More great wolf news, a confirmed pack in NE Oregon!

Yes!  Yes! The wolves are spreading out. First wolves were recently confirmed in north central Washington and now a pack in NE Oregon. Furthermore, they must be protected by the federal government because wolves in the area are now back on the Endangered Species List. They are also protected by Oregon State law.

Story in the Oregonian. First wolf pack in Oregon confirmed in a century. By Jeff Barnard . The Associated Press

News Release from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Contact: Russ Morgan, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 541) 963-2138
Michelle Dennehy, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, (503) 947-6022
Rick Hargrave, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, (503) 947-6020
Gary Miller, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (541) 962-8509
Joan Jewett, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (503) 231-6121

Wolf pack with pups confirmed in northeastern Oregon

LA GRANDE, Ore.-A wolf pack that includes both adults and pups was confirmed in a forested area of northern Union County on Friday, the first evidence of multiple wolves and wolf reproduction in Oregon since wolves were extirpated from the state back in the mid-1940s.

Wildlife biologists conducting a howling survey heard the howls of both
adults and pups simultaneously. The exact number of wolves was not
determined, but at least two adults and two pups were heard.

Wolf sign has been observed infrequently in this area since November and
biologists have been conducting regular surveys of the area since.

State and federal biologists will continue to monitor the area to
determine the level of wolf activity. They may also try to capture and
radio-collar the wolves for monitoring.

Experts have long predicted that wolves from the expanding Idaho
population would continue to cross the Snake River and enter Oregon.
Biologists have been investigating evidence of wolves in northeast
Oregon for some time.

ODFW and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials remind the public it
is illegal to shoot a wolf, even one mistaken for another animal such as
a coyote. Any gray wolf in Oregon is listed as an endangered species
under both state and federal law. (While wolves in the eastern third of
Oregon were de-listed form the federal ESA in late March 2008, last week
U.S.
District Judge Donald Molloy granted a preliminary injunction that
restored federal wolf protections.)

Killing an animal protected under the federal Endangered Species Act is
punishable by a fine of up to $100,000, one year in jail, or both.
Killing a wolf is also a violation of Oregon state game law, with fines
and penalties that are assessed by the court.

Individuals who see a wolf, or suspect or discover wolf activity are
asked to immediately contact one of the following:
*     Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Wolf Coordinator Russ
Morgan
in La Grande: 541-963-2138
*     U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wolf Coordinator John Stephenson:
cell, 541-786-3282.
*     U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service La Grande Field Office:
541-962-8584.

Wolf sightings can also be reported online through ODFW’s wolf Web site.

Oregon has a Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, created with
extensive, state-wide public input and collaboration, which was adopted
by the Fish and Wildlife Commission in 2005. More information on wolves
and wolf management in Oregon is available on the website:
www.dfw.state.or.us/wolves/

Note: No photos of the wolf pack are available, but photos of a wolf
observed back in January in northeast Oregon are available.


Posted

in

, ,

by

Tags:

Comments

  1. Ryan Avatar
    Ryan

    Flippin fantastic, in a state where elk herds and deer herds have delined 50% in the last 20 years this is will surely help the populations. Besides that oregon has the most liberal wolf plan with almost no tenets for population management.

  2. Ralph Maughan Avatar

    Ryan,

    Why have elk and deer herds declined in the state?

  3. SmokyMtMan Avatar
    SmokyMtMan

    Great news! Now we have wolves in Washington and Oregon, and even better is that those two states will not treat wolves like vermin.

    Made my day. Let’s hope they establish breeding populations soon.

  4. Chuck Avatar

    There is another forum that I go to made up mostly of people from Oregon, if you want to make enemies real fast, just let them know you like wolves. Even the moderators hate wolves on that site, several times I have almost gotten 86’ed from the site for standing up for wolves. I think the wolves are going to have a harder time living in peace in Oregon then anywhere else. They are all for SSS.
    Oh and just in case your curious as to which site it is, its http://www.Ifish.net

  5. Ryan Avatar
    Ryan

    “Why have elk and deer herds declined in the state?”

    Low calf and fawn recruitment due to predation is the number one cause and non reactive manangement by ODFW. And of course cow towing to ranchers in certain areas putting the population MO’s too low to appease ranchers.

    Turdtrout,

    Good to see ya (kinda like its good to see a kanker sore), you wouldn’t have gotten your pee pee slapped if you hadn’t decided to take on a mod, compare wolves to god, and make political comments.

  6. Chuck Avatar

    Boy Ryan you must be one of those wolf hating retards on Ifish. Get the facts straight idiot. I said god created wolves. Nothing I said was wrong, but if morons like you want to twist the context of things. Am sure your one of those that advocate SSS. So move on little boy.

