Wolf killing is overreaction

The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife is looking after cattle in the woods instead of deer, elk and wolves? Our first wolf pack was shot by wolf-hating ranchers. Now, our own department is killing wolves for ranchers. They say the killing of the Wedge Pack lays a foundation for the future. This future is more of the same. Director Phil Anderson said that next time he plans to start lethal management sooner.

Where is the information on nonlethal management for ranchers? On the Internet, the department has little. The Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association pages offer not a word; they advocate delisting wolves so they can manage (read kill) them.

How can this possibly work long term? Department sharpshooters were out there for weeks trying to kill a pack that had a wolf with a tracking collar, finally resorting to a helicopter sharpshooter to kill them off.

Here is a challenge to the department and our ranchers. Instead of going for the gun cabinet, let’s do some creative thinking and show people in our neighboring states how to live and ranch with wolves around. It will be less expensive in terms of money and result in less bad publicity for Washington.

Steve Bentjen

Pullman