Wildlife officials won’t allow people to kill wolves in eastern Oregon’s Mount Emily pack despite five confirmed attacks on a sheep herd this summer.
Jeremy Bingham of Utopia Land and Livestock formally requested permission to kill the animals that he says are “massacring” his sheep, reported the East Oregonian, but the department turned him down.
The pack killed at least seven sheep and a guard dog in June and August, but the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife said non-lethal control measures have worked since the last attack, according to department spokeswoman Michelle Dennehy.
Although the state wolf recovery plan allows “lethal control” of wolves after two confirmed livestock losses, non-lethal measures must prove unsuccessful before killings are authorized. In this case, wolves have not killed any livestock on the property since the end of August, Dennehy said. Bingham did not request lethal control until nearly a month after the last livestock attack, she added.
The wolves also have to be present routinely on the property and propose a significant risk to livestock for the state to authorize killing them. In this case, Dennehy said, the wolves have moved to the central and southern part of the range, and the sheep are in the northeastern edge.
In addition, Dennehy said, the seasonal use on the rancher’s grazing allotment ends Oct. 19, so the sheep will be gone from the range in a couple of weeks.
The department hasn’t authorized killing any wolves since there were two in 2011.
“We are sorry your experience with Oregon’s forest lands has been problematic this year,” wildlife biologist Mark Kirsch wrote in a letter the department sent to Bingham. “It is our hope you complete your grazing season with no further loss.”
Bingham does have the right to use lethal force if a wolf is caught in the act of biting, wounding, killing or chasing his sheep or dogs. This does not require a permit from the state.
Bingham called the officials dishonest and told the Capital Press that “the only interest to them is that the wolves eat the economy of Eastern Oregon.”
He said he’s followed the state guidelines even while losing an estimated 100 ewes to wolves over the past two years. In addition to the guard dog killed this year, two were injured last year and another disappeared and is presumed dead.
“We have not harmed any wolves but we are not in the business of sacrificing assets to feed (the wildlife department’s) pet dogs,” Bingham told the Capital Press by text.
There aren’t wildlife department reports to corroborate all of Bingham’s claimed losses, but he said he didn’t report many of the attacks. According to the East Oregonian, other farmers suspect wolves kill many more cattle and sheep than are confirmed by the state.
The Department of Fish & Wildlife follows a strict protocol to confirm wolf attacks, including an examination of wounds and measuring bite marks and tracks.
Exposing the Big Game 
Sounds like sheep rancher grazing on our public lands
Perhaps this land should be given priority to an endangered species ..
Oregon Fish and Wildlife stood up for the correct interest here
Something to celebrate !
Yes … Our victories have been few been when they do happen it is wonderful news for this Wolf family
Surprise! Unfortunate for the sheep and the dogs, but the ranchers put them at risk with that kind of grazing.
The biggest surprise came when I was checking this story in The Oregonian. There were 20 comments are most were on the side of the wolves, not the ranchers! That is a huge difference than the response from Idaho would have been.
Here are two samples of the comments:
npdxretro 5ptsFeatured
We cannot have healthy productive lands for all if we do not restore the most basic levels of predator and prey throughout the Pacific Northwest. Those that use the “shoot & shovel” phrase are just poorly acculturated, and ignorant citizens who mean well, but are severely misguided, possibly mentally ill (they publicize their law-breaking intent on o-live), and would probably be more likely to come into contact with a 6 pack of beer before a wolf.
Like it or not, it won’t be long before wolves are on the outskirts of every city, town, and municipality in the state, and if we need to control some animals there will be a hunting season. That is the reality, and if some people feel unsafe, they can move to Chicago, where I’m sure it’s much safer for them and their children.
It’s truly unfortunate that this symbol of American Wilderness, and the only animal that can effectively increase big game populations consistently over time is still maligned by those who claim to love the outdoors. Perhaps there will be therapy and medication (supported by hunting tags or nationalized healthcare) for those who still believe wolves to be dangerous predators that will drag their children off to be eaten. I would suggest a group therapy environment that lets the patient explore the benefits of wolves in an ecosystem.
And BTW, if you are on public land with your livestock, and that livestock happens to fall prey to wolves, shame on you for not protecting your animals properly, or for putting those animals in harms way in the first place. Those animals are your responsibility, not the states, and if you don’t want to care for them, give them to someone who will.
chiselbit 5ptsFeatured
Probably time to phase out grazing allotments on public land.
Amen! When I first looked at this article, I already thought to myself, “a public lands rancher!” I am not a fan of so-called “non-lethal control” which is pushed by groups like Project Coyote, and others. Such controls are very stressful for the ecosystem and the animals, including so-called “non-target” animals, as well.
As discussed here, the public lands Must be set aside for remaining wild animals, Free of Livestock, period. It appears that more people are now beginning to realize the damage done to ecosystems, and to native wildlife, because of the Industry. When someone says “oh, but there are some good ranchers out there,” my response is: I respond by asking, “then, if these ranchers are so “good” why are they not going publicly against their industry, their livestock commissions & boards?” The other excuse now is: “Well, the Holistic Range Management ranchers are not doing the terrible things to the land they once did.” Bull Crap. These Allen Savory-ites spout this mantra everywhere now, and it is nonsense, but well-meaning (?) liberals, who “love wildlife” are falling for this brainless, snake-oil ideology. Savory’s push for more cows everywhere preaches that we can “mimic nature” by using using domestic livestock, replacing native animals. Native wild life, especially carnivores are discounted, along with the true ungulates who have evolved in nature over the eons, to graze in harmony with the environment, unlike domestic animals.
Yes, it is time to rid our public lands of these rancher-moochers!
http://www.foranimals.org
Thank you Oregon – and thoughts and prayers to you at a difficult time. And best wishes for a speedy recovery to veteran Chris Mintz. I hope the President gives him a medal!
Thank you Oregon.
Thank you Oregon…
THANK YOU! !!!!!!
Wolves are not monsters! Stop believing lies, myths, and fairytales! Learn the facts! I DARE YOU!