By Eli Francovich
State wildlife officials are investigating the reported shooting of a member of the Togo pack.
A Ferry County rancher said he shot at an adult wolf in self-defense, Thursday. The alleged shooting was within the Togo pack range, according to a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife news release.
However, WDFW staff who investigated Friday morning were unable to find “evidence that the wolf had been shot.” The wolf was collared. The collar can detect if the animal has died, according to the release. According to the collar the wolf is still alive.
On Monday, WDFW ordered the lethal removal of wolves from the Togo pack in northeast Washington. However, environmental groups quickly filed a lawsuit temporarily blocking the action.
That order came after six documented cattle depredations in the past 10 months by the Togo pack. Three of those cattle kills occurred within the past 30 days. The most recent documented depredation occurred when one or more wolves injured a calf on a U.S. Forest Service grazing allotment in Ferry County, according to a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife news release.
In a statement Thursday Conservation Northwest decried the environmental groups effort to block the lethal-removal order.
“Lawsuits and polarization haven’t worked out well for wolves elsewhere, so we see little upside in spreading those tactics to Washington, where wolf recovery is going relatively well overall” said Mitch Friedman, Conservation Northwest executive director in a news release. “Instead of polarization, our focus is on collaboration and long-term coexistence.”
This story will be updated as I get more information.
“WDFW staff traveled to the scene early this morning (Friday, Aug. 24) and spent more than two hours investigating, but did not find evidence that the wolf had been shot. The producer told WDFW staff he shot at a black, collared wolf, which matches the description of one of the members of the Togo pack.
WDFW staff said they received data this morning indicating that the wolf was alive. The wolf’s collar is equipped with a mortality indicator that sends an email to WDFW wildlife managers when a mortality is detected.
The producer told WDFW staff he was responding to collar data indicating the wolf’s presence near his livestock. When he searched the area, he said he saw pups and heard barking and growling, and said he shot at the adult male as it barked and approached him. Afterward, he reported the incident to the Ferry County Sheriff’s Office, which notified WDFW staff.
Vocalizations by wolves are not uncommon when people approach wolf pups, and adult wolves often attempt to escort perceived intruders away from areas where pups are present. While these behaviors are not necessarily predatory in nature, they can feel threatening.
The investigation is ongoing, and more information will be provided as it is confirmed.”