Washington authorizes killing of some wolves in Grouse Flats pack

The state of Washington has authorized the killing of some wolves in the Grouse Flats pack in an effort to stop the pack from preying on cattle.

Kelly Susewind, director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, on Tuesday authorized the incremental killing of members of the pack located in southeastern Washington.

The agency says the Grouse Flats pack has been involved in two cattle depredations in the past 30 days, and four in the past 10 months.

The agency says livestock producers in the area have taken non-lethal steps to stop the depredations, but without success.

Under the incremental system, there is a period when some members of the pack are killed, followed by an evaluation period to see if the killings change the pack’s behavior.