By Steve Tool
Wallowa County Chieftain
Chesnimnus pair move to Sled Springs.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on Tuesday announced a new area of known wolf activity in Wallowa County.
The wolves formerly known as the Chesnimnus Pair of the Chesnimnus Wildlife Management Unit packed up and moved west to new digs in the Shamrock area of the Sled Springs WMU north of Enterprise.
Just over a year ago the pair migrated to the wolf-free Sled Springs area and never returned to the Chesnimnus.
ODFW District Wildlife Biologist Pat Matthews said the pair, one of which was radio-collared, were the only known wolves in the Chesnimnus area.
“We know they had a litter this year and that there are six animals in that pack now, at least,” Matthews said.
Matthews said the ODFW will refer to the wolves as the Shamrock Pack in the future.
ODFW Assistant Wolf Coordinator Roblyn Brown flew over the Sled Springs area in the last month and counted six wolves together. It is unclear whether all six of the wolves are the result of the Chesnimnus pair and their litter or if other adult wolves joined the pack.