B-300, July 09, after ODFW replaced her radio collar. She looks scraggly and thin in this photo.
Oregon has ordered Wildlife Services to kill two wolves in the area of livestock depredations in eastern Oregon. This is on top of the now SEVEN KILL PERMITS issued to ranchers.
ODFW states that by ordering the killing of two uncollared wolves this will help protect B-300 (Sadie) and her mate, the alpha pair of the Imnaha pack. How this reasoning works makes no sense to me? Why will killing two wolves, who were not caught in the act of livestock depredation, going to help the alpha pair? Do they have pictures of these wolves caught in the act of killing a calf or cow? To me it only escalates the situation.
SEVEN ranchers now have kill permits, which typically last for 45 days. Wildlife Services kill order is good until June 11.
Please continue to email and call ODFW to protest the killing of these wolves.
Why are wolves continuing to be targeted and tracked, treated like terrorits when ranchers in Oregon lost 60,500 cattle to NON-PREDATION compared to 4500 cattle deaths due to ALL PREDATION? Again coyotes being number one killing 23oo cattle and calves, next Mountain Lions and Bobcats 1500. Wolves aren’t even mentioned in a category, because they kill so few livestock. That is a fact agribusiness doesn’t want you to know but one I will keep repeating over and over. Predation is a tiny, tiny percentage and the ranchers know it. Compare 60,500 non predation to 4500 predation, with wolves not even mentioned in a category. (NASS 2005)
Talking Points:
1. Ask what measures, besides having one lone person hazing wolves, have the ranchers carried out to protect their investment, not ODFW or Wildlife Services but the ranchers that are doing all the complaining?
2. Have they used guard animals, herding, night penning, frequent checks, exclusion fencing, fright tactics, livestock carcass removal and other non-lethal means to protect their cattle? Ask specifically what each rancher has done.
3. Ask ODFW how many cattle or calves have been lost to weather, disease, mastitis and all the myriad of calamities that befall cows?
4. Ask why one rancher is grazing his cattle with elk, wolves preferred prey?
The situation for the Imnaha Pack and the tiny population of 14 wolves just got even more dire. The population will be reduced to 12 wolves after Wildlife Services, the bane of wolves, carries out their deadly kill orders.
Don’t forget these wolves and let Oregon know the public is watching what they are doing.
CONTACT:
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
3406 Cherry Avenue N.E.
Salem, OR 97303
========
ODFW WILDLIFE DIVISION STAFF DIRECTORY
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/directory/wildlife_division.asp
=======
Main Phone (503) 947-6000 or (800) 720-ODFW [6339]
Comments: odfw.info@state.or.us
To Enter Your Opinion About This Issue Into Public Record: Contact: odfw.comments@state.or.us
=======
ODFW authorizes lethal removal of wolves
Breeding pair to be protected
Photo: Courtesy ODFW
Posted in: Oregon Wolves, Wolf Wars
Tags: Imnaha wolf pack, Sadie, B-300, wolves or livestock, Oregon wolves in danger, be pro-active ranchers
Boulder White Clouds Council
Exposing The Big Game
Footloose Montana
Friends of the Clearwater
Lockwood Animal Rescue Center
Louise du Toit
LUPUSLAETUS
Mercy For Animals
Northern Idaho Wolf Alliance (NIWA)
Predator Friendly®- Because Wildlife Matters
Project Coyote
Project: Wolf
The Nature Conservancy
The Ravensong Group
WildEarth Guardians
Wisconsin Wildlife Ethic-Vote Our Wildlife
Wolf And Wildlife Studies: Jay Mallonee (Independent Wolf Biologist)
Wolf Song of Alaska
Wolves in english ! Les loups en anglais !
WWP's Gray Wolf Page
Yellowstone To Yukon Conservation Initiative
Howling For Justice 
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kathy Hodges and crystalwolf., Nabeki. Nabeki said: Two Eastern Oregon Wolves Slated To Be Killed…..: http://wp.me/pDTDG-1JW […]
LikeLike
That is really horrible news. The ones that they are targetting are probably going to be last year’s or the year before’s pups. They wouldn’t even be adults yet at that age, still just puppies.
The only good news from this is that they aren’t going to target Sophie and her mate. So if she had a new litter this year, they won’t starve to death.
Here’s hoping that June 11th passes without a wolf losing it’s life in Oregon.
LikeLike
Hi Katie,
I have lost faith in ODFW, they are bowing to pressure from ranchers. It sounds like a concerted effort to get wolves killed. Who in the heck really knows what’s going on at those ranches? The idea that B-300 is somehow safe when SEVEN ranchers have kill permits is ridiculous. She could be shot at anytime. What if she happens to stretch her legs and crosses through one of the ranches? The whole situation is out of control and now two wolves will die. June 11 is the deadline for WS to kill the two wolves but the ranchers kill permits could last for 45 days or more. It’s bad for the Imnaha’s right now, they are facing the same persecution that wolves in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming are facing. I somehow thought Oregon would be different but stock growers are stock growers wherever they are.
