Wolves in the Wool

As dozens of sheep shuffle along a mountain trail in southern Stevens County, a hidden sentry stands watch. A white Maremma-mix guard dog crouches almost imperceptibly amid the huddled flock, rising suddenly to bark out a warning at the approach of any intruder. Swift and cagey predators stalk these hills. For at least two years, the young Huckleberry wolf pack has hunted these steep, timber-lined slopes without incident, but last month that changed. Rancher Dave Dashiell, of nearby Hunters, moved his 1,800 sheep onto the private timber company property earlier this summer, just like he did last year. In mid-August, a series of attacks left more than 24 sheep dead. He called in state Department of Fish & Wildlife officials for help. "This experience has taught us two things," Dashiell writes in a recent statement. "Once wolves start killing livestock, no amount of effort can discourage them and don't put too much trust in words." While 10 confirmed packs reside in Northeast Washington, the Huckleberry pack's territory extends the farthest south, putting it closer to Spokane and other established communities. As wolves continue to multiply and migrate across the state, wildlife advocates and ranchers brace for new conflicts. Dashiell has now called for the "removal," or killing, of the entire pack of up to 12 wolves, but advocates argue that nonlethal deterrents can successfully prevent wolf depredation on livestock — if given a chance. Steve Pozzanghera, eastern regional director with Fish & Wildlife, says his staff provided "range riders" to patrol the area, closely monitored a pack member with a radio collar and posted floodlights around the flock. Killings continued. On Aug. 22, officials approved lethal force against the pack...more