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Wolf population increasing in state Predatory incidents also climbing says study BY COOPER INVEEN WNPA OLYMPIA NEWS BUREAU
For the first time in generations wolf populations are on the rise in Washington State. In 2008 a Conservation Northwest volunteer captured the first images of wolves born in the state since the early 1900s. Since then their numbers have more than quintupled. And this is just the start. “In terms of what we’ve seen in the Rocky Mountain states — Idaho, Montana and Wyoming — we’re at kind of a threshold number in terms of what
“The most support in the state for wolf recovery is where there are no wolves. I’m worried that the disproportionate impact is going to hurt social acceptance of wolves in my area.” Rep. Joel Kretz, Seventh District - Wauconda
we’ve seen in prior years,” said Dave Ware, wolf policy lead administrator at the Washington Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (WDWF). In those cases, wolf populations increased exponentially once they crossed the 50-wolf mark. Today, the department has confirmed at least 52 wolves living in Washington, mostly living in the northeastern part of the state. At the rate they’re currently breeding, the agency anticipates wolves could reach state recovery objectives as early as 2021. Ware presented the findings to a joint House and Senate committee Jan. 14. Although they paint a pretty picture for wolf populations, their re-emergence doesn’t necessarily spell good news for everyone. Especially not for ranchers. “Twenty percent of wolf packs end up causing a depredation at some point,” Ware told lawmakers. “Certainly that number varies significantly, or can from one year to the next. But that can have significant impacts on individual ranchers.” The first recorded wolf attack on
The Gazette-Tribune and local businesses Hughes Department Store of Oroville and Lee Frank Mercantile of Tonasket joined forces over the holidays to give away a sled to a local kid in each community that sent a Letter to Santa Claus that we printed in our special Christmas section in December. Above, Ryken Harris, 8, of Oroville receives his sled from Jack Hughes (right). He’s in Kathy Smith’s class. Right, an excited Sadie Clark, 7, from Loomis, gets her sled from Stacey Garrisson of Lee Franks. She says she’s in Mrs. Lewis second grade class.
livestock occurred in 2007, before any wolves had been officially reported living in the state. Since then, Ware says wolf depredations have been fairly limited, although increases in recent years have forced WDFW officers to take lethal action twice, both in Stevens County: once in 2012 when 16 cows Rep. Joel Kretz were attacked, and again in 2014 when 30 sheep were confirmed to have been attacked or killed by a local wolf pack. When it comes to attacks on livestock, the agency focuses most of its efforts on what Ware calls preventative deterrence. This means helping landowners procure guard dogs and electric fences, as well as sending out range-riders — horsemen dedicated to keeping herds moving, removing animal carcasses from wolfheavy areas and keeping their eyes out for any signs of wolf activity. To date the WDFW has worked with more than 40 individual landowners to help maintain wolf populations, issuing compensation when it must. The agency notes that preventative measures only go so far, and after multiple attacks are attributed to a single pack, its officers have no choice but to take lethal action, Ware explained. Eight wolves have been put down by state officers in the past three years, approximately one-sixth of their minimum population. In the Rocky Mountain
“If we don’t resolve this things are just going to become more polarized and you’ll never have wolf acceptance in my part of the state” Rep. Joel Kretz, Seventh District - Wauconda
states, 15 percent of wolf deaths were attributed to humans before recovery goals were reached. In Washington, that figure is less than seven percent, although no specific total number was given at the briefing. The department recently conducted a public survey that showed strong support for wolf recovery, along with an equally strong support for killing wolves that repeatedly attack livestock. The sur-
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Chamber, anglers, land success at NW Ice Fishing Festival NW Ice Fishing Festival Gary A. De Von editor@gazette-tribune.com MOLSON – To say fingers were crossed for this year’s NW Ice Fishing Festival was an understatement. After three year’s of getting skunked it was beginning to look like the idea someone could catch a fish in the winter out of Sidley Lake was a fish tale. That, however, came to an end when real trout started being caught within minutes of the tournament’s opening at 8 a.m. Bryan Jones caught the first fish and hustled it all the way back to the official judges trailer to have
it weighted and measured for the “first fish caught” prize. “Ripples of laughter were heard about such a small fish being at that time, in first place,” said Robin Stice, one of the tourney’s organizers, and founder of the event 11 years ago. A total of 86 anglers registered to try their luck that day, 13 youth and 73 adults. By 8:30 a.m.,Terry Davis caught the second fish of the day with a weight of 27.5 ounces and by 8:45 a.m. John DeVlaeminck had a 31.6 ouncer. “The fishing was so hot then, no one felt the cold. I hiked the
whole lake asking each group if they were getting bites, where they were from and getting general feedback about the festival. It was hard work with six inches of powdery snow on top of anywhere from one to four inches of slush depending on location,” said Stice. “The ice reports ranged from 14 inches to 18 inches, again depending on location. Most groups had at least one person getting bites. Everyone that worked so hard to put on the festival was thrilled to hear about the action on the lake.” Fish averaged from 10 1/4 to 17 7/8 inches with a weight range
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Tournament judge Dan Lepley measures a fish caught by Ben Cross, who took second place in this year’s NW Ice Fishing Festival on Sidley Lake near Molson. This was the Omak anglers first year fishing in the tourney. His fish was 17 and 7/8 inches long and wieghed 34.2 ounces. Gary DeVon/staff photo
of 5.8 ounces to 36.6 ounces. Over all 32.9 pounds of fish were officially caught in the 2015 NW Ice Fishing Festival. Grand Prize is based on the weight of two fish. All other places based on only one fish. Judge was Dan Lepley from Oroville Building Supply
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assisted by two daughters, Heidi and Lillie age 17. The Grand Prize of $500 donated by Hughes Department Store went to Mark Webster, with a total weight of 69.2 ounces. First prize, $100 from Double A. Logging, was awarded to Ben
Cross with 34.2 ounces; second, $75 from OK Chevrolet, went to Jill Mathews with 34.1 ounces; third prize of $75 from OK Chevrolet went to Kim Marshall with 33.9 ounces and fourth prize, $50 from Akins Harvest
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Community A6-7 Classifieds/Legals A8-9 Real Estate A9
Local Sports Obituaries
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