ENDANGERED SPECIES -- As if to emphasize the first few paragraphs of my Thursday Outdoors column, seven groups with a pro-wolf agenda, including the Spokane-based Lands Council, petitioned the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife “to stop the indiscriminate killing” of wolves -- even though the agency isn't.

• See their press release.

If wildlife managers don't give them satisfaction, they plan to appeal to Gov. Jay Inslee.

I'm sure the Stevens County Cattlemen will be at the governor's desk, too.  

Any sportmen's groups out there planning to rattle the guv's cage?

How about you county commissioners?

• Anybody want to be a Washingtong wildlife manager this summer?

Meantime, WDFW held its wolf webcast Thursday night on managing big game in wolf country.  Andy Walgamott of Northwest Sportsman provided the followup below.

The agency posted last night’s Washington wolf webcast for those who didn’t get to see it live (it begins at the 14-minute mark, for some reason) but want to learn more about impacts to big game from experts in the Northern Rockies.

Initial reactions to the event vary. It’s being discussed on Hunting Washington (see this thread) and WDFW’s Facebook page, and there’s a brief radio story on it.

“We did get quite a few comments,” Ware says about the opportunity for hunters to email in questions for the webcast. “Most were fairly positive in terms of hearing what other states are doing.”

He added that a overall a variety of views were expressed.

Among the numerous questions from hunters and others posed by Wildlife Program chief and MC Nate Pamplin to Ware (as well as Montana and Idaho big game managers) was one by a Miles: “Is there going to be a Washington wolf hunting season?”

Ware says that the wolf plan says it’s a possibility, and that the agency feels like other states, that hunting is a good management tool that provides recreation and is mandated by the legislature to provide hunting opportunities.

“I can’t imagine why we we wouldn’t recommend it, to have wolves to be hunted as well,” he says near the 2:42:30 mark