wolves (two new donors including the Humane Society and Woodland Park Zoo offered to increase the award in November) Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Police have been investigating 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. Initially investigators found four animals in late February, and two more within a month during additional searches of the area.   
  
  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.  
  
  Gray wolves are listed as endangered under state law throughout Washington. In the western two-thirds of the state, they are also listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act. Under state law, the illegal killing of a wolf or other endangered fish or wildlife species is a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000. 

Outreach and education  

A WDFW wolf biologist gave a presentation on wolves to approximately 120 community members at the Upper Kittitas County Senior Center in Cle Elum. 

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 
WDFW biologists conducted monitoring activities in this pack territory. 

Butte Creek pack 
No activity to report. 

Carpenter Ridge pack 
No activity to report. 

Chewuch pack 
WDFW Biologists responded to public reports of wolf activity in this pack territory. 

Chopaka pack 
No activity to report. 

Columbia pack 
WDFW biologists conducted monitoring activities in this pack territory. 

Diobsud Creek territory 
WDFW biologists conducted monitoring activities in this pack territory. 

Dirty Shirt pack 
WDFW biologists conducted monitoring activities in this pack territory. 

Dominion pack 
No activity to report. 

Five Sisters pack 
WDFW biologists conducted monitoring activities in this pack territory. 

Goodman Meadows pack 
WDFW biologists conducted monitoring activities in this pack territory. 

Grouse Flats pack 
WDFW biologists conducted monitoring activities in this pack territory. 

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 
No activity to report. 

Onion Creek pack 
No activity to report. 

Salmo pack 
WDFW biologists conducted monitoring activities in this pack territory. 

Scatter pack  
No activity to report. 

Shady Pass pack 
No activity to report. 

Sherman pack 
No activity to report.  

Smackout pack 
No activity to report. 
 
Sprague Lake territory 
No activity to report. 

Stranger pack 
WDFW biologists conducted monitoring activities in this pack territory. 

Sullivan Creek pack 
On December 14, 2023 WDFW staff investigated an injured adult cow and determined the injuries were confirmed to be caused by wolves in the Sullivan Creek pack.    

Teanaway territory 
WDFW biologists conducted monitoring activities in this pack territory. 

Togo pack 
No activity to report. 

Touchet pack 
WDFW biologists conducted monitoring activities in this pack territory. 

Tucannon pack 
WDFW biologists conducted monitoring activities in this pack territory. 

Vulcan pack 
No activity to report. 

Wedge pack 
No activity to report. 

Miscellaneous/lone wolves 

WA 139 Group 
WDFW biologists conducted monitoring activities in this pack territory. 

WDFW biologists conducted monitoring activities in the historic Skookum pack territory. 

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 

• One uncollared wolf was found dead in December.    

• As of November, WDFW has documented 14 wolf mortalities in 2023 in Washington. 

Depredation activity 

In general, about 80% of known wolf packs in Washington have not been involved in any documented livestock depredation in any given year. 

WDFW staff documented one depredation event on livestock by wolves in December. This is one above the average (0) for the month of December based on depredation records 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
Columbia	9/10/23	Confirmed injury of 2 calves	Yes	7/10/24
Dirty Shirt	8/28/23	Confirmed mortality of calf		6/28/24
Grouse Flats	9/8/23	Probable mortality of calf	Yes	7/8/24
	10/25/23	Confirmed injury of an adult cow	Yes	8/25/24
Onion	4/17/23	Confirmed mortality of calf	Yes	2/17/24
	5/12/23	Probable injury of dog	N/A	N/A
Smackout	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
	10/7/23	Confirmed mortality of calf	No	8/7/24
Sullivan Creek	6/26/23	Probable injury of calf	Yes	4/26/24
	12/14/23	Confirmed injury of adult cow	Yes	10/14/24
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