Oregon ranchers fear return of the wild wolf
By WILSON CHOW, kgw.com Staff
Near Enterprise, Ore. — Wild wolves have not roamed eastern Oregon since the 1930’s, but already some unconfirmed sighting have ranchers and environmentalists ready for a fight.
Longtime rancher Rod Childers is bracing for change. The wife and I moved here in 1977, said Childers. Originally from southern Idaho, Childers now owns and operates family style ranches in Wallowa County.
You know in the ranching deal, you do it because you love it, because you don’t make a lot of money at it.”
While Childers has faced challenges before there is an enemy this generation of ranchers has never seen.
Do wolves scare me? Absolutely,” said Childers.
For more than 70 years herds roamed Wallowa County without fear of the wolves. “They were killed off primarily because of they are predators,” said Larry McLaud with the Hells Canyon Preservation Council.
McLaud said in the 1930s Oregon decided to exterminate the wolves to make the rural landscape more hospitable to raising livestock, but how he homes the wolves will thrive once again in eastern Oregon.
While there have been a number of recent wolf sightings, none have been confirmed. Experts said the wolves are coming from Idaho where they were reintroduced more than 10 years ago. Biologists expect those wolves to eventually cross the Snake River, if they have not already, and gain a foothold in Oregon.
Allowing the wolves, which are federally protected, to return to Oregon will restore the ecosystem since “they are part of the natural functions and processes of our lands out here,” said McLaud.
While wolves may restore the environment, many ranchers fear the consequences. “If we go with what the federal government agencies or the environmentalists, you’re looking at the last generation that will be out here on the land,” said Childers.
And caught in the middle are officials from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. “I think it is a contentious issue,” said Russ Morgan.
Morgan said experts scoured hundreds of square miles looking for the wolves. Once the animals arrive Oregon will follow its management plan, which calls for at least four breeding pairs of wolves in the first phase.
“A lot of my job will be to work with landowners, stock growers, said Morgan.
Even without a confirmed sighting, ranchers want new ways to defend their livestock. Childers said, “those are my income and things, and we should be able to protect our private property,”
Rod wants the ability to kill wolves, which is now illegal since the animals are federally and state protected.
I understand they have concerns, but I think we can live together, said McLaud. Conservationists say there are compensation programs if owners can prove a wolf has killed livestock. But, Childers said “a wolf will eat the bones off this calf, you won’t find a skeleton out here, it’ll be gone” so many ranchers would be unable to prove a wolf has killed livestock.
So now the very land ranchers struggled to work for generations could be turning on them. Landowners, environmentalists and wildlife experts look for a compromise.
“You kind of kick the dirt and wonder what the hell is going to happen, but hopefully we’ll get something resolved,” said Childers.
With the wolves now in or near Oregon, many ranchers in Wallowa County are fearful, aware of the dangers of an unseen threat that may reveal itself tomorrow. “Hopefully things will work out, but you just don’t know.”