Washington State University wolf scientist Robert Wielgus, in our Interview with him, who was publicly scolded by the school in August for didnt accuse a rancher of baiting wolves with cattle in his statement last august. He stated the facts. Ranchers, and rancher reporters seem to have made a bad attempt to turn it around with no basis of fact to their statements.
Dr. Rob Wielgus, director of the university’s Large Carnivore Conservation Lab, sent us the recommendation in an email Monday to the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Wolf Advisory Group. Dr. Wielgus Emailed WDFW and requested 5 minutes, WDFW denied him the opportunity to present his evidence in person at the Wolf Advisory Group Meeting. Unlike the Capitol Press, who could not seem to reach Dr Wielgus for the truth… before printing their version of the story, Protect The Wolves® has been in contact with him.
Wielgus restated his position that a ranch put its cattle in harm’s way in the Colville National Forest, leading WDFW to shoot seven wolves in the Profanity Peak pack. WSU administrators last summer issued a statement calling Wielgus’ description of the events inaccurate, it would appear to an intelligent individual that WSU is actually the group lobbying Cattle Rancher Donations.
It would appear that the only person putting out nonsense is President of Cattle Producers of Washington Scott Nielsen. Dr.Wielgus mentioned time and date stamps in his email.
The Below was a story printed in the Capitol Press, obviously a very one sided story… before contacting Wielgus for the truth. That is a great example of nonconfirmed… or Fake News.
“He’s putting out inflammatory nonsense,” Cattle Producers of Washington President Scott Nielsen said Monday. “It’s the same nonsense that got Rob in trouble last summer.”
Wielgus described his email as a press release from a private citizen, but based on his state-funded research.
Wielgus stated that withholding lethal control of wolves would be an incentive for ranchers to sign depredation-prevention agreements with WDFW.
He stated the agreements could prevent attacks on livestock and noted that the ranch that suffered the most losses last summer did not have one.
The ranch concentrated cattle near the pack’s den, according to Wielgus said.
According to a WDFW report, the den’s location was not known when cattle were released into the national forest.
Two ranchers lost livestock to the pack, and both met expectations for non-lethal deterrence measures, according to WDFW.
The expectations were set by the Wolf Advisory Group, which includes representatives from the Humane Society of the United States and Defenders of Wildlife.
According to WDFW, 54 livestock producers had agreements in 2016. Ranchers who sign agreements are eligible for public funding to employ non-lethal measures, such as range riders, and get access to tracking information collected from wolves wearing radio collars.
Agreements are tailored for each rancher, who must also allow WDFW access to their operations.
Nielsen said that most ranchers, including himself, have not signed agreements. He said ranchers should protect their herds, but shouldn’t be forced to invite WDFW to review and comment on their operations.
“I don’t begrudge anybody who wants to do it,” he said. “But I would argue the department doesn’t know one damn thing about raising cows.”
Efforts to reach WDFW wolf policy leader Donny Martorello were unsuccessful.
The Profanity Peak pack roams across 11 grazing allotments in the national forest. WDFW captured and collared two wolves in mid-June about 2 miles from where cattle were grazing. Attacks on livestock began a month later.
Wielgus told the Seattle Times in August that a rancher “elected to put his livestock directly on top of their den site.” A week later, WSU administrators said the statement had no factual basis and apologized.