Wolves have arrived in Klickitat County. They need our help.
We, and that is YOU, have to grit out teeth sometimes and participate in the legislative process. There's urgency to do so now. On February 8, the Washington House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee will consider HB 1698, a bill that significantly lowers state protections for endangered wolves. It elevates the roles that counties will play, and it opens the door to hunting and killing wolves as "problem animals".
We see what this will mean in the actions of Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer, who under his 2019 "Dangerous Wildlife Policy" repeatedly calls out hounds to hunt and kill cougar and bear. In every case, including a case where a hunter reported a cougar he encountered in the woods, the cougar are defined as "problem animals".
Wolves have officially arrived in Klickitat County. There's a collared male with a female, in the Mt. Adams vicinity. This information was presented at a state legislative hearing and also appears in a newsletter from Underwood Conservation District. Wolves have probably been around for a few years, but now it's official. This is great news, of course, because wolves, like other apex predators, are essential to ecosystem health and diversity. It's bad news for the wolves, though, because it brings them into the public eye, where fear and persecution is likely to flourish.
Sheriff Songer told a November 29, 2022 Board of County Commissioner meeting he said he would tell ranchers "if you shoot one of those wolves, you call me and tell the game department the sheriff told you to shoot it". *** If he's willing to do that before HB 1689 is acted on by the legislature, imagine how empowered he, and others who think like him, will feel if HB 1689 does pass. It's not pretty.
We think it is imperative for humans to learn to respect and co-exist with cougar, wolves, and bears. We think the blind, unreasoning killing has got to stop. The proposed bill is a big step in the wrong direction.
TAKE ACTION. PLEASE. Before 7:00 AM on Wednesday, February 8, register your opposition to this bill. Go HERE to do this. This is a survey being run by the legislature for the legislature. You don't need to write an email or make a phone call. You just register your position. It takes a minute or two. The sport and trophy hunter groups are out in full force supporting this, so it is critical for opponents to register opposition.
Want to know more, or what else you can do?
Read proposed bill 1698 HERE
Go to the Washington Wildlife First website to read about contacting your legislator or other actions you can take.
***Sheriff Songer means the Department of Fish and Wildlife when he says "the game department". It used to be Fish and Game, but that's been a while ago. It's mission is no longer just managing game populations.
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