Oregon Wolf News
questions how wolves may impact Oregon.
Read the Oregon wolf recovery plan, research wolf studies,
and see wolf news reports from around the
country and world. Learn how to identify wolves and how to
identify wolf sign in the wild.
Learn about wolf predation on deer and elk herds;
see livestock predation reports; wolf attacks on pets and humans; read about how to properly deal with livestock
depredation on your ranch; learn about the diseases carried by wolves
and how to avoid them.
Oregon Wolf Rally March 10
Wolf Free Oregon is planning a rally to protest
the invasion of the Canadian Gray Wolf and the damage done to
livestock and big game herds occurring across the northeast
Oregon landscape. Let’s stop the destruction before it begins.
The Canadian Gray Wolf must go by whatever means necessary.
Don’t allow the “plague” to begin here as it has in Idaho,
Montana and Wyoming.
JOIN US:
11 a.m. Thursday March 10, 2011 at the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife headquarters in La Grande, 107
20th Street. Meet at the
BI-MART parking lot by 11 a.m., and then proceed to rally and
demonstration at the ODFW headquarters.
Wolves In Oregon
This
video clip above, was taken by ODFW on Nov. 12, 2009 in the Imnaha
Wildlife Management Unit (east of Joseph, Ore. in Wallowa
County). At least 10 wolves made up this pack that ODFW has been
monitoring since June 2008. The video was taken from an adjacent
ridge across a canyon and shows a mixture of gray and black
individual wolves moving up the slope.
More Wolves
In Oregon
As of February 2011,
the Imnaha Pack now numbers 14 wolves and nobody knows how many
wolves have pioneered out to form new packs. The
big question facing Eastern Oregon residents is "How soon will
wolves begin impacting Oregon as severely as they have impacted
Idaho?"
Wolf Management
Wolf
populations have exceeded recovery goals in
the (NRM) Northern Rocky Mountain and the Western Great Lakes
states.
Wolves
were delisted in most of the
(NRM) states
and one hunting season had occurred in
Idaho and Montana
in areas where wolves impacted deer and elk herds and caused excessive
predation on
livestock.
As of
August 5, 2010 Judge Donald Malloy had ruled to relist wolves
based on a technicality that Wyoming does not have a management
plan. Now wolves
can not be managed in any of the lower 48 states, wolf numbers
are increasing and problems continue to escalate. Most people
expect wolf management, the big question is: "When Will It Begin?"
Wolves Coming From Idaho
The
Idaho F&G video below shows how fast the wolf population
grew in Idaho. In 1995 wolves were released in
Idaho. Idaho now has nearly 1000 confirmed wolves, many
residents claim the population is actually closer to 2,000
wolves. Elk herds
in several management units have dropped in numbers rapidly and
wolves are impacting sheep and cattle ranchers heavily.
This video illustrates the spread of wolves in Idaho and gives you an idea what may likely occur
in Oregon as wolves
move from Idaho and begin breeding in Oregon.
How Much Do Wolves Eat
Numbers vary regarding how much a wolf eats each year.
During one
USGS Study in Yellowstone
Park, 24 wolves were observed for 1 month in 1997 and 57
wolves were observed for 1 month in 1998. A total of 81
wolves were observed for a one month period and 114 kills
were observed. This included 106 elk, 6 moose, 1 mule deer,
and 1 bison. The average kill rate was 1.4 elk per wolf per
month. That study indicates that 1 wolf will eat 17
elk per year. It would require 44 deer to equal the same
body mass as 17 elk. At
that rate, 100 wolves will eat about 1700 elk or 4400 deer
per year, and 1000 wolves will eat about 17,000 elk or
44,000 deer per year.
Annual Livestock
Losses
Wisconsin
2010 - Wolves are causing more trouble in Wisconsin.
