Oregon ranchers keep right to shoot killer wolves

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department is barred by a court order from killing wolves that kill cattle in Eastern Oregon, but authorized ranchers are not, according to the department. The department has issued 32 caught-in-the-act permits so far this year to ranchers, all in Wallowa County and all as a result of attacks on livestock by the Imnaha pack, said Russ Morgan, the department wolf coordinator. The Imnaha wolves killed a yearling heifer Sunday morning in Wallowa County, bringing to 19 the number of confirmed livestock losses there since spring 2010. It s the fifth confirmed livestock loss to wolves since an Oct. 5, 2011, stay by the Oregon Court of Appeals ended the agency plan to kill two wolves from the Imnaha pack. However, "caught-in-the-act" permits have been issued to some ranchers allowing a permit-holder to kill a wolf caught biting, wounding or killing livestock. "The stay was against ODFW's lethal removal of the wolves," said Michelle Dennehy, fish and wildlife spokesperson. "That was when we were going to go in and find the wolves, but it is not against these permits." Permits allowing producers to haze wolves have also been issued, according to an agency press release. But, the probability of the permit being used is low. Attacks typically occur at night and wolves usually avoid people, Dennehy said...more