Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife has approved a kill permit in Baker County. The Lookout Mountain wolf pack in Baker county attacked four cattle within two weeks. As a result of non-lethal methods failing the permit was granted.
Now don’t get your hopes up too high or start loading your gun. This kill permit is not open for public hunters. The permit is only valid for the livestock producer affected.
Oregon allows for lethal methods to be used only after non-lethal methods haven’t worked. This specific kill permit will allow the producer to take four non-collared wolves.
The state outlines very clearly what can and cannot be used in removal efforts. For example, wolves can only be shot from the ground and the permit is only active for a relatively short time-frame. It expires August 21 or when the livestock is moved.
It is important to note is that kill permits are rare in Oregon. Since 2009 roughly six kill permits have been issued. Currently there is estimated to be 173 wolves in 22 different packs. ODFW notes that the population grows each year.
“We’re still seeing that Northeast Oregon has the majority of the state’s wolf population, but we are seeing dispersal happening.” – ODFW spokeswoman Michelle Dennehy
Electrical fencing, hazing, alarms and inspecting livestock more frequently are all ways ODFW suggest to try. The Gray Wolf was recently removed from the endangered list. As new packs form so do new territories. Conflict between humans and wolves are becoming more common. Especially among livestock producers.
Last year Oregon reported nine wolves died last year. Three of those were poached. For more information about these kill permits click here. You can also check out our Oregon hunting news section by clicking here, or our wolf news section by clicking here.
