Skagit County Wolves
I'm Bob Larson. Now that wolves are moving into Western Washington, at least one state senator feels the time may be NOW to speak about the growing population of predators.
A breeding pair of wolves now call Skagit County home and 39th District State Senator Keith Wagoner says this is only the beginning for folks west of the Cascades ...
WAGONER ... "Those wolves eat every day and I have people that live out there including my parents. And, we've seen what's happened in Eastern Washington. That's probably the reason the wolves have moved across the mountains. They've cleaned out the game and they've caused all kinds of havoc on the farmers."
Understandably, the Sedro Woolley Republican is also concerned about the threat to ranchers, livestock and pets ...
WAGONER ... "They're eventually going to be on our doorsteps. There's a reason we have the saying, 'a wolf at the door.' They're not a good thing."
State Fish and Wildlife supports a Wolf Management and Conservation plan calling for eight breeding pairs in the Cascade Mountains, but Wagoner thinks that's a mistake and pulls no punches ...
WAGONER ... "I would eliminate them. I think it's a failed experiment."
Wagoner says we have already witnessed the havoc wrecked on wild game populations, domestic livestock and even family pets in eastern Washington.
In addition to the direct threat to domestic animals, Wagoner fears the wolves will exacerbate the elk problem in Skagit County because they would try to escape the predators by heading to agricultural lands where they already cause problems.
