This male wolf from Wenaha pack was fitted with a radio collar on Aug. 4, 2010. ODFW photo.

On Thursday, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission takes a look at a new Wolf Management Plan.

For those who care about the future of wolves in our state, this is the moment we’ve been waiting for. The agenda includes time for comments from the public. Wolf supporters – and detractors – are hoping for a good turnout so the Commission can finally hear what Oregonians think about this very controversial issue.

For the most part, this new plan was put together behind the scenes. It’s true that ODFW staff talked with interest groups, such as environmentalists and ranchers. It’s also true that they asked for the public to send in comments. At last word, more than 22,000 Oregonians took the time to put their thoughts down on paper or email. But there were never any public hearings. And the release of the new plan was not well publicized or explained.

From what I know, there are no major changes in the new plan. As far as environmentalists are concerned, that’s mostly good news. They’re generally supportive of it, though they think ODFW makes it too easy to kill wolves that are suspected of attacking livestock.

Oregon Wild sent out this list of bullet points to supporters earlier this week.

• Most Oregonians value native wildlife and welcome wolves back. The wolf plan is already a major compromise and should be strengthened. We must not make it any easier to kill wolves.
• The wolf plan must be fully funded and prioritize non-lethal methods over killing wolves in all phases of the plan.
• Wolves on public land should not be killed.
• Wildlife Services has demonstrated their incompetence and uncomfortably close ties to those who wish to kill wolves. Their role in confirming depredations must be limited or eliminated.

-Oregon Wild email

Ranchers have never been happy with Oregon’s wolf plan and see it as something that’s been forced upon them. They want to make it easier to kill wolves that are caught attacking livestock, and to be able to hunt them in nearby areas. They also want to make it easier to delist wolves under state law. As they see it, wolves are “terrorizing” Eastern Oregon.

The updated wolf plan gives ranchers a little of what they want.

Details:

Fish and Wildlife Commission Meeting
Washington County Fair Complex
Cloverleaf Building
873 N.E. 34th Avenue
Hillsboro, Oregon 97124

The day long meeting starts at 8:00am, but the Commission isn’t expected to look at the Wolf Plan until after lunch.

Reading Material:

What Oregonians Really Think About Their Wolves

Oregon Wild: Bringing Wolves Back Home to Oregon

Oregon Cattlemen’s Association: Wolves In Oregon

(FYI: The Cattlemen’s page has a what appears to be a major factual error. It says nothing was done after wolves killed 25 head of livestock in Oregon. Those attacks took place last year in the Keating Valley near Baker City and the two wolves that were responsible were hunted down and killed. See Oregon Wolves Killed By Wildlife Officials. It also says that wolves in Wallowa County are killing livestock “every few days.” While that’s true for the month of May, the last reported attack was on June 4. Despite the factual errors, I respect the group’s point of view on the issue and included the link for that reason.)