WDFW kills 1 Tucannon wolf; another found dead | Field Reports
From staff reports
Washington wildlife officials killed one wolf and found another dead in a part of southeastern Washington where wolves have been blamed for cattle attacks.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced this week that staff working to carry out a kill order for the Tucannon Pack found a wolf on June 26 that had been shot days earlier.
WDFW believes the male was shot on June 21, two days before WDFW director Kelly Susewind OK’d the killing of up to two wolves from the pack.
WDFW’s lethal removal operation continued after staff found the dead wolf. On June 30, WDFW staff killed an adult male.
In its news release, WDFW officials wrote that the agency is now entering an “evaluation period” to determine whether any more action is needed to deal with conflict there.
The Tucannon Pack lives in the Blue Mountains in Asotin and Garfield counties. Since May, WDFW has investigated cattle attacks reported by three separate livestock producers and found that the pack was responsible.
WDFW Police are investigating the shooting of the wolf that was found dead. Officers are urging anyone with information to call the agency at 877-933-9847, submit a report online or text WDFWTIP to 847411.
Captive deer rules proposed
Washington wildlife officials are considering a set of rules for captive, non-native deer species to limit the impact of chronic wasting disease on wild herds.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife this week opened a public comment period on the rules, which propose a new testing requirement for captive cervids and clarifies regulatory requirements for owners of the animals.
WDFW said in a news release that captive cervids are a possible avenue for spreading CWD, an always fatal neurological condition affecting elk, deer and moose.
The disease was first found in Washington in 2024. It has been confirmed in wild deer in Spokane and Pend Oreille counties.
A virtual public hearing is set for Aug. 6 and public comment will be open until Aug. 7. More information and the language of the rule changes is available on WDFW’s rulemaking webpage.