PORTLAND, Ore.— Conservation groups and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife are offering a $6,150 reward for information concerning the poaching of a male radio-collared wolf in Baker County on or around Sept. 24.
Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division troopers recovered the carcass of a black wolf with a pink radio collar northwest of New Bridge in the Skull Creek drainage of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, on Forest Service Road 7741 — roughly one mile east of Eagle Forks campground off the 125 spur road. The wolf was the breeding male of the Cornucopia pack in eastern Baker County and was shot, according to Fish and Wildlife officials.
“Poaching of any wildlife is wrong and harmful to conservation,” said Roblyn Brown, wolf program coordinator for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The slain wolf and his bonded female raised three pups in 2019. But the future of the Cornucopia pack is now uncertain, as packs that lose a breeding adult may disband. Biologists won’t know the outcome until spring, according to Brown.
“We’re heartbroken to learn of another illegal wolf killing in Oregon,” said Amaroq Weiss, a West Coast wolf advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity. “Wolves are still in the early stages of recovery here, and poaching is wrong. We hope someone will come forward quickly with information to solve this case.”
The Center and Oregon Wild each contributed $2,500 toward the reward, and NE Oregon Ecosystems added another $850. The reward includes $300 or five hunter preference points offered through Oregon’s Turn In Poachers (TIP) program if the information leads to a citation in the case.
Information on this case should be reported to the Turn In Poachers (TIP) Line at *OSP (*677), by calling (800) 452-7888, or by email at TIP@osp.oregon.gov.
“Stakeholders and agency officials all emphatically agree that poaching is abhorrent and remains an impediment to wolf recovery across Oregon,” said Danielle Moser, wildlife program coordinator for Oregon Wild.
“Oregon has a legal process for removing wolves if absolutely necessary,” said Wally Sykes with Northeast Oregon Ecosystems. “When criminals decide to break the law for the thrill of it and kill without reason, they need to be punished. I hope this reward will inspire some citizen to come forward with information leading to the killer.”