Oregon's confirmed wolve kill

[orbowhunter1971]

Got this off the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Website.

Today, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) confirmed that a wolf (or wolves) were involved in the depredation of sheep at a ranch in the Keating Valley, Baker County. These two separate incidents at the ranch (one Thursday, April 9 and one Sunday, April 12) resulted in the deaths of 19 lambs and mark the first known depredation by wolves since they began returning to Oregon from Idaho in the mid-1990s.

USFWS is expected to issue a news release today confirming the wolf depredation and providing other information.

Evidence included tracks, bite marks, and photos of two wolves taken Monday by a camera placed at the scene. The photos were sent to several USFWS wolf experts, who confirmed they were wolves.

Wolves remain listed under the federal Endangered Species Act at this time so USFWS is lead management authority. A rule de-listing them from the federal ESA in the eastern third of Oregon (east of Hwys 395/78/20) is scheduled to take effect May 4, 2009. After that time, wolves in Oregon will remain protected by the state’s Endangered Species Act and managed by ODFW.

[chilcotin hillbilly]

I see your experts are the only ones smart enough to know what a wolf looks like

"The photos were sent to several USFWS wolf experts, who confirmed they were wolves."

[orbowhunter1971]

I see your experts are the only ones smart enough to know what a wolf looks like

"The photos were sent to several USFWS wolf experts, who confirmed they were wolves."

LOL, too funny

I wonder how much it cost to have those pictures examined by those expert opinions

[cathoundtex]

wow,i grew up on the coast in oregon,i didnt even know wolves had made it there.how many miles into oregon have they come?more or less?

Got this off the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Website.

Today, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) confirmed that a wolf (or wolves) were involved in the depredation of sheep at a ranch in the Keating Valley, Baker County. These two separate incidents at the ranch (one Thursday, April 9 and one Sunday, April 12) resulted in the deaths of 19 lambs and mark the first known depredation by wolves since they began returning to Oregon from Idaho in the mid-1990s.

USFWS is expected to issue a news release today confirming the wolf depredation and providing other information.

Evidence included tracks, bite marks, and photos of two wolves taken Monday by a camera placed at the scene. The photos were sent to several USFWS wolf experts, who confirmed they were wolves.

Wolves remain listed under the federal Endangered Species Act at this time so USFWS is lead management authority. A rule de-listing them from the federal ESA in the eastern third of Oregon (east of Hwys 395/78/20) is scheduled to take effect May 4, 2009. After that time, wolves in Oregon will remain protected by the state’s Endangered Species Act and managed by ODFW.

[orbowhunter1971]

Hey CatHound,

They have sightings in fNorth Eastern Oregon, such as Lagrande and Wallowa. They had some picts taken from helicopter posted last winter. I guess this is first time since the reintroduction that there are confimed livestock kills.

The Oregon hunters from the east side might have better info though. I was hoping to get over to that side next season, but I think I'll stay put

[montananative]

too bad...only gettin worse. always pisses me off to see something like; "wolves are endangerous east of such and such high way, but west of it they arent." rediculous.

[hounddawger]

I was driving home from vacation in the summer of 08, and one crossed the road (I-84) in the North Powder area. At first I thought it was someones border collie, but as I got closer I could see it was huge. It was a big grey one and its back was almost up to the head lights on our durango. If I would have figured out what it was sooner I would have done everyone a favor and not swerved to miss the bastard. I'm glad I did though cause as big as he was it would have tore some things up. I read about that in the new paper and they said it was in the Grants Pass area. Thats getting pretty far west, won't be long and they'll be to the coast. Their already up by the Chelan area in Washington. There's about to be a real problemwith these wolves soon. In time their gonna be in neighborhoods preying on kids and then the tree huggers will want our help and we can have our day in the sun.