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 Oct. 7.
On Oct. 7, 2022, WDFW Director Kelly Susewind authorized the lethal removal of 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. The authorization is consistent with 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 Oct. 10, WDFW lethally removed a yearling female wolf from the Smackout pack territory. With the removal of one wolf, the lethal removal authorization is now expired.
WDFW staff investigated another dead calf in the Smackout pack territory on Oct. 12. The calf was confirmed killed by wolves and was estimated to have died prior to the wolf removal on Oct. 10. WDFW has documented ten depredation events affecting three different livestock producers resulting in seven dead and four injured calves since August 17, 2022 attributed to the Smackout pack.
If WDFW documents additional livestock depredations indicating a renewed pattern of depredation, WDFW may initiate another lethal removal action following the guidelines of the Wolf Plan and wolf-livestock interaction protocol.
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.