Ranchers can’t wait for ‘thousands’ of wolves

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Ranchers can’t wait for ‘thousands’ of wolves

Oregon ranchers can't wait until there are thousands of wolves preying on sheep and cattle before the rules of engagement change.

T he Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission has begun, at least tentatively, the process to remove the gray wolf from the state’s endangered species list.

The state’s wolf plan calls for beginning the delisting process when the state has at least four breeding pairs for three consecutive years. Oregon reached that standard at the end of 2014, when eight breeding pairs were counted. Four breeding pairs were confirmed in 2013 and six in 2012.

But ranchers who thought reaching that goal was an automatic trigger for delisting are disappointed. While the commission last month voted unanimously to start the process, it has also asked the Department of Fish and Wildlife to present it with information about delisting wolves throughout the state, delisting wolves in only the eastern part of the state, or leaving them on the endangered species list.

Ranchers, who bear much of the expense of literally holding the wolves at bay and receive only partial compensation when they are unsuccessful, feel betrayed. While there has been coffee shop talk about taking care of predatory wolves on the sly — “shoot, shovel, shut up” — illegal takings appear to have been few and far between.

No wolves have been killed while attacking or chasing livestock in Oregon. ODFW killed four for chronic depredation on livestock. Five were illegally shot since 2000; one died when hit by a vehicle.

Officially, ranchers lost to wolves 76 sheep, 36 cattle and two goats from 2009 through 2014. Ranchers say the total is higher than confirmed because many animals just disappear. Delisting would give ranchers more latitude in protecting their animals.

“We lived up to our promise,” said rancher Todd Nash, wolf committee chairman for the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association. “We wholly expect the agency and this committee to live up to theirs.”

But environmentalists have different ideas, and are pushing the state to keep wolves on the endangered species list.

Most believe there are about 100 wolves in Oregon. Conservationists say there needs to be many more to protect the population from being wiped out by disease or other calamity.

Amaroq Weiss, West Coast wolf organizer with the Center for Biological Diversity, needs “on the magnitude of thousands” of wolves before they are delisted.

Really? A hundred may not be enough, but a thousand is too many.

All of God’s creatures have the right to thrive, and wolves have a place in the wilds of the West.

But that doesn’t mean that wolves should be allowed to make a free meal of cattle and sheep on the range, whether grazing on public or private land. And we don’t think ranchers should have to wait until there are thousands of wolves lining up for dinner before the rules of engagement change.

http://www.capitalpress.com/Opinion/Editorials/20150514/ranchers-cant-wait-for-thousands-of-wolves

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Wolf’s arrival in Malheur County concerns ranchers

A lone wolf that showed up in Malheur County in Eastern Oregon April 10 is still hanging around and ranchers in the state's top cattle producing county say it's probably a matter of when, not if, wolves establish a permanent presence there.

ADRIAN, Ore. — The arrival of a lone wolf in Malheur County has ranchers in the state’s top cattle producing county concerned.

“It’s plum serious,” said Malheur County Cattlemen’s Association President Chris Christensen. “There’s nothing positive from a cattleman’s standpoint in the fact that a wolf showed up.”

The wolf, which separated from a Northeast Oregon pack in February, entered the county April 10 and has been living mostly in sagebrush country south of Vale and west of Adrian.

The adult male wolf, which has a tracking collar and is known as OR22, has been seen by several farmers during brief forays into farm country.

“He’s started moving around a little bit more and has gone a few new places but he’s still in that same general area,” said Philip Milburn, a district wildlife biologist in the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Ontario office.

Milburn said two cow carcasses were found in the area last week, which might be part of the reason he’s staying in that region.

ODFW officials removed the cow carcasses, which are believed to have died before the wolf found them, Milburn said.

“There’s no evidence the wolf was involved (in the cows’ deaths),” he said. “There’s still no evidence he’s killed anything since he’s been here.”

Christensen said ranchers should ensure their dead animals are disposed of quickly and properly.

“They don’t want to give him any easy meals,” he said. “That’s probably why it’s staying around.”

This is the first time a wolf has stayed in the county for more than a brief period, ODFW officials said, but there have been multiple wolf sightings in the county and confirmed wolf tracks have been found in several places, including at the Oregon State University research station a few miles outside of Ontario.

OSU livestock extension agent Sergio Arispe said OR22’s arrival has caused some concern among the county’s 150 beef cattle producers, especially since the industry realizes it’s probably only a matter of time before wolves establish a permanent presence in the area.

At today’s cattle prices, a producer can lose a lot of money from a single wolf kill, he said.

“It’s not a matter of if they’re going to be here, but when,” Arispe said. “There is some big concern from cattle producers who are trying to make a living.”

Milburn said the Northwest part of the county, in particular, contains what could potentially be some good wolf habitat.

“(There is) a fairly high potential of wolves settling in that area eventually,” he said.

Christensen said Malheur County ranchers need to start learning from their colleagues in Northeast Oregon on how to operate with wolves present in the area.

“We’re not up to speed on wolves like the guys up north are and we need to be aware of what’s going on,” he said. “Malheur County is the No. 1 cattle producing county in the state. It’s certainly an issue to have a wolf show up.”

http://www.capitalpress.com/Oregon/20150504/wolfs-arrival-in-malheur-county-concerns-ranchers