With confirmed wolf kills rising and rural safety concerns mounting, Lassen County is the latest community to ask the state for help. Sheriff John McGarva met with ranchers, elected officials, and wildlife agency representatives at the Dixie Valley Ranch to discuss the growing threat posed by as many as 7 different wolf packs, according to a website dedicated to the Lassen Pack.
The Harvey Pack has been linked to six confirmed calf kills in the Big Valley area in March alone, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Ranchers also report wolves approaching within 15 yards of homes, digging through trash, and entering areas where children play.
“These wolves aren’t just killing livestock. They’re getting too comfortable around people,” McGarva said.
In attendance were Congressman Doug LaMalfa, Assemblywoman Heather Hadwick, Lassen County Supervisor Aaron Albaugh, staff from Senator Megan Dahle’s office, and representatives from CDFW. Wildlife officials discussed the use of deterrents like electric fencing and fladry (flagging lines), but locals say the wolves become desensitized and return within days.
On March 24, McGarva sent a formal letter to CDFW Director Chuck Bonham urging the agency to take stronger action. “The community at large feels that the Department of Fish and Wildlife is more concerned about the continued population of wolves and other apex predators than the safety of the residents in these areas,” he wrote.
CDFW has not publicly responded to the letter. The agency continues to promote non-lethal strategies and emphasizes “coexistence” between wildlife and communities.
But some say that approach isn’t working.
“‘Coexistence’ is a charismatic term used to neutralize people who are opposed to sharing space with wildlife,” said Mike Costello, spokesperson for HOWL for Wildlife, a conservation advocacy group. “But current policy is effectively forcing “cohabitation” with apex predators. Citizens are being made to share their private property with wolves, whether they want to or not.”
That concern is shared in Modoc County. In a recent clip of a video interview the Record shared, Sheriff Tex Dowdy criticized the state’s stance, saying the government is asking rural residents to protect state-managed wildlife at the cost of their own safety, property, and livelihood.
HOWL for Wildlife describes itself as an organization committed to science-based wildlife and fisheries management. The group says its mission is to prevent policy decisions based on emotion or misinformation and to give the public tools to take action on conservation issues. The organization has submitted a letter to the California Fish and Game Commission, calling for updates to the state’s Gray Wolf Management Plan, the development of science-based criteria for delisting wolves from endangered status, support for federal delisting, protection of Tule elk, and stronger livestock protections. Residents who wish to support the effort can sign onto HOWL’s letter at howlforwildlife.org or send comments directly to the California Fish and Game Commission by emailing [email protected].
Information provided by Modoc Record
