More wolves come under scrutiny in Blue Mountains

Another southeastern Washington wolf pack is in trouble for preying on livestock and may face lethal removal of one or more members.

According to a posting by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Columbia Pack has been deemed responsible for four confirmed and one probable attack on cattle since August.

The pack roams the foothills and benches of the northwest slope of the Blue Mountains near Patit Creek in Columbia County. Department Director Kelly Susewind is considering authorizing the lethal removal of one or more members of the pack in an effort to deter future attacks.

The three different producers whose animals have been attacked have engaged in preventive measures, according to the department.

The Couse Pack, on the opposite side of the Blue Mountains, is blamed for six livestock attacks since June. One member of the pack was killed by a ranch hand in July. A kill order issued by Susewind in late September expired before it could be implemented.