Washington state lawmaker questions hypocrisy of planned tribal wolf hunts
'I wholly support their efforts to control the gray wolf population – yet the state prohibits private property owners from doing the same. Why?' asks Rep. Dave Taylor
OLYMPIA – As the Colville Tribes prepare for the authorized taking of up to nine gray wolves within their reservation boundaries, one Washington state lawmakers wonders why this effective lethal management tool is not being made available to all Washington private property owners.
Rep. David Taylor, R-Moxee, sent a letter this week to Phil Anderson, the Director of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, asking for clarification and documentation regarding the upcoming tribal hunts.
“It's beyond disappointing that we had to learn about the gray wolf hunt from newspaper articles,” said Taylor, a rancher from the state's 15th Legislative District. “The department knows of our intense interest in this issue and the level of concern our constituents have when it comes to the sensitive nature of living with the newly-introduced gray wolves. But we'll move on from here and try to find some answers as to why this management tool is good for one group of Washington residents but apparently not another.”
Taylor's letter to the Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) specifically requests the following:
1. A detailed account of discussions, negotiations or other conversations your office has had with the Colville Tribes regarding this hunt;
2. Any and all correspondence, email and other communications between WDFW and the Colville Tribes related to the referenced wolf hunts; and
3. A written timeline of events leading up to the Colville Tribes authorizing wolf hunting and WDFW involvement.
Taylor said he's not taking issue with the fact that the tribes are being allowed to kill up to nine gray wolves within their reservation boundaries. His concern is that if the Colville Tribes have concluded – with the state's blessing – that lethal management is a necessary wolf management tool, why are non-tribal ranchers and private property owners required to take rigorous, proactive non-lethal steps to avoid wolf/livestock conflicts.
“I want to be very clear, here,” said Taylor. “I wholly support their efforts to control the gray wolf population. Yet, the state prohibits private property owners from doing the same. Why? What dialogue has taken place between the state and the tribes; what data has been presented to the state from the tribes that could help the state reach the same conclusion for our ranchers and private property owners?
“I just want to make sure we're all playing by the same set of rules and that game management tools being made available to one segment of the state's population are available to all Washington citizens,” concluded Taylor.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Text of letter sent by Rep. David Taylor to WDFW Director Phil Anderson is as follows:
Mr. Phil Anderson, Director
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North
Olympia, WA 98501-1019
RE: Colville Tribes Wolf Hunting
Dear Director Anderson:
Over the past several years, my office has made several inquiries related to wolf conservation and management in Washington State. As you are aware, some of the requests for information are on-going as information becomes available. I was surprised to learn from several newspaper articles the Colville Tribes have authorized the hunting of nine (9) gray wolves within the boundaries of their reservation. Given the fact that I have open requests for information from your office, I am perplexed that I wasn't provided notice of Colville's hunting season.
I respectfully request you provide my office with the following:
1. A detailed account of discussions, negotiations or other conversations your office has had with the Colville Tribes regarding this hunt;
2. Any and all correspondence, email and other communications between WDFW and the Colville Tribes related to the referenced wolf hunts; and
3. A written timeline of events leading up to the Colville Tribes authorizing wolf hunting and WDFW involvement.
It should be noted that I have no issue with the Colville's authorizing the taking of nine (9) gray wolves as part of their management strategy. In fact, I wholly support their efforts to control the gray wolf populations on their reservation. I am, however, deeply concerned that Washington State continues to prohibit ranchers from protecting their private property from wolf depredation. As you are aware, the Department is mandating ranchers take proactive non-lethal steps to avoid wolf/livestock conflicts, with state sponsored lethal means used as a last resort. The hypocrisy of the situation is deeply troubling.
My colleagues and I have repeatedly asked that people be provided the legal means to protect life and property from gray wolves; yet, the Department has continuously fought our efforts to do so. We have attempted to work in good faith, offering several possible solutions including regional delisting, to allow for the management of gray wolves and protection of property, to no avail.
It is time the Department and the Commission revisit the use of lethal means to manage gray wolves in Washington State. The management techniques employed by the Colville Tribes should be available to all citizens in Washington State. At a minimum, citizens should be allowed to protect private property.
Please feel free to contact my office should you have any questions or need clarification to my request.
Sincerely,
15th District State Representative
David Taylor
