Washington Cattle Producers, Farm Bureau Discussing How To Best Address Wolves

In April, members of Washington’s leading livestock producer organizations held a join meeting in Ellensburg. Leaders from the Cattle Producers of Washington, Washington Cattlemen’s Association and the Washington state Farm Bureau gather to discuss the growing number of interactions with wolves, specifically depredations.  Tom Davis with the Farm Bureau said all those in attendance agreed something needs to be done, sooner rather than later.  Davis said producers are not only loosing calves from outright attacks.

“But they’re also finding that their cows when they put them out to pasture, they’re not getting the weight gain that they normally would because of the agitation, fear, that the wolf presence is creating within the cow.  They’re also seeing a lower pregnancy rate, which also has an economic impact on these ranchers.”

Davis said while not perfect, most ranchers are doing the right thing, working with the Department of Fish and Wildlife to implement non-lethal methods.  But he said those efforts are not working as they use to.

“What we’re finding is wolves, you know, they’re dogs and they’re smart, and a [non-lethal] method might work for a while, but then the animals get use to that and they no longer work, and the unfortunate thing is the Department hasn’t come up with additional methods for these ranchers to use and some of been doing it for a decade now, and so we need more tools to help on the non-lethal side.”

Davis said he would like to see WDFW transition to a model more like what has been implemented in Ferry and Stevens counties, where local officials have the most control.

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