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within 28 tributaries, while in the Entiat watershed, 17 sites within 11 different streams were sampled. Westslope cutthroat trout were found in 19, 17, and 3 of these sites in the Methow, Wenatchee, and Entiat watersheds, respectively. Among these 9, 10, and 1 of these sites for the Methow, Wenatchee, and Entiat watersheds, respectively, contained "pure" (100% confidence in identification) or "essen- tially pure" (near 100% confidence; one + morphometric feature may be questionable) westslope cutthroat trout. In the remaining westslope cutthroat trout sites, specimens were questionable; morphometric characters suggest historic gene flow with other cutthroat trout races or, perhaps, rainbow trout. Populations in these drainages are mostly on National Forest System lands. The status of populations generally remain unknown with the greatest threat being anglers in highly accessible streams (Larry Brown, Washington Department of Wildlife, personal communication). Other threats such as habitat loss, competition, and hybridization exist but remain unquantified. Wvominq The range of westslope cutthroat trout extends into the headwaters of the Madison and Gallatin rivers within Yellowstone National Park. Colonization was precluded into the Gibbon and Firehole rivers due to barrier falls. Biologists with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service working within the park estimate that westslope cutthroat trout may have occupied between 12-15 streams in the headwaters of these rivers. Currently, about 6 populations remain with each having some degree of hybridization with Yellowstone cutthroat trout and/or rainbow trout. Only two tributary streams contain populations with genetic purity greater than 98% based upon electrophoretic analysis (Personal Communication, Dan Mahoney and Lynn Kaeding, United States Fish and Wildlife Service). Reasons for decline are competition and hybridization with exotic species, particularly brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout, and Yellowstone trout. Yellowstone trout were also introduced into the Madison and Gallatin rivers which are outside their native range in Yellowstone National Park. TRENDS As early as 1959, Hanzel (1959) documented in Montana that westslope cutthroat trout were restrict- ed to headwater streams with pure populations being retained above barriers. Westslope cutthroat trout were originally on the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) "Red Book" of threat- ened and endangered species from 1966- 1972 but were dropped from the list with the passage of the Endangered Species Act in 1973 due to questions concerning classification (Roscoe 1974). The USFWS previously classified westslope cutthroat trout as a Category 2 species (listing is possibly appropriate, but persuasive data on biological vulnerability and threat are not currently available to support proposed rules) prior to the deletion of Category 2 species from the candidate list on February 28, 1996 (61 FR 7596). Reasons for decline were noted early. Hanzel (1959) listed: stream habitat changes, competition with exotic species and hybridization with rainbow trout as major factors of decline. In the 1970 T,E, & S supplement to the Forest Service Manual Region 1, the Forest Service identified habitat degradation and increased fishing pressure as factors of decline. They cited "road construction as perhaps the most serious source of damage from man's activities". Not only as a result of sediment but increased temperatures, improper culvert installations, and increased angler access. Three decades later, populations continue to decline from competition and hybridization with exotic species, habitat loss and degradation. and continued fishing pressure. Presently, Washington was the only state that indicated populations appear stable where known but status of numerous populations remain unknown. As a whole, trend is declining throughout this 6