Wildlife Commission to get wolf management update

ENDANGERED SPECIES — An update on the status of gray wolves in Washington, including a wrap-up of the state's September effort to eliminate the Wedge Pack in northern Stevens County, will be presented Friday to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission in Olympia.

Nate Pamplin, Fish and Wildlife Department assistant wildlife program director, and Steve Pozzanghera, the agency's Spokane Region manager, are on the meeting's agenda to brief the commission on issues related to the state’s Wolf Conservation and Management Plan at 1 p.m.  

The meeting location was changed this week to the Columbia Room inside the Capitol Building as officials got the sense they would need a larger room.

The commission will take public comments starting at 3:15 p.m. Representatives of pro-wolf groups, the livestock industry and conservation organizations have indicated they'll be represented at the meeting.

The meeting will be televised via webcast.  

Meantime, in states where wolves have been delisted and wolf management has commenced:

• Idaho hunters have killed at least 23 wolves in the 2012-2013 Idaho wolf season that started in September.
• Montana hunters have killed at least 7 wolves in the 2012-2013 Montana wolf season. 

Wolf trapping seasons will begin in both states later in the fall.

• Wyoming hunters have killed at least 4 wolves in the first Wyoming wolf season, which started Monday.