The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) confirmed a rancher in northeast Oregon killed a yearling male wolf from the Chesnimnus Pack after being issued a permit by the department.
The permit was issued after the rancher, Tom Birkmaier, who ranches along Crow Creek in Wallowa County, experienced two depredations by the Chesnimnus Pack in three days on his public land grazing allotment, which resulted in three dead calves.
The depredations occurred on April 25 and 27. A third event occurred in the Crow Creek area on April 29, but ODFW was unable to determine if the loss of a calf was due to a wolf depredation. The Chesnimnus Pack was also responsible for the loss of a calf in the Joseph Creek area, which ODFW estimated happened about a week before the April 30 investigation.
The agency also conducted two other investigations in Wallowa County but was unable to determine the cause of the death of one calf. ODFW determined the deaths of three lambs were possibly due to coyotes.
ODFW confirmed that Birkmaier also had livestock injured in another public land pasture, and the permit had already been amended to allow removal in that pasture.
The permit was issued since the level of depredation met the definition of chronic livestock depredation under Wolf Management Plan rules. The definition stipulates that a minimum of two confirmed depredations occurred in nine months and nonlethal measures were taken prior to the depredation.
ODFW reported Birkmaier used nonlethal measures, including the use of a range rider funded by a nonprofit organization. Birkmaier and the range rider used spotlights, radios and foxlights and recently increased the amount of time humans spent in the area. This included spending several nights in the pasture with the cattle following the first depredation and attempting to haze wolves out of the area on April 26 by shooting in the air over eight wolves he encountered in the pasture.
ODFW confirmed Birkmaier shot the wolf under the permit on May 3. The permit authorizes the removal of two wolves where the depredations occurred and expires on May 24. ODFW stated Birkmaier will continue to use nonlethal measures once the permit expires to reduce further depredation incidents.
The Chesnimnus Pack numbers at least eight or nine adult and yearling wolves, none of which have a working GPS collar, according to ODFW. The agency says killing two wolves is not expected to impact the pack’s breeding success, as the breeding female may be located at the den far away from the depredation sites.
ODFW released the minimum wolf count on April 19, showing the population increased by only two wolves due to mortalities. The population increased from 173 to 175 wolves, while mortalities increased from 10 in 2020 to 26 last year. — Charles Wallace, WLJ editor