N.
LikeLike
It just couldn’t get worse! Now wolves can’t even move to other new places in USA. It’s like they need some kind of permit and have to follow certain rules in a land that was once theirs. Now 2 of the pack’s members are going to get shot in the holy name of agribusiness. How intolerant is this country getting! They can’t live with only 14 WOLVES IN OREGON!!!Oh pleaaaazzze!!!
LikeLike
Loua….I read one of the ranchers grazes his cows with an elk herd. What the heck??? Could the situation be anymore stressful for wolves. They should give wolves a book called, “Eat This, Not That”.
As you said this was once their land, long before the Europeans ever arrived here. Now wolves are strangers in their own land. It’s hard enough being a wolf and trying to feed your family and on top of that they have to deal with these intolerant people that are playing a “gotcha” game with them. Hey I found a dead calf, lets go kill a wolf.
I wish B-300 had kept on going to Western Oregon…she picked the worst spot to land.
N.
LikeLike
I CAN’T SAY NOTHING.I’M KNOCK OUT…I CAN’T BELIEVE IT.
LikeLike
I’m sorry Agnes..it’s bad news every day it seems. But the cattle industry is behind this. They are the single biggest obstacle to wolf recovery. We have to keep speaking out for wolves and never give up.
N.
LikeLike
June 11th is almost here which means the Wildlife Services kill order is almost expired. Any news on the well-being of Oregon wolves?
LikeLike
Here’s the sad answer Katie. Not only have they extended the kill order though June 19, they’ve widened the kill zone to 15 square miles in Wallowa Valley. I guess the wolves aren’t cooperating in their deaths. Oregon is now up there on my list with the rest of the cow states.
Wolf kill extended, expanded in Wallowa Valley
ENTERPRISE, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has extended the authorization for the federal Wildlife Services to kill two wolves in northeast Oregon through June 19.
The department also expanded the kill zone to about 15 square miles in Wallowa Valley.
The department said Wednesday that another calf was killed June 4 by wolves. Wolves also killed livestock four times in May. No wolves have been killed yet.
Wildlife Services is authorized to kill only two uncollared wolves. That’s to protect the pack’s alpha male and alpha female — Oregon’s only known breeding pair. Both wear collars.
Some ranchers also have permits to shoot wolves caught attacking livestock.
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20100610/UPDATE/100610013#ixzz0qTcNdQ00
“sigh”
N.
LikeLike
That is really heart breaking news.
I don’t know if you already know this, but the Oregon Wolf Management plan is under a five year review and the OCA (Oregon Cattle Association) is trying to make it so all ranchers can shoot a wolf at any time. Sophies pack is only protected by the state ESA right now. That small part of Oregon was delisted from the Federal ESA when the rest of the wolves were. There are small organizations, like Oregon Wild, that are trying to fight the OCA but I think it will all depend on Judge Molloy and his ruling. Because if he relists the Northern Rockies wolves, Oregon wolves will get their federal protection back, too.
LikeLike
You’re right Katie, that small part of Oregon was delisted when the rest of the Northern Rockies wolves were. I forgot they have that divided up. So Sophie and her pack are even more in danger. I’ve done several posts on Oregon’s Wolf Management plan and the need for people to send in comments to challenge the current plan. I’m going to leave the post up concerning Montana’s wolves all weekend and Monday so people will be reminded to send in their comments to the Montana FWP commissioners, then I’ll put the post back up about commenting on Oregon’s Wolf Management Plan. There are so many fires going at once, it’s hard to know where to focus. Everyday is a new horror for wolves. I’ve never seen anything like it.
Judge Molloy is hearing oral arguments this coming Tuesday at the Federal Courthouse in Missoula, Mt…..June 15 @ 9am. Let every wolf advocate send their positive energy to Missoula on Tuesday. I think Judge Molloy will rule on the litigation sometime in August or maybe before that.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
LikeLike
I understand, Nabeki. The deadline for comments on the montana situation ends before the deadline for the Oregon plan (it ends June 30th).
I’m sure you have alot of info about it already, but if you need anymore just let me know. I have a link to the Oregon Cattle Association’s testimony about what they want to be changed, if you wanted to see what we are fighting against.
Click to access OCA_Testimony.pdf
It’s pretty bad. They want the wolves to be delisted statewide at 4 breeding pairs. Right now I think the plan says 3 breeding pairs in Eastern and 3 in Western Oregon before delisting statewide, which is still really low. Even if each pack had ten wolves in it, that is only 60 wolves statewide. I attended a presentation by George Wuerthner (the man who wrote “The West needs more, not fewer, wolves”) and he said that Oregon can hold up to 2200 wolves. That’s ALOT more than six breeding pairs.
LikeLike
Hi Katie,
Thanks so much for the update. I know you are fighting a real battle in Oregon and you have just fourteen wolves. That is mind boggling to me. I truly care about “Sadie”, B-300 and her family. I’m so worrried one of the seven ranchers might harm her.
