Washington state wildlife officials resisted sending copter, sheriff to save woman treed by wolves

Capital Press ^ | July 18, 2018 | Don Jenkins

[george76]

Recordings and summaries of emergency calls show Washington wildlife officials at first objected to an air rescue of a woman treed by wolves, or help from the Okanogan County sheriff.

Washington wildlife managers initially opposed sending a helicopter or a search-and-rescue team to save a woman treed by wolves in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, according to recordings and summaries of emergency calls.

...

Notes from a call between DNR dispatcher Jill Jones and a wildlife officer summarized WDFW’s position, and her position, shortly before the helicopter launched.

“No helicopter. Federally listed species. 3 WDFW personnel saying so,” according to DNR’s call log.

“We are more concerned for her life than the listed animal,” Jones told the officer. “He indicated that she is safe up in the tree. ... I told him that we do not know how safe she is. I don’t know how stout the tree is, and if the limbs will continue to hold her or how long she can hold on.”

...

. Within a half hour, the woman was safe in the DNR helicopter piloted by Devin Gooch. The wolves had scattered as Gooch flew overhead before landing in a meadow.

...

according to DNR call logs, the agency was prepared to “launch the rotor and will deal with aftermath of WDFW later.”

...

Jones, the DNR dispatcher,...

“When I talked to Fish and Wildlife, they said, ‘Nope. That’s not search and rescue. That’s just us. And no helicopter,” Jones said.

“For goodness sakes, somebody needs to figure it out,” the county dispatcher said.

“I don’t know how long this girl can hang in the tree,” Jones said. “... so we’re finally just launching a helicopter.”

The flight from Omak to the woman took 14 minutes,

[rlmorel]

Wow! I had no idea those things were that big...I thought they were perhaps 100-140 lb animals!

Holy smokes.

[Billthedrill]

Good luck there hikers and do gooders...

No kidding. Several of the areas I used to solo hike in Washington state are now not quite so safe anymore. Even in my resident state of Idaho there are Fish and Game people who used to solemnly insist that wolf introduction had little impact on elk herds. Such as these:

That picture is of 19 elk killed in a single evening by wolves in Wyoming. The carcasses aren't chewed on for food. These days they're authorizing wolf hunts to attempt to recover. They're magnificent creatures and I'd hate to have to shoot one but anyone who announces that they aren't dangerous doesn't know what he or she is talking about.

[Valpal1]

Not a hiker, she was an employee of some agency conducting a salmon survey and she had a radio. She deployed bear spray which bought her enough time to climb a tree. I am guessing she is a college student (summer employment) and athletic.

That is why she is alive and not lunch.

[Little Ray]

Neah.
Need a Ruger Redhawk for critters. They’re harder to discourage than people.

[Scrambler Bob]

In 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service planned to take wolves off the endangered list and turn over management of the animals to Wyoming. That would have allowed state-regulated hunting of wolves.

But a federal judge ( Donald Molloy ) ruled that wolves remain under federal control and be relisted as an endangered species.
= = =

Change ‘wolf’ to ‘mooslime’ and read again.

[Scrambler Bob]

If someone found a few T-Rex’s would the same people want to introduce those because they were here once?
= = =

Bring back SMALLPOX!!!!

[dsc]

“They’re magnificent creatures and I’d hate to have to shoot one”

Really? I would fricking *love* to kill a half dozen or so and make a nice robe out of the pelts.

[george76]

Change ‘wolf’ to ‘mooslime’ ...

---

Correct; and for the same reason.

[mac_truck]

The article indicates the county sheriff did not ever get to talk to the woman who was rescued and was discouraged from even visiting the location where the incident occurred.

Someone needs to take a hard look at that wolf program from a public safety perspective.

[Tenacious 1]

The victim should have said,’ I’m going to start shooting the damn things if they come any closer. Gotta hang up now to get a better grip...

That would have ensured a swift response. Even better had she said she had already shot one and was lining up the next one.

It's like the story of the old man who calls 911 and says burglars have broken into his shed and are stealing his stuff. Dispatcher tells him there are no units in the area available. The old man calls back and says, "Nevermind. I took care of it. When they have time, send the coroner to collect the bodies. I shot them." Within 4 minutes there were 6 cops on the scene and the burglars were arrested. A detective scolds the old man. "I thought you said you shot them." The old man says, "I thought you said there was nobody that could help me."

[DUMBGRUNT]

“I thought you said there was nobody that could help me.”

Fun with government employees.

[wardaddy]

I looked I figured you were in 49

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