By Elane Dickenson
JOSEPH – The year’s first livestock kill by wolves in Wallowa County was confirmed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife the first of this week.
A 10-month-old replacement heifer was killed early Saturday morning, Jan. 7, in a pasture on the Triple Creek Ranch, managed by Scott Shear, just six miles southeast of Joseph on Tucker Down Road.
“This brings to 21 the number of livestock confirmed killed by the Imnaha pack since spring 2010,” said ODFW wildlife communications officer Michelle Dennehy. She said there are a minimum of five wolves in the Imnaha pack.
ODFW notified the Shears at 5 a.m. Saturday that, according to a signal from OR4, the pack’s collared alpha male, the wolf was in the vicinity of their cattle. They found the dead heifer a short time later.
Among those who gathered to view the ODFW necropsy of the dead animal at the Shear ranch were Wallowa County Commissioner Susan Roberts and State Rep. Greg Smith of Heppner, who was in Joseph to watch a wrestling tournament.
“The damage caused to the animal by the wolves is what’s appalling,” said Roberts.
ODFW had planned to kill two Imnaha pack wolves because of ongoing depredation of livestock, but there is currently a court stay-of-execution of the wolves in effect.
Wolf “range rider” Will Voss is back on the job at the request of the Shears.
“When the wolves come back into the valley, it’s time for Will to go back on the job,” said Scott Shear, who is vice president of the Wallowa County Stockgrowers Association.
He said that Voss, who worked as range rider last year, will be monitoring cattle ranches in the area at night in his pickup.
Shear said he valued the heifer at $1,500, but that it could have produced calves for the next 10 years. “What value do you put on that,” he asked. He plans to put in a compensation claim when the state starts taking claims in February.
This is Shear’s second livestock loss due to wolves and he has also reported fence damage due to wolves chasing his cattle.
“There’s a place for wolves and this isn’t it,” he said.