I will definitely send in my comments to ODFW before the deadline. I’ve been waiting to see if new develpments arise. We just can’t let ranchers dictate wolf policy anymore. Oregon is such a progressive state it seems strange to hear the hardline tone coming from eastern Oregon but they seem more like Idaho then Oregon. Sadie should have just kept going West, past Joseph, Oregon. She couldn’t have picked a more dangerous place to raise her pups but I’m sure there is a large prey base of elk in the region.
If you want to write a post on Oregon’s wolves and what you are up against, I’ll post it on the blog. I’ve been rolling around in my head the idea of having guest posters to the blog. I think it would be a nice addition. Let me know or send me a message on FB.
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
LikeLike
Eastern Oregon and Western Oregon are very different. It’s like cowboys and treehuggers, and I’d side with the treehuggers any day.
Nabeki, I’d be honored to write a post for your blog. I know I’m not an expert, but I will do my best. I’ll send you a message on FB to get more details.
LikeLike
Hi Katie,
It almost sounds like eastern Oregon is a part of Idaho. I know there are lots of tree huggers in the western part of the state and I hope lots of wolf lovers because wolves are going to need all the support they can get.
I’m sure you’ll write a great post and looking forward to it.
N.
LikeLike
http://www.lagrandeobserver.com/News/Local-News/Wallowa-County-seeks-wolf-plan-changes
Not good news nabeki. Oregon only has 14 wolves and they want them removed.
LikeLike
Nothing new Jon. The Cattleman’s Assoc I’m sure is behind this. Boy they are sounding more and more like Idaho every day. ODFW seems to be caving to their hysterics. They hate wolves and just want them gone. What they want to do is reduce the number of breeding pairs to one or maybe none. I was thinking eastern Oregon wolves were still protected by ESA but Katie reminded me that part of eastern Oregon, where the Imnaha pack resides, was delisted right along with the rest of the Northern Rockies wolves.
Now the ranchers are going in for the kill and using the calf depredations as an excuse to take out Oregon’s wolves.They know perfectly well those losses are very tiny and they lose thousands of cows and calves to non predation. Just to remind everyone, these are non predation. losses in Oregon for one year NASS 2005
One Year of Cattle Deaths in Oregon (NASS 2006)
Digestive problems: Cattle – 1,600. Calves – 9,700.
Respiratory problems: Cattle – 7,500. Calves – 12,600.
Metabolic problems: Cattle – 1,700. Calves – 300.
Mastitis: Cattle – 1,700.
Other diseases: Cattle – 1,600. Calves – 800.
Lameness/injury: Cattle – 1,600. Calves – 1,200.
Weather related: Cattle – 200. Calves – 1,400.
Calving problems: Cattle – 1,400. Calves – 6,900.
Poisoning: Cattle – 400. Calves – 600.
Theft: Calves – 100.
Other non-predator: Cattle – 2,200. Calves – 800.
Unknown non-predator: Cattle – 2,700. Calves – 3,500.
This makes no sense except an irrational fear of wolves. I read a quote that spoke volumes, not sure who said it:
Ranchers have given “wolves powers of evil that would make Stephen King embarrassed.”
N.
LikeLike
You guys have no idea what you are talking about. I spend a lot of time in the woods of Eastern Oregon and there are FAR more than 3 breeding pairs of wolves. The North Fork John Day River area alone has dozens of wolves. They are an animal that we do not know how to properly integrate into the wild again. And until we do they need to be killed if they are causing problems.
LikeLike
Hello Bob,
First of all I think ODFW has a pretty clear picture of how many wolves are in the state. Secondly it’s obvious you know nothing about wolf social structure or what is going on with wolves in your state. There is only one breeding pair of wolves in Oregon, the Imnaha pack and right now the alpha male has been missing since May 31, so he’s probably dead.
I highly doubt there are dozens of wolves hanging out at The North Fork John Day River and even if there were that does not mean they are breeding pairs. Do you even know what the definition of a breeding pair is according to the ODFW wolf management plan? Have you even read it? Or do you get all your informaton from other mis-informed people?
It has nothing to do with knowing “how to properly integrate (wolves) into the wild again”. Humans are the problem. Wolves definitely know how to be wolves. they have lived here for tens of thousands of years, this is their land. The “problem” is ignorance. The problem is livestock. It’s always been the problem. Ranchers squawk bloody murder when a wolf kills one of their cows, even though most of them don’t practice pro-active animal husbandry. They lose thousands of cows to coyotes, disease, weather, theft or reproduction every year yet I don’t hear them complaining about that. Hmmmm, they aren’t reimbursed for a calf struck by lightening. Get it?? Wolves are not a threat to livestock in any meaningful way. In 2009 wolves were responsible for 94 cattle losses out of MILLIONS of cattle in Montana. Yet Wildlife Services Aerial Gunning And Trapping Wild West Show, killed hundreds of wolves in 2009 and continues to kill then.
So please, if you want to come on this site and talk about wolves, do a little reading and learn something about them. Don’t dredge up the same old talking points that we are all sick of hearing.
N.
LikeLike