Wolf kill permit issued in Oregon

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) announced June 21 that it has issued a kill permit for one wolf in Wallowa County after three attacks on livestock in mid-June over a three-day period in a private pasture. The permit was issued to a rancher who requested lethal removal of the wolves and will allow him or his agent to kill one wolf on the privately-owned pasture he leases and his adjacent public land allotment. The permit expires July 10 when cattle will be removed from that pasture. ODFW staff also has the authority to kill one wolf. The area where the depredations occurred is within the Chesnimnus Wolves Area of Known Wolf Activity. Three wolves were counted in this area at the end of 2017, but as there are no working collars in this group, it is unclear if the wolves involved are new wolves using the area, or remnants of the Chesnimnus Pack. — WLJ