By Eli Francovich
Two new wolf packs were confirmed on the Colville Indian Reservation this week.
Colville Confederated Tribes Fish and Wildlife found that the alpha male from the Strawberry Pack dispersed and started a new pack that they’re calling the Nason Pack. Another pack, the Frosty Pack, was also confirmed when biologist successfully collared an adult male, according to a Colville news release.
With the confirmation of these two packs there are now five wolf packs on the Colville Reservation.
At the end of 2017, the state had at least 122 wolves, 22 packs and 14 successful breeding pairs, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a March report. That compares with a minimum of 115 wolves, 20 packs and 10 breeding pairs reported at the end of 2016.
Unlike in the rest of the state the Colville Tribe has an annual wolf hunting season. In 2018 the season quota was three animals.