ODFW kills three NE Oregon wolves amid continued livestock deaths
BAKER CITY, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife field staff on Friday morning lethally removed three wolves from the Lookout Mountain Pack on private land in northeast Oregon's Baker County.
The adult breeding male, a yearling male, and one 5-month-old juvenile were removed to reduce chronic depredation and hopefully change the pack's behavior relating to conflicts with livestock, the agency said.
A total of six wolves were seen during the flight operations, although there could have been others nearby in the timber.
The wolves were located near a dead calf, and a depredation investigation is now ongoing. Initial indications point to another depredation by the Lookout Mountain Pack, just four days after a calf depredation was confirmed eight miles away, ODFW said.
Livestock depredations by the Lookout Mountain Pack have not been deterred, despite extensive non-lethal measures in place since early spring, and the lethal removal of two wolves from the pack in early August.
By targeting the breeding male, ODFW said it hopes to still allow the breeding female to raise any remaining juveniles. Reducing the number of juveniles she will need to feed increases the likelihood that some will survive.