  7. Chuck Avatar

    Now why do you suppose god created the wolf????
    Also tell me who was the person that decided that god didn’t know anything and that the wolves should be eliminated???
    Then what are you going to do when the decision comes down to eliminate humans?? All these animals were here long before us. Now before you label me as a whacko inviro, you should know that I am a big game hunter and a fisherman. I think the wolves should be managed just like all the other animals. Wolves are gods creatures too.
    So tell me Ryan where in this post am I comparing wolves to god???? I think you need to get the facts straight before someone slaps your pee pee.

  8. Catbestland Avatar
    Catbestland

    Ryan,

    Do you live in Oregon? If not, why such animosity over the presence of wolves there? They don’t effect you at all. This just goes to show how unreasonable this hatred of wolves is.

    You state as the reason for decline in elk and deer herds . . .”Low calf and fawn recruitment due to predation is the number one cause.” Are you suggesting that wolves, who have not existed in the state until now, are the source of this predation?

  9. kim kaiser Avatar

    you are wrong there catbestland,,,,,,,remeber, a week or so ago, the cattle people said there were just too many elk,, that they need to be culled,,,, so,, whats it gonna be,, too many elk herds or decimated elks herds,,,,,,wish they would get a strait line,, they flip flop worse than hussein obama!!

  10. Ryan Avatar
    Ryan

    Cat,
    I live in Oregon and the areas I hunt are directly affected. The areas I hunt in Idaho were affected, the ranch I used to hunt in Wyoming is affected. I am just as pissed about the ranchers situation as most are, if you have read my posts you could see that, hell its in post on this thread. Like I said before we will never agree on anything more than just the weather. No Cat, low fawn and calf recruitment is directly related to cougar, bear, and coyote predation.. All managed predators that ODFW is taking steps to control there number. (this information is availiabe in the Sled springs predation study) Wolves in oregon will have no population control besides poachers and damage removals.

    Chuck,

    Biblical discussion has nothing to do with this subject, and if they chose to elminate some people off this earth, good were over populated as heck. I am not a wolf hating retard, I am though informed on the subject and have a right to my opinion. Mosquitos are gods creatures as well so I fail to see your point. Your inflamatory posts and holier than though attitude managed to piss off more than a few on that board. I haven’t said SSS or advocated it, although if there aren’t provisions made to control the populations then I have a hard time condemning some one who takes the law into there own hands.

  11. Chuck Avatar

    You know what Ryan, I don’t care who I pissed off and I am not holier then thou, as a matter of fact I am far from being a religous person. But as you say, I too am intitled to my opinion too. I was making a point and I guess many fail to see that. I grew up on the Oregon coast.

  12. Izabela Avatar
    Izabela

    Chuck.. to support you in making a point..People will refuse to listen, understand, reason or even read our point…
    They are so convinced that we are wrong…they willnot accept any other explanation.
    There is a group on Yahoo.com called Yellowstone and I started a fire there with my posts for buffalos and wolves..man…people claim that they love Yellowstone and can’t understand why I and some other people stand up for wolves.
    Some of them are saying what we will need to vacate west if we allow wolves to breed . Wolfphibia…:)

    We can only educate the underinformed and hope they do not do SSS.
    It will be long fight with Idaho and Wyoming to get the uphold the recent court decisions. They will appeal and Butch will do anything to support his cattle buddies.
    Lets not forget Kempthorne (sp?) is still in the cabinet..and who knows who will take the place when McCain gets to the WH.
    I am afraid that the Alaska b…ch Palin can get an Interior Secretary post.
    God protect wolves, bears and any other predator if she gets the post.

    Just 2Cents

  13. AJ Avatar
    AJ

    Hey Chuck,
    Your link to ifish works but they pulled the Wolf thread!!
    Guess they couldn’t handle it.??

  14. Dave collins Avatar
    Dave collins

    Great news! Now maybe we can get them into northern California, maybe into the Sierras! Nature is making a comeback!

  15. Ryan Avatar
    Ryan

    “Great news! Now maybe we can get them into northern California, maybe into the Sierras! Nature is making a comeback!”

    Dave,

    What do you propose they feed on in the sierras? The ungulate populations are not very high there to say the least.

    AJ,

    Its pinned to the top of the hunting page, chuck never started a wolf thread.. Other hunters including myself were expressing our dissapointement and concerns that both wolves have returned to Oregon and the recent ruling. Back it up with some false study numbers and people tend to get all bound up.

  16. ProWolf in WY Avatar
    ProWolf in WY

    Is it as fashionable in Oregon and Washington to be anti-wolf as it is in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho?

    1. Ryan Avatar
      Ryan

      Pro,
      Depends on what side of the cascades you live on.

  17. smalltownID Avatar
    smalltownID

    For those of you close enough to Moscow you really missed out on the latest research coming out of Yellowstone this week. Doug Smith gave about an hour presentation at the wildlife society with some awesome footage of wolves hunting a bull elk, cow elk, and a bison.

Author

Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan’s Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of “Hiking Idaho.” He also wrote “Beyond the Tetons” and “Backpacking Wyoming’s Teton and Washakie Wilderness.” He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.

Subscribe to get new posts right in your Inbox

Ralph Maughan
×