BREAKING: Feds Call Off Oregon Wolf Hunt

Wildlife Services to conduct an Environmental Assessment, putting wolf hunt on hold.

B-300, the alpha female of the Imnaha wolf pack. Taken in July of 2009 when ODFW replaced her radio collar. Photo from ODFW.

The hunt for wolves in Northeast Oregon is on a long pause as federal officials begin the job of studying how the hunt will impact the state’s small population.

Dan Kruse of Cascadia Wildlands just told me his group has received a letter from USDA Wildlife Services, the agency that was assigned the job of killing two wolves from the Imnaha pack in Wallowa County.

He says Wildlife Services has agreed to voluntarily hold off hunting until it completes an Environmental Assessment, one of the steps called for under the National Environmental Policy Act.

This is exactly what environmental groups wanted.

About a month, ago four groups, the Hells Canyon Preservation Council, Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wildlands and the Center for Biological Diversity sued to stop the hunt. They said Wildlife Services was required by law to complete an Environmental Assessment before the hunt could begin.

The feds responded by calling off the hunt for the month of July, then extended that until August 12th when oral arguments are scheduled before a federal judge.

Kruse is pleased with the indefinite delay. He says an Environmental Assessment will take several months and could continue into early next year. That buys more time for the wolves. It could also help reduce tensions over wolves as ODFW works on an updated Wolf Management Plan.

Meanwhile the feds and the environmental groups are negotiating a formal agreement. If that happens, the August 12th hearing will be cancelled.

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Learn more about wolves in Oregon