The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has issued a kill permit for unidentified wolves in Wallowa County. While the cows have been injured within the area of known wolf activity of the Chesnimnus Pack, ODFW has not identified whether that pack or other wolves are responsible for the conflict. The kill permit applies to both private and the adjoining public land allotment.
Statement from Oregon Wild Executive Director, Sean Stevens:
According to ODFW’s own reports, depredations appear to have stopped after nonlethal deterrents were put in place. Yet a week after the last conflict with wolves, ODFW is issuing a kill permit anyway. This permit is unnecessary. It’s the latest proof that the wolf plan needs to be strengthened, not weakened.
This sad episode highlights why ODFW has lost the trust of conservation advocates. Clearly the next iteration of the wolf plan must have stronger requirements that nonlethal be given a chance to work, and that the public be given more information, before ODFW leadership can rush to issue kill permits.
OR7 is lucky a rancher in southern Oregon was willing to let nonlethal work. Had ODFW applied this same model, they would have been shooting random wolves in the Rogue Pack earlier this year.
###
