By Katy Nesbitt
ENTERPRISE – A rash of livestock kills outside of Enterprise prompted Wallowa County ranchers to ask the state to kill problem wolves.
Three head of cattle and a ram sheep and were killed and a heifer injured by the Imnaha wolf pack in the last three weeks on private land. The
four livestock losses, confirmed by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, prompted requests for members of the Imnaha pack to be killed.
According to reports filed by Fish and Wildlife biologists evidence was found at each kill scene including bite wounds, signs of struggle, wolf tracks and scat. The same day as a dead steer was found March 9, four wolves were seen by both a livestock producer and biologists on the Zumwalt Prairie.
A little more than two weeks later a ram sheep was found in an adjoining pasture. The report said a significant portion of the sheep had been consumed, but several wolf bite marks were found on the ram’s hind leg and neck. GPS radio‐collar data of two Imnaha Pack wolves indicated that the Imnaha pack alpha female, OR-39, was 500 yards from the carcass at 3 a.m. and both she and OR-4, the alpha male, were 200 yards from the carcass at 6 a.m. on the morning of March 25.
Three days later, a report said a livestock producer reported finding two dead calves three miles from where the ram was found. Later that afternoon another heifer was found in the same pasture with numerous wounds. The live calf had numerous bite wounds and severe tissue damage on both hind legs.
GPS radio‐collar data of the Imnaha Pack alpha male and female located them near the dead calves and injured heifer.
Fish and Wildlife confirmed this morning that the agency has not yet determined how to respond to the kill requests.