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For the past year and a half, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Police have been investigating six wolf mortalities within the Wedge pack territory in Stevens County. WDFW Police began the investigation in February 2022, and it is still ongoing. Toxicology results revealed all six wolves died from ingesting poison.
Initially, investigators found four animals in late February 2022 and two more within a month during additional searches of the area.
The investigation remains active, and the Department encourages anyone who might have relevant information to report it confidentially by calling WDFW's poaching hotline, 877-933-9847, or by texting a tip to 847411.
The following organizations are offering reward money totaling $51,400 for information that leads to a conviction in the case of the poisoning of Stevens County wolves:
Center for Biological Diversity
Conservation Northwest
Defenders of Wildlife
Kettle Range Conservation Group
Northwest Animal Rights Network
Sierra Club – Washington Chapter
Washington Wildlife First
Western Watersheds Project
Gray wolves are listed as endangered under state law throughout Washington. In the western two-thirds of the state, they are also listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act. Under state law, the illegal killing of a wolf or other endangered fish or wildlife species is a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.
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