Wolves may be returning to Washington state. One or more packs of gray wolves may be living in north-central Washington’s Methow Valley, which would make them the first resident population… AP in the Seattle Times.
Despite the yanking of endangered species status from any wolves in NE Washington under the recent delisting of of wolves in the Northern Rockies, these wolves are in north central Washington and would receive full endangered species status. Moreover, the may have migrated down from B.C. on the own.
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
I was hoping they wouldn’t find the wolves for a while . . isn’t interesting that they have obviously been there for a while and yet no cattle or pets have been killed. . why is it only when they know wolves are around that cattle and pets start getting killed. My first track sightings here were in about 1997 . . and yes there was no way they were hybred tracks. They were in dust, very fresh and at least six individual tracks showed of what looked like three animals. The largest were 5 1/2 inches across measure with minimum track outline guidelines and 6 inches long. The nails registered and the feet were muscular and front toes lined up together. Perfect tracks about 18 miles from the columbia river. When i reported them to the forest service they disappeared in about a month. For two weeks I was able to keep track of them (pun intended) and then there was only one and then none. I have never reported any other tracks and sightings. But did go to the wolf center in Tenimo to make sure I knew what I was looking at and to Yellowstone to track wolves in a class. . what I learned confirmed what I saw although I was told by some knowledgeable wolf biologists it was impossible. I believe wolves have the ability to live “under the radar” of most folks for a good long time. They only seem to get into mischief when people notice them. Watch, now you will hear stories from the Methow Valley about wolf predations on innocent animals this summer.
Why do these articles always insist on quoting some whiny rancher about how much of a sacrifice it’s going to be for them?
I saw wolves in SW Washington Back in the mid 90’s and reported it and was told I was crazy, we were about 5 miles south of the Indian Heaven Wilderness area. I am quite good at animal identification as I had to take a lot of courses in school while getting my degree in wildlife biology, but alas I was told I was crazy!
Even before 253 was trapped in Morgan, I had a WS agent tell me that he had “howled up” wolves several times in N. Utah.
Save Bears . . they told me that I was crazy too and that women get a little excited sometimes and don’t know what they are seeing. . I had a private good laugh over it. I believe I saw the same wolves. Then later, when I saw a grizzly bear near here I was told that again. . and a citizen here made veiled threats that if I didn’t stop saying I saw a grizzly bear I would be sorry. Well, now the story is in my book and I can’t say I am sorry.