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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Out & About

These Diamond Pack wolf pups triggered a remote camera stationed in northeastern Washington by the Washington Department of Natural Resources in cooperation with the state Fish and Wildlife Department. The motion-triggered cameras help monitor wolf movements and numbers. (Washington Department of Natural Resources)

Wolf sightings elusive in state

OUTFIELD – Gray wolves in Washington aren’t showing their cards to state Fish and Wildlife Department officials.

No new wolf packs have been confirmed in the past year, although a new one is suspected in the Blue Mountains along the Washington-Oregon border, said Madonna Luers, department spokeswoman in Spokane.

A radio-collared male wolf is being monitored in that vicinity.

Of the two Washington packs confirmed since 2008, only one has surely produced pups this spring.

The “Diamond Pack” wolves that range in Pend Oreille County and North Idaho produced six pups this year. Last year the two adults were confirmed for the first time as a breeding pair with four pups.

The “Lookout Pack” of Okanogan and Chelan counties is in question, since the radio-collared breeding female disappeared this spring before pups were documented.

The Lookout Pack was the first to be documented in Washington since wolves were extirpated from the state by the 1930s. The pack included seven animals in December, including the two adults, a 2-year-old from 2008, and four pups from 2009.

OUTPROFIT – Lower water levels may be contributing to a bumper crop of pikeminnows caught in this year’s Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Fishery.

Since May 1, anglers along the Columbia and Snake rivers have turned in 30,000 more fish than they had last year at this time.

That’s not small change, when you consider each pikeminnow turned in to check stations is worth $4-$8, and up to $500 for a tagged fish.

So far, one angler has set a record by landing 12 tagged fish worth $6,000.

With nearly two months to go in the season, another angler has earned more than $51,000, edging toward the individual earnings record of nearly $58,000. September is usually the best month for catching pikeminnows.

So far this season, 115,878 fish have been caught, earning anglers more than $650,000.

“People are making serious money with this program,” said Russell Porter of the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. “They’re having fun fishing while helping save young salmon.”

The program is funded by the Bonneville Power Administration.

The pikeminnow bounty season has been extended through Oct. 10.

Since 1991, more than 3 million pikeminnows have been removed from the Snake and Columbia rivers through the program.

Last year, anglers caught about 142,000 of the native fish, reducing pikeminnow predation on juvenile salmon by about 40 percent, program officials said.

Info: (800) 858-9015; www.pikeminnow.org.

Petition seeks ban on lead ammo, tackle

OUTRAGEOUS – The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking comment on a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity to ban traditional ammunition and fishing tackle containing lead under the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976.

Check it out: tinyurl.com/LeadPetition