That’s according a new report from the state DNR. It
said grey wolves killed 47 livestock calves, 34 dogs, 16
cows, and 6 sheep...(the
full story)
Michigan 2010
- Two dogs, 57 cattle, seven sheep and a guinea hen have
fallen victim to wolves this year...(the
full story)
Minnesota
2007 - Verified losses caused by wolves included
3 cows, 83 calves, 1 horse, 1
foal, 10 sheep, 365 turkeys, and 3 dogs...(the
full story)
Idaho 2009 -
Confirmed wolf attacks on domestic animals include 76
calves (killed), 7 calves (injured), 14 cows (killed),
344 sheep (killed), 20 sheep (injured), 16 dogs
(killed), 8 dogs (injured), 1 foal (killed), 1 goat
(killed). Attacks classified as probable wolf attacks
include another, 26 calves (killed), 3 calves (injured),
1 cow (killed), 156 sheep (killed), 4 dogs (killed), 2
dogs (injured), and 1 goat (killed)...(the
full story)
Montana 2010
- Wolves killed or injured $512,981 worth of cattle,
calves, sheep, goats, horses, llamas guard dogs and pet
dogs. Four years ago, wolves damaged $73,269 worth of
livestock, pets and working dogs. Predator increases
have been caused by several factors, all of which relate
to wolves. “We have not received any additional funding
since the time the population and range of wolves has
expanded,” Steuber said. He explained that the “ground
tools” government trappers can use to control predators
are limited because of federal laws designed to protect
wolves in the area...
Wyoming 2010 - As of
mid-November, wolves have
killed a total of 63
domestic livestock and
horses, although some
suspected depredations,
injuries and deaths related
to wolf activity are not
included in the total. A
total of 36 wolves have been
killed for livestock
depredations by wildlife
managers so far.
Depredations reached a peak
in 2009, when 222 domestic
pets and livestock, mostly
sheep, were killed...(the
full story)
Warning : Videos and News Reports on this website share sensitive
stories and include graphic photos involving wolves and prey.
Wolves Killing Oregon Elk
As reported Feb 5, 2011
The weekend finally rolled around, northeast Oregon
residents Justin and Jenna couldn’t wait to get out and
take some wildlife photos with their new camera lens.
The weather didn’t look too promising in Union County so
they decided to drive 80 miles east to the Zumwalt
Prairie located between Joseph and Imnaha in Northeast
Oregon. Justin recalls “We’ve gone to this area numerous
times to see the wildlife, we would see herds of 300-400
elk and deer, and many would be only 100 yards or so
from the vehicle. Although, I have to say on the last
trip the animals did appear more alert, we still
expected to see something, so we decided to go for a
hike and explore the area more thoroughly.”
After hiking for about 15 minutes Justin and Jenna came
across huge tracks in the muddy trail. Justin relates,
“There was no mistaking it; we both knew we were looking
at wolf prints. We had heard wolf reports from local
farmers but still couldn’t believe we were actually
looking at fresh wolf prints. Then we began to wonder,
is this why there were no elk in sight? Does this
explain why the elk and deer were all so skittish last
month?”
Justin and Jenna continued down the trail thinking about
what they had just seen. Justin explains, “The farther
we walked the more wolf tracks we saw. Then right in
front of us a group of magpies and a golden eagle flew
off of a fresh elk kill. It was a calf elk and all that
remained was the hide and some bones with small amounts
of meat. About 20 yards away laid the head of the calf
elk. We were still investigating the remains when
suddenly we noticed three grey wolves bedded in a rock
pile only 70 yards up the ridge ahead of us. I knew this
could be a once in a lifetime opportunity and I hoped
they wouldn’t catch our scent and take off. I
immediately began snapping lots of photos.
The wolves remained surprisingly calm; one at a time
they casually got up and then just stared at us for
several minutes. One wolf finally relieved herself and
another took a big stretch, then the farthest wolf began
to slowly walk away. The two closer wolves gazed at us a
moment longer, then one at a time they turned and slowly
followed, none of them looked back or indicated too much
concern about our presence. But then again, why do they
have to be concerned, they have no enemies.”
Justin added, “After seeing the lack of elk and deer on
this historic winter range, I’m very concerned about how
these wolves are impacting the elk and deer herds. The
wolf groups and the courts have stopped wolf management
in other states; we can only hope we will be allowed to
control these wolves soon, they are rapidly expanding
throughout the Pacific Northwest. I’m also concerned
about the effect wolves are going to have on our way of
life, it was very clear as my photos show, these wolves
had little or no fear of humans at close range in the
broad daylight.”
Justin and Jenna both enjoy their time in the outdoors
and like photographing the local wildlife, they reside
in Northeast Oregon. Justin asked for this story to be
shared with the public. Feel free to pass this on to
your email lists and anyone in the media.
Wallowa County - First wolf kill in Oregon occured May 5, 2010
