This is an update for the Smackout pack following the lethal removal authorization by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Director Kelly Susewind on Sept. 1.
On Sept. 1, Director Kelly Susewind authorized staff to lethally remove one wolf from the Smackout pack territory in response to repeated depredations of cattle on public and private grazing lands in Stevens and Pend Oreille Counties 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).
On Sept. 8, WDFW staff lethally removed a juvenile male wolf while conducting lethal removal operations. Although this wolf was in the immediate proximity of and appeared to be traveling with members of the Smackout pack, based on the location of the removal and subsequent discovery of other wolves in the area, it is not clear whether the wolf was traveling with the Smackout pack or the Dirty Shirt pack.
Based on these events, lethal removal operations have been suspended. If WDFW documents additional livestock depredation(s) attributed to the Smackout pack indicating a renewed pattern of depredation, the current lethal removal authorization may be reinitiated and extended.
WDFW documented five depredation events (five within the last 30 days) affecting three different livestock producers resulting in four dead and two injured calves since August 17, 2022 attributed to the Smackout pack. WDFW has not documented any additional wolf depredations in the Smackout pack territory since Aug. 31.
Previous updates
2022 Smackout pack updates
WDFW will provide a final report on this and any other lethal removal actions during 2022 in the Washington Gray Wolf Conservation and Management 2022 Annual Report, which will be published during spring 2023.
A summary of all documented depredation activity within the past 10 months is included in every monthly wolf update.