May 29, 2009 Canine tracks found near scene, but cow carcass was too old to determine actual cause of death By Joyce Campbell Federal and state wildlife officials say that while gray wolves may have been involved in the death of a cow near Twisp last week, proof will be difficult to obtain. “By the […]
Weatherwatch: May 2009
MAY By Bill Biddle “The new-born May, As cradled yet in April’s lap she lay. Born in yon blaze of orient sky, Sweet May! Thy radiant form unfold, Unclose thy blue voluptuous eye, And wave thy shadowy locks of gold.” What a panegyric to our Methow May that is before us! Erasmus Darwin […]
Lookout pack’s alpha female wolf appears pregnant
April 15, 2009 WDFW says most people support natural return of wolves to state By Joyce Campbell Three members of Washington’s wild gray wolf pack were observed last week, including the alpha female who “looked to be very pregnant.” “We saw two collared wolves and one of last year’s pups. They all looked healthy,” said […]
Wolf case could take months to process
April 8, 2009 By Joyce Campbell The investigation into the alleged illegal killing of two gray wolves near the town of Twisp is continuing and no charges have been filed in the case. One Twisp man has admitted to killing a wolf and having his wife attempt to ship the pelt to Canada, according to […]
Weatherwatch: April 2009
APRIL By Bill Biddle “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” Quick – before you read the next sentence, who wrote that opening line in what famous book? (And this is not an April Fool!) George Orwell in Nineteen Eighty-Four, which he wrote in 1947. The first half of […]
Feds looking at three Twisp locals in wolf kill incident
April 1, 2009 By Joyce Campbell Federal and state agents are continuing an investigation of three members of a prominent Methow Valley family regarding the death of one of the pups from Washington state’s only wild gray wolf pack. Tom White, of Twisp, admitted killing a wolf, and reportedly told agents that his wife, Erin, […]
‘Lucky’ Libby relocated after suspected alpaca kill
Cougar trapped near Carlton tagged, collared and released within his range ByJoyce Campbell A cougar captured and released on Friday the 13th was a lucky guy, unlike the alpaca he is accused of killing and feeding on. He’ll need a lot of luck if he is to survive. The two-year-old cat is part of a […]
Federal gray wolf de-listing does not affect Methow pack
March 11, 2009 By Joyce Campbell Wolves in the Methow Valley remain under the full protection of the national Endangered Species Act while gray wolves in several Rocky Mountain and Great Lakes states will soon be managed and protected by state wildlife agencies. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar affirmed an earlier decision by the […]
Weatherwatch: March 2009
MARCH By Bill Biddle Weatherwatch will start this March column with a discussion of the windstorm that hit the valley during the last week of February. What a blast from the north! Highly unusual, too, for such a norther to descend during a Methow winter. Weatherwatch had to scurry through his logbooks and manuals to […]
Weatherwatch: February 2009
FEBRUARY By Bill Biddle “Welcome in the winter light!” This is a steal (with the last word changed from “night” to “light”) from the title of the winter forecast published 10 weeks ago in the Methow Valley Winter Guide. At that time, the valley was getting ready for five months of “winter night.” However, now […]
