ACTION ALERT
The Future of Wolves in Oregon

COMMENTS DUE JANUARY 6, 2005

Along with a 14-member Wolf Advisory Committee, The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) (http://www.dfw.state.or.us/wolves/main.html) has released Oregon's proposed wolf plan that lays out the future of the gray wolf in the state. Oregon is making preparations for wolves that may disperse across state lines from Idaho. There have only been three confirmed wolves making this trek since reintroduction, two being killed and one (B45) being tracked, trapped and moved back to Idaho after a valiant effort to make Oregon home, including a challenging swim across the Snake River. The expedition of famous wolf B45 caused Oregon to pull together a committee and begin working on a wolf plan to determine what they would do with wolves that entered their state. The proposed plan has been completed and now we have the chance to let the ODFW and the Commission know what we think of their proposal. Although some aspects of this plan look hopeful in ensuring wolves survival in the state (compared to Wyoming, Idaho and Montana's plans), there remains to be mention of lethal control, killing by private citizens, possible hunting and critically low population goals.

THE PLAN:

• Bisected state management:
  The state will be divided into an eastside and a westside, with separate wolf population goals on each side. When population goals on the eastside are reached, the wolf will be delisted from the state list throughout the state, but will retain protections on the westside as if still listed, until population goals are achieved there as well. It is likely wolves will recolonize eastern Oregon long before western Oregon; therefore, it may be necessary to maintain more strict protections in western Oregon for a longer time.
• Three phases of management:
  Phase I on the eastside, wolves will be managed to achieve a "conservation population"goal of four breeding pairs, at which time wolves will be delisted statewide.
  Phase II is a buffer zone while trying to reach a "management population" level of seven breeding pairs on both sides of the dividing line.
  Phase III begins after seven breeding pairs are confirmed. There is no population cap.
  
  Each phase will include control options according to population levels. As wolves move through the phases, there will be more probability of lethal control and private citizen action on private land. Landowners WILL be able to kill wolves caught in the act of attacking or killing livestock. This must be reported to authorities and evidence must exist to establish justification.
• Listed and Quasi-listed status:
  After delisting occurs statewide (4 breeding pairs on the east side), the wolf will continue to be treated as though it were still listed as endangered and managed under Phase I methods on the westside. The Oregon (ESA) does not allow for delisting a species in one part of the state while keeping it listed in another part. The plan will list wolves on the westside as quasi-listed until population goals there are achieved.
• Relocation throughout the state
  Relocation of wolves from the east side to the west side of the state could be used to increase populations in western Oregon. This must follow a public input period.
• Compensation
  Livestock producers will be compensated for confirmed, probable losses, in addition, could be compensated for missing livestock A joint state-private compensation and nonlethal proactive fund will be established and supplemented by private donations. Defenders of Wildlife's will also provide their ongoing compensation fund.
• Future legal status
  The future legal status of the wolf in Oregon will be a "special status mammal," a new classification created as a subcategory under "game mammal." Controlled or regulated hunting or trapping could be authorized by the Commission (only after delisting) on a case-specific basis in those circumstances where wolves are causing substantial conflicts with livestock or causing substantial declines of ungulate populations. The wolf would be given this classification

A FEW POINTS TO CONSIDER:

• The population goals are set far too low to ensure a viable wolf population surviving in the state. With only 4 breeding pairs being required in eastern Oregon before statewide delisting can occur, wolves face a bleak future. Lethal control, illegal take, illness, weather, pup mortality, disease, and injury can all wreak havoc on small populations of wolves. Remember that in 2001 NW Montana had 11 breeding pairs of wolves, by the end of 2002, there were a mere 4 remaining. Setting population goals at such low levels leaves the wolves future to survive on a very thin line of success or failure. Eastern Oregon is larger than central Idaho, where nearly 25 breeding pairs survive. To successfully establish a viable wolf population in the state, population goals must be increased. The level of 4 breeding pairs is even far below the goal of 10 breeding pairs in each recovery area for three consecutive years that was required by reintroduction.
• Compensation for missing livestock should not be allowed. Tens of thousands of head of livestock are lost each year from weather, birthing complications, disease, poison, injury, old age and even theft, many of these are never found. Wolves cannot continue to be blamed (as they are in ID, WY and MT) for each and every livestock death or disappearance. This is simply catering to producers that already are over grazing and destroying on our public lands for around $1.43/mo for a cow and calf pair. Producers using private lands buy grazing allotments for next to nothing and use up the resources on the land, leaving the allotment as a trampled, barren waste.
• Wolves struggling to make a comeback in the state should not be hunted. PERIOD! In addition to facing lethal management by ODFW and private citizens, the legal status of "special status mammal" as a subcategory of GAME mammal will allow eventual hunting to reduce conflicts with livestock or pressure on ungulate populations. Livestock is not endangered, threatened or even a "special status mammal", neither are wild ungulates. Wolves deserve far greater protections than those they are sharing the land with. Wolves will make an impact on the unnaturally high levels of wild ungulates, bringing the ecosystem back into balance. This cannot be taken as a substantial decline in ungulate populations, simply as a natural population cap.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Attend a meeting!
Generally only anti-wolf groups and individuals make an appearance at these meetings. It is crucial that the wolves have our voice and presence to support their return to Oregon.

All meetings are from 7:00-9:00PM

October 25, 2004
Blue Mt. Conference Center
404 12th Street, La Grande, OR

October 26, 2004
Enterprise High School Multi Purpose Room
201 SE 4th St, Enterprise, OR

October 27, 2004
National Guard Armory
875 SW Simpson Ave., Bend, OR

November 3, 2004
NW Forestry Center, Cheatham Hall
4403 S. W. Canyon Road, Portland, OR

November 4, 2004
Benton County Fairgrounds
110 SW 53rd Street, Corvallis, OR

November 9, 2004
North Medford High School Cafeteria
1900 N Keenaway Dr., Medford, OR

Hearings and Oral testimonies taken:
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

December 10, 2004
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Commission Hearing Room
3406 Cherry Avenue NE, Salem, OR

January 6, 2004
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Commission Hearing Room
3406 Cherry Avenue NE, Salem, OR 97303

SEND WRITTEN COMMENTS (DUE BY JANUARY 6, 2005)

By Mail:

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Information and Education Division
3406 Cherry Ave. NE
Salem, OR 97303

By E-Mail:

ODFW.Comments@state.or.us
In the subject line, type: Wolf Comments

By Fax:

(503) 947-6009