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Report: Wolf Population Increase Not Hurting Deer Numbers
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2017-12-08/report-wolf-population-increase-not-hurting-deer-numbersSPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The growing population of wolves in eastern Washington state does not appear to be hurting the populations of deer, elk, moose and bighorn sheep, according to a report issued this week by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The agency in 2015-2017 studied the populations of those animals, known as ungulates, that are hunted by wolves and found that none "in this assessment appear to show clear signs of being limited by predation," the report concluded.
Gray wolves were hunted to extinction in Washington in the early 20th century. But the animals started migrating into the state in the early 2000s from Idaho and Canada. The first wolf pack was documented by the department in 2008.
At the end of 2016, the state estimated there were a minimum of 115 wolves, 20 packs and 10 successful breeding pairs in the state. All of the documented wolf packs are east of the Cascade Range.
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