Colville School District -

Reported Colville wolf sighting
Apr. 2, 2025
The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife are
investigating a possible wolf sighting near Colville High School and Dominion Meadows Golf
Club on April 1. Stevens County’s Wildlife Specialist responded and hazed the animal until it left
the area. 
 
WDFW wolf specialists examined photos and video of the canine and observed the collar it is
wearing does not look like the radio collars they use to monitor wolves in Washington. Biologists
use these collars to get an understanding of how packs are using their territories over time.
While collars often collect locations daily, those locations are not transmitted in real time, and
the collars are not able to actively "track" an animal’s movements at all times. In this case,
biologists did not see data indicating a collared wolf was in the area at the time this animal was
reported, around 5:30 p.m.  The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office is investigating if there are
similar looking domestic dogs in the area, but no information has been received to date that
there are. Please call the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office at 509-684-5296 if an animal that
appears to be a wolf is spotted in the same general area. 
It should be noted that there was known wolf activity in the area in early March.  The Sheriff’s
Office is treating this event as a wolf sighting unless it can be shown otherwise.  
It is unusual for wolves to be this close to humans. If you do encounter a wolf, do not run or turn
your back, but instead, back away slowly while maintaining eye contact, making yourself appear
large, and making loud noises to deter the animal. More information on wolves can be found on
the WDFW Wolves in Washington web page.