U.S. Congressman Greg Walden (R-Hood River) supported legislation that passed the House of Representatives today that aims to formally delist the gray wolf.
Walden said the Manage our Wolves Act (H.R. 6784) would also empower states to take a larger role in managing the species population.
Walden said he has heard from local ranchers across Eastern Oregon who have suffered cattle losses from wolf predation. Walden shared a picture sent to him from Wallowa County of a calf that was killed by wolves to illustrate the severity of this issue and the importance of the bill’s passage.
“For years, ranchers across my district have watched as wolf populations grew, harassing and killing their livestock,” said Walden. “This threatens their livelihoods. You lose a heifer and you haven’t just lost one cow – you’ve lost 10 years’ worth of calves you won’t be able to sell. Those that aren’t killed, are harassed, often losing weight and value. A rancher wrote me earlier this year after three of her calves were attacked and described them as wild eyed with terror after being mutilated by wolves and described the rush of emotions one feels when you see an animal you have nurtured crying for help, panic in their eyes, searching for escape. She said no one wants to see that and described it as watching your worst horror movie in slow motion.”
The gray wolf has been protected in its original habitat in the Western Great Lakes region under the Endangered Species Act since 1974. Beginning in 1994, the federal government began introducing the species to the Western U.S. by relocating and reintroducing the wolves.
n Oregon, wolves east of Highway 395 are already delisted and are managed by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) under the Oregon Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, which was adopted in 2005. Walden said that, while there are concerns with ODFW’s implementation of the plan, the Manage our Wolves Act will help by putting the management of all wolves in Oregon under jurisdiction of the state.
There have been a pack of 25 or more wolfs spotted in Idaho near the oregon boarder, they were circling
around a hunting camp, made the hunters so nervous cause there were so many they packed up and left.
The wolfs were sizing up the horses for a kill. Too many wolfs, too many cougar, its not safe in the mountains any more. I used to feel safe walking and picking berries or mushrooms and now I feel I have to have a gun
on me at all times. Don’t like this feeling.
I DO NOT SUPPORT THE DELISTING OF THE WOLF. The reason we live in the West is because of all of he natural beauty and wonders. Part of that is the natural predators.
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