Early 20th century records show wolves in Oregon
The Associated Press
LA GRANDE, Ore. (AP) Bounty record books from the early 20th century have entries showing that wolves roamed northeastern Oregon at least through 1921 before disappearing from the state.
Gray wolves appear to have become extinct shortly after 1921, but entries written in pencil in a ledger dating from 1909-1921 show that two wolves were taken during the period, according to The La Grande Observer.
The newspaper also inspected bounty records in a ledger dated 1899-1902, but found no mention of wolves in the earlier book.
Retired Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist Bill Brown said that when he came to northeast Oregon in the late 1940s, there were no wolves in the area.
Gray wolves are expected to migrate back to Oregon from Idaho soon, if they haven’t already made their way into Oregon by now, state officials say.
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission last week adopted a wolf management plan despite objections from ranchers.
The plan sets a goal of seven breeding pairs in Eastern Oregon when the wolves return. There have been no confirmed recent sightings, but between 1999 and 2000, at least three wolves made their way from Idaho into Oregon. One was hit by a car, one was shot, and one was captured and returned to Idaho.
The old Union County bounty records inspected by the newspaper also showed the cougar population slipped dramatically in northeastern Oregon in the early 1900s.
Bounties were paid for 58 cougars from 1899 through 1902 but only 12 between 1909 and 1921.
Brown, who served as director of the ODFW Northeast Region for 25 years until retiring in 1977, noted the northeast Oregon cougar population has rebounded dramatically since the early 1960s. The jump has been particularly strong since 1994 when voters approved a measure that prohibits the use of dogs when hunting cougars.
In addition, they indicate that between 1909 and 1921 bounties were paid for about 50 lynx, a rare animal in Oregon.
By comparison, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service records indicate there were only 53 lynx sightings in Oregon between 1897 and 1998.