Officers leave Stevens County woods without killing second wolf

ENDANGERED SPECIES — Washington Fish and Wildlife officers who killed a wolf implicated in livestock attacks on Tuesday have retreated from the northeastern Washington woods near Laurier today without killing a second wolf as planned.

Bruce Botka, the agency’s public relations director, said the Wedge Pack will continue to be monitored, but has dropped plans to kill a second wolf from the pack, at least for now.

Northwest Sportsman blogger Andy Walgamott has a thorough report to date on this incident , which marks the first time Washington has used provisions under its wolf management plan to kill one of the gray wolves that are reintroducing themselves to the state.  Wolves otherwise are protected in Eastern Washington by state endangered species rules.