The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will try to lethally remove one or two wolves from a pack attacking calves in southeast Washington.

Fish and Wildlife Director Kelly Susewind authorized the removal Jan. 6. The department also will issue a rancher a permit to shoot a wolf if on private property in Columbia County.

The department hopes to deter surviving pack members from attacking cattle. The Columbia pack has killed at least two calves and injured two others and also probably injured another six calves in the past five months.

The department’s practice is to consider lethal removal after four attacks in 10 months. The pack crossed the threshold in late October. 

Ranchers have tried to prevent the attacks, but the predations are likely to continue anyway, according to Fish and Wildlife.