Ranching, hunting, wildlife groups pack meeting on wolves
Coverage from the Ellensburg wolf hearing: “Some are going to have to be taken out when they really start causing problems and I think that the quicker the hunting community, the cattlemen’s community realize that a lot of conservation organizations like us recognize that, then we’re really not all that far apart,” said Jay Kehne of Conservation Northwest.
ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Washington state wildlife officials are fine tuning their policy on the state's newest predator.
Ranchers are worried they will suffer livestock losses like their counterparts in other wolf states.
"We don't need to re-live or repeat problems like they had in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, parts of Oregon,” said Jack Field, Executive Vice President of the Washington Cattlemen’s Association. “We need to learn from their mistakes and move forward.”
Ranchers in other states say they suffered too many losses of cows and sheep before the wolves reached a level they were taken off the endangered species list and open for hunting.
It wasn't an issue here until biologists confirmed the presence of a wolf pack in Okanogan County.
It's happening so fast the state didn't have time to get its rules set for compensating ranchers who lose cows or horses, or for how many wolves should be here before they start controlling them.
Ranchers and hunting groups want some guarantees.
"With wolves in the area … that elk are of course going to be adaptive and they move to areas with less nutrients which affects calf production,” said Mark Pidgeon, President of the Washington Hunters Heritage Council.
There seems to be some progress. Even groups demanding protection for the new packs say the time will come when they have to be controlled.
“Some are going to have to be taken out when they really causing problems and I think that the quicker the hunting community, the cattlemen’s community realize that a lot of conservation organizations like us recognize that, then we’re really not all that far apart,” said Jay Kehne of Conservation Northwest.
But big gaps remain. Some county leaders in ranch country don't believe the government biologists who say the wolves are naturally migrating into the state.
"I've got sworn statements from citizens in Okanogan County that have seen grizzly bear barrels with Montana license plates on them, I’ve got two eyewitnesses that saw wolves being released,” said Okanogan County Commissioner Jim Detro.
Time is running out for groups hoping to influence a state wolf policy. Only two more hearings are scheduled before the Fish and Wildlife commission finalizes the plan.
