WDFW to kill up to 2 wolves in southeast Washington in response to cattle attacks

Washington wildlife officials will try to kill as many as two wolves from a pack in southeast Washington in response to a series of attacks on cattle.

Late on Tuesday, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife director Kelly Susewind approved the “incremental” removal of one or two wolves from the Tucannon Pack.

The decision comes after three separate livestock producers in Asotin and Garfield counties reported that their cattle had been injured or killed by wolves.

On May 13, WDFW staff investigated an injured calf and found that it had been attacked by a wolf. The calf was later euthanized because of its injuries.

Six days later, the agency got a report from a second producer about possible wolf attacks. WDFW investigated an injured calf the next day and found that it had been injured by a wolf. That calf was also euthanized.

The same producer found five more injured calves in June. WDFW classified those as “probable” wolf attacks, and said in a news release that the injuries were old and could have happened anytime between March and May.

One Sunday, the agency investigated a calf found dead by a third producer. The investigation concluded a wolf killed the calf.

WDFW said in a release that the producers had been using non-lethal deterrents like range riding, and that officials don’t think the pattern of attacks will change.

Incremental removal means WDFW will consider whether they need to kill more wolves from the pack after killing one or two.

It’s the second time this year that WDFW has approved killing a wolf in response to attacks on livestock. Lethal removal was approved for a wolf in the Aladdin Valley area of Stevens County in May, but WDFW didn’t end up killing one.

In April, WDFW decided against approving lethal removal for the Couse pack in Asotin County.

The Tucannon pack roams the northern part of the Blue Mountains, including the upper parts of the Tucannon River drainage. In its December 2025 count, WDFW found the pack consisted of a minimum of nine wolves.

Statewide, Washington had at least 270 wolves at the end of 2025.