Washington Bear

Wolf populations in Washington continue to grow and expand into new areas. The last time Washington released information on the state’s wolf population was December 2022. At that time, 216 wolves in 37 different packs were surveyed and counted in their base minimum counts. Twenty-six of these packs were considered successful breeding pairs.

The truth is that the actual wolf numbers are much higher than this visual count. Overall reports show the wolf population is growing by an average of 23% per year across the state. Wolves were federally relisted in the western two-thirds of the state in February 2022. We hope that Washington is able to address the burgeoning population of wolves in the eastern portion of the state before their moose population is lost. However, with their very liberal Game Commission and the public’s desire to remove hunting of all animals as a management tool, the future may not look too bright for Washington’s wildlife.