Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Oregon ranchers seek right to shoot wolves

As wolves spread through Oregon from Idaho, ranchers are trying to get the right to shoot wolves they see attacking livestock, and for the state to pay for cattle and sheep that are killed. The batch of wolf bills being heard by a House committee in Salem on Wednesday includes one that would make it easier to take wolves off the state endangered species list. Oregon Cattlemen's Association President Bill Hoyt, a Cottage Grove rancher, said Monday they don't want to wipe out wolves, but need the tools to defend their livestock. "It appears that the political and cultural will of the state of Oregon is to have wolves, and we have no problem with that," he said. "We don't want to kill every wolf that walks. We simply want to get along as well as we can. But if there is a conflict, we need to be able to defend ourselves."...more